Aradigm Corp. (NSDQ:ARDM) said today that its inhaled antibiotic failed in a late-stage clinical trial, sending the Hayward, Calif.-based company’s stock down -54% in premarket trading. Pulmaquin is a once-daily formulation containing ciprofloxacin, a widely prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotic. The inhaled drug was being tested to treat patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (non-CF BE) who have chronic […]
Respiratory
Actelion rejects J&J’s takeover offer
Swiss biotech firm Actelion Pharmaceuticals (VTX:ATLN) reportedly rejected Johnson & Johnson‘s (NYSE:JNJ) 2nd takeover offer, sending it shares down -6% in afternoon trading yesterday. The 2 companies have been engaged in informal talks for 2 months, according to Reuters, and the latest offer was pegged at 250 Swiss francs per share. J&J’s $270 billion bid for Actelion tempted shareholders, […]
Propeller inks deal with Italian spirometer maker
Propeller Health said today that it inked a collaborative deal with Medical International Research to integrate MIR’s mobile and clinical spirometers into the Propeller system. Spirometry, measuring lung function by how much air is inhaled and exhaled, can help provide a physiological measurement for disease progression in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. […]
Windtree touts inhaled therapy for infants with respiratory distress syndrome
Windtree Therapeutics (NSDQ:WINT) today released data from a phase IIa trial evaluating its inhaled Aerosurf lucinactant designed for premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome. Results from the trial were presented at the 6th International Congress of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies in Valencia, Spain. Premature babies often lack adequate surfactant – a naturally occurring substance that reduces the surface […]
Researchers develop human lung model
(Reuters) – Czech scientists have developed a model of a functioning human lung that can be used to simulate problems like asthma or other chronic diseases and their treatments. The research group from the Brno University of Technology says its mechanical- and computer-based model of the lung can help devise treatment methods with more precision […]
J&J approaches Actelion
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is reportedly in preliminary discussions to buy Actelion Pharmaceuticals (VTX:ATLN) in a deal estimated to be as high as $247 (250 Swiss francs) per share, although the European biotech said there is no guarantee the deal will go through. J&J’s CEO Alex Gorsky said this year that the company is interested in deals […]
UPDATE: Mylan declines to testify at Senate committee hearing
Updated to include the Senate Judiciary Committee’s response. Mylan (NDSQ:MYL) declined to testify at a U.S. Senate committee regarding its $465 million pending settlement to deal with charges that it underpaid government healthcare programs when it misclassified its EpiPen injector as a generic. The Canonsburg, Pa.-based company penned a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee […]
GSK files for FDA approval of inhaled triple-combo therapy for COPD
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and Innoviva (NSDQ:INVA) said today that GSK filed a regulatory submission with the FDA for the once-daily, closed triple combination therapy fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The triple-combo therapy includes 3 drugs: fluticasone furoate, an inhaled corticosteroid; umeclidinium, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist; vilanterol, a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist. The medicines […]
DBV, BioNet-Asia study needle-free pertussis booster vaccination
DBV Technologies (NSDQ:DBVT) and BioNet-Asia said today that the independent Data & Safety Monitoring Board positively reviewed DBV’s needle-free vaccine patch technology, Viaskin, and that enrollment in a Phase I trial for booster immunization against pertussis will continue into the 2nd dosing cohort. The Viaskin pertussis booster vaccination program will test the ability of DBV’s needle-free vaccine […]
Adherium touts Smartinhaler asthma study
Adherium (ASK:ADR) touted data from an independent study of its Smartinhaler respiratory disease management tool in children with poorly controlled asthma. The STAAR study was conducted at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the UK and the results were published this month in Thorax. The New Zealand-based company found that in children with poorly controlled asthma, introducing its […]
