Biopharma News

A new indication for Emergent BioSolutions’ BioThrax will give the drug market exclusivity through November 2022.

Keytruda was shown to be superior to chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Pfizer broke ground at its Andover, Massachusetts campus on a clinical manufacturing facility for complex biologics and vaccines.

Merck will acquire Afferent Pharmaceuticals for $500 million in cash with the potential for additional payments.

In Phase III clinical trials, ixekizumab showed to be superior to etanercept and placebo in treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Alvotech prepares for commercial biosimilar production in new facility with single-use bioreactors in Reykjavik, Iceland.

J&J’s Darzalex, in combination with two older drugs, was found to significantly extend progression-free survival in patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma.

A new 20,000-L microbial biologics facility in Ireland will be operational by 2018 for Fujifilm Diosynth's contract development and manufacturing customers.

New research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting demonstrates that atezolizumab could be a promising first-line therapy for the treatment of bladder cancer in cisplatin-ineligible patients.

Amyris will use its platform technology to develop a library of natural and natural-like compounds to test against Janssen’s therapeutic target.

Samsung Bioepis and partner Biogen announced on May 30 that the European Commission approved Flixabi for the treatment of six inflammatory conditions.

Jazz will acquire Celator for approximately $1.5 billion.

FDA accepted for review Samsung Bioepis’ BLA for SB2, a biosimilar to Remicade (infliximab).

Sanofi announced that it is making several changes to its executive committee, effective June 1, 2016.

Genentech received accelerated approval for its immunotherapy atezolizumab for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Celgene will pay Agios $200 million to lead exploratory, research, drug discovery, and early development work for metabolic immuno-oncology.

Pfizer will acquire Anacor for $5.2 billion and expects the transaction to complete in the third-quarter of 2016.

Caribou announced the completion of a $30-million Series B financing round, which included the participation of new and current investors.

The Phase I trials will examine AX-1602’s clinical efficacy for the treatment of psoriasis and eczema.

Takeda received a $38 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop, license, and supply Sabin-strain inactivated poliovirus to more than 70 developing countries.

Under the terms of an agreement with Pfizer, WAVE will advance up to five programs from discovery through the selection of clinical candidates.

MilliporeSigma expands its Carlsbad, California-based GMP capacity for viral and gene-therapy products by nearly 90%.

The collaborations have the goal of creating new tools that will help predict how people with Type 2 diabetes adhere to their medication.

MilliporeSigma, the North American life-sciences business of Germany’s Merck KGaA, added a 2000-L single-use bioreactor to its facility in Massachusetts.

EMD Serono, the North American biopharmaceutical business of Germany’s Merck KGaA, will expand its R&D facility in Massachusetts, US.

MSD joined the WHO campaign in Africa, which is focused on staying polio free.

AbbVie will acquire Stemcentrx and its lead late-stage asset rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T), a novel biomarker-specific therapy derived from cancer stem cells.

The Subcommittee for Advanced Manufacturing of the National Science and Technology Council highlights biopharmaceutical manufacturing as an emerging priority.