Intarcia Therapeutics and the California Institute for Biomedical Research said today that the 2 groups will collaborate to develop a peptide therapeutic for patients with type II diabetes and obesity. The drug will be derived from Calibr’s stapled-peptide technology platform, combined with Intarcia’s late stage investigational GLP-1 therapy and delivered using the match-sized Medici osmotic […]
Wall Street Beat
Frequency Therapeutics names board of directors
Frequency Therapeutics named its board of directors last week, the company’s 1st public move since it was founded in 2015. Marc Cohen of COBRO Ventures was named chairman. Founder and former CEO of Sepracor, Inc., joined the board as well as Marc Kozin, senior advisor and former president of L.E.K. Consulting. Robert Langer, who co-founded […]
Mast Therapeutics, Savara ink merger deal
Mast Therapeutics (NYSE:MSTX) and privately-held Savara Inc. said today that the 2 companies have landed a definitive merger agreement, combining their operations. The newly-formed Austin, Texas-based company is expected to be named Savara Inc., and trade on the NYSE market under a new ticker symbol. The combined company will focus on advancing a pipeline of […]
Merrimack sells liposome injections to Ipsen for $575m
In a deal that could earn the Cambridge, Mass.-based pharmaceutical company over $1.03 billion, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:MACK) said yesterday that it is selling its liposome injection cancer drugs, Onivyde and generic Doxil, to Ipsen (EPA:IPN). Merrimack is also slashing its employee headcount down to just 80 people, after laying off 22% of its 400 employees […]
scPharmaceuticals closes $46m Series B round
scPharmaceuticals said today that it closed a $45.6 million Series B round, co-led by OrbiMed and a subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. Other investors included 5AM Ventures and Lundbeckfond Ventures. The investment will be used to support the development of the operational and commercial infrastructure needed to bring Furoscix and the sc2Wear Infusor to market […]
Neurelis wins fast track designation from FDA for intranasal diazepam spray
Neurelis, Inc. said today that it won fast track designation from the FDA for its intranasal diazepam spray. The nasal formulation of diazepam, which is being developed for pediatric and adult epilepsy patients who experience repititive or cluster seizures, is in the final stage of clinical development, according to Neurelis. The company expects to submit […]
Ocular Therapeutix touts data from phase III trial of Dextenza
Ocular Therapeutix (NSDQ:OCUL) touted interim data today from its phase III trial of Dextenza for the treatment of post-surgical ocular inflammation and pain. The bioresorbable intracanalicular hydrogel plug is designed to release drugs at the ocular surface for up to 30 days. The company announced last month that Dextenza met the trial’s 2 primary efficacy endpoints: […]
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals files plans for $150m IPO
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals filed plans for a $150 million initial public offering last week with the Securities & Exchange Commission, leaving out any specific pricing details. The Princeton, N.J.-based company plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq market under the symbol “BBRX”. JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and Deustche Bank are underwriters for the offering and Apple […]
BioTime and subsidiary establish cell manufacturing facility in Israel
BioTime Inc. (NYSE:BTX) and its subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences said today that it is establishing an 800 square meter cell manufacturing facility at the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem. The manufacturing center will be staffed initially by 30 employees, according to the companies, and will be prepared to produce OpRegen for BioTime’s ongoing clinical trial […]
Primatene Mist Inhaler rejected by FDA
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:AMPH) said this week that the FDA denied its subsidiary’s new drug application for the latest version of its Primatene Mist epinephrine inhaler. The complete response letter from the federal watchdog told Amphastar’s subsidiary, Armstrong Pharmaceuticals, that the company needs to change the inhaler’s label and packaging. The FDA also recommended that the company […]
