Drug Discovery

Erytech confirms focus of eryaspase on solid tumors and ceases development in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Erytech Pharma has announced that it will focus its development efforts for its product candidate eryaspase on the potential treatment of selected solid tumor indications.

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals starts phase III program for IW-3718 in persistent gastroesophageal reflux disease

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals has initiated two Phase III clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of IW-3718 in patients with persistent gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Report says smart pills will gain grounds in diagnostics and health monitoring applications

A report from Persistence Market Research has revealed that increasing uptake for indigestible medical devices will drive global demand for smart pills during 2017 to 2026.

Novacap to acquire US-based CDMO PCI Synthesis

Novacap has agreed to acquire Boston-based PCI Synthesis, a pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), for an undisclosed price.

£56m medicines manufacturing innovation center to be established in Scotland

A new £56m medicines manufacturing innovation center (MMIC) is to be established in Renfrewshire, Scotland, to offer businesses support to transform processes and technologies.

NeuroVive grants LHON therapy license to BridgeBio Pharma

NeuroVive Pharmaceutical has granted exclusive license of a subset of succinate prodrug chemistry under its NVP015 program to BridgeBio Pharma.

Sage, Shionogi to collaborate on MDD drug in three Asian countries

Sage Therapeutics and Shionogi & Co. have agreed to collaborate for the clinical development and commercialization of the former’s SAGE-217 for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other indications in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

BridgeBio Pharma to acquire late stage therapy for ultra-rare disorder from Alexion

BridgeBio Pharma has entered into an agreement with Alexion Pharmaceuticals to acquire cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate (cPMP; ALXN1101), a synthetic enzyme co-factor therapy for patients with the ultra-rare disease caused by molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MoCD) Type A.

Sanofi Pasteur to buy license of Translate’s mRNA technology in $805m deal

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines business of French pharma firm Sanofi, has agreed to acquire exclusive license of Translate Bio’s mRNA technology to develop messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines in a deal that could be worth up to $805m.