News

MTM Laboratories raises equity capital

MTM Laboratories AG, a privately held Germany company that is developing diagnostic devices for detecting cervical cancer, has raised €9.6 million with a private placement of its shares.

Intercytex joins US-funded regenerative medicine institute

Intercytex Group Plc said that it has been asked to participate in a US government-funded institute that will investigate the use of regenerative medicine to develop treatments for injuries sustained by soldiers in battlefields around the world. The London-Stock-Exchange listed company is the only non-US participant in the institute.

Pharming gives business update for the 2008 first quarter

In a quarterly business update, Pharming Group NV has confirmed that it plans to re-submit its application for the recombinant C1 inhibitor, Rhucin, to the European Medicines Agency with additional clinical data. In parallel, it will pursue registration for the product in markets outside the European Union.

Orphan status recommended for eight medicines

Eight new investigational medicines have been recommended for orphan designation by a committee of the European Medicines Agency. Sponsors of orphan-designated products may be eligible for grants and regulatory fee reductions.

UK’s Piramed to be acquired by Roche

A closely-held UK company with an early-stage oncology programme has reached agreement to be acquired by Roche for up to $175 million. The deal, which was announced on 15 April 2008, includes an upfront cash payment of $160 million plus a milestone payment of $15 million which is due upon the start of Phase 2 trials of its  oncology programme.

Paion makes an agreed bid for CeNeS Pharmaceuticals

Paion AG, a Frankfurt Stock Exchange-listed developer of treatments for stroke and other thrombotic diseases, made an agreed bid on 10 April 2008 for all the share capital of CeNeS Pharmaceuticals Plc, a developer of products for pain, anaesthesia and neurology. CeNeS is listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London.

US FDA sends Warning Letter to GlaxoSmithKline

In another step to require prompt reporting of clinical trial data, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a letter to GlaxoSmithKline demanding that the company supply a full report on the results of postmarketing studies conducted for the diabetes drug, Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate). The demands are contained in a Warning Letter dated 25 March 2008 to Jean-Pierre Garnier, GSK’s chief executive officer. The letter has been posted on the FDA’s website, www.fda.gov.

UK seeks to tighten law on drug safety reporting following Seroxat case

The UK government is expected to issue proposals this summer to strengthen the national law governing drug safety in the wake of alleged abuses of the current legislation by GlaxoSmithKline, producer of the antidepressant, Seroxat (paroxetine). Proposals to amend the UK law are being readied by the government with the help of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which recently concluded a four-year investigation into whether GSK withheld certain clinical trial data pertaining to Seroxat.