Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) said today that the European Commission approved its acquisition of Swiss biotech Actelion. The regulatory nod was the last approval needed to complete the company’s transaction. The U.S. healthcare giant added that it expects the settlement of the $30 billion all-cash tender offer on June 16. The EU commission set conditions […]
Magnets, nanoparticles open and close blood vessels for targeted drug delivery
Tightly-packed endothelial cells line blood vessels and maintain a highly structured barrier. But researchers from Rice University, Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have found a way to selectively create “leaky” blood vessels for targeted drug delivery. The team’s study, which was published in Nature Communications, reported that magnets can help lead iron-oxide nanoparticles […]
OncoSec wins orphan drug status for melanoma therapy
OncoSec Medical (NSDQ:ONCS) said today that its DNA-based intratumoral cancer immunotherapy, pIL-12, won orphan drug designation from the FDA for the treatment of unresectable metastatic melanoma. The drug, tavokinogene telsaplasmid, is the biologic agent delivered using OncoSec’s ImmunoPulse IL-12 electroporation device. The company’s device delivers a sequence of short-duration electrical pulses to increase the cancer […]
FDA asks Endo to pull Opana from the market over concerns of abuse
The FDA asked Endo Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:ENDP) to pull its opioid pain med, Opana ER, from the market, saying that the benefits of the abuse-deterrent drug no longer outweigh the risks. The move marks the 1st time the federal regulatory watchdog has urged a company to remove an opioid painkiller due to concerns of abuse. “We are facing […]
Glytec, AgaMatrix ink deal to develop digital diabetes management platform
AgaMatrix and Glytec said today that the companies are partnering to develop a cloud-based diabetes management platform to optimize clinical access to glucose data and insulin titration support. The platform will combine AgaMatrix’s FDA-cleared Jazz Wireless 2 Bluetooth blood glucose monitoring tech with Glytec’s eGlycemic Management System, according to the companies. The companies are developing […]
Small Utah biotech regenerates skin, hair in pigs
Utah-based biotech PolarityTe Inc. (NSDQ:COOL) has successfully regenerated skin and triggered hair growth in pigs with burns and abrasions. The breakthrough is a win in regenerative medicine, especially for tissue engineers hoping to help burn victims recover their skin. The firm’s approach involves using a patient’s own healthy tissue to grow human skin as a […]
Bigfoot buys connected insulin pen tech
Artificial pancreas developer Bigfoot Biomedical said today that it acquired Patients Pending and its connected insulin pen technology for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Bigfoot said it is the 1st company to simultaneously pursue both insulin infusion and injection delivery solutions. “Bigfoot isn’t in the pump business. And even though we are excited to […]
Inovio launches late-stage cervical dysplasia trial after FDA lifts hold
Shares in Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:INO) jumped more than 10% after it announced that it is launching a Phase III clinical study of its investigational DNA immunotherapy candidate designed to treat cervical dysplasia caused by human papillomavirus. The moves comes after the FDA lifted a hold that it placed on the clinical program in October last year. At […]
Bristol-Myers Squibb launches prefilled syringe option for arthritis drug
Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) launched a subcutaneous administration option for Orencia, a biologic indicated for moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients who are at least 2 years old. The prefilled syringe enables physicians, caregivers and patients to administer Orencia at home. Orencia is traditionally administered via IV infusion. “The data supporting this […]
Mylan defends chairman to shareholder advisory firm amid scrutiny
Mylan (NSDQ:MYL) defended chairman Robert Coury to Institutional Shareholder Services, an shareholder advisory group, earlier this week as the firm prepares to release a report advising shareholders how they should vote in the upcoming re-election of Coury and other directors. Major investors like the New York City and State pension funds have urged shareholders to vote against […]