EDELRIS collaborates with Merck Serono

EDELRIS has announced that it has signed collaboration with Merck Serono aiming at the delivery of innovative and exclusive chemical entities for Fragment-Based Drug Discovery. EDELRIS has previously signed collaborations with Galapagos and Roche.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals receives $25 million milestone from AstraZeneca

Rigel Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has received a $25 million milestone payment from AstraZeneca. The payment comes from the fulfillment of two major milestones regarding the clinical development of fostamatinib (R788). The first milestone is for initiation of the phase 3 clinical program with fostamatinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis that was announced by AstraZeneca earlier today. The second milestone marks the completion of the transfer of the fostamatinib long-term open label extension study from Rigel to AstraZeneca.

MediGene halves workforce

MediGene has announced a significant restructuring of its business as a result of which the total number of staff employed by the company will be reduced from 107 to approximately 55. The majority of the redundancies will come from the teams involved in the EndoTAG-1 CMC conversion process and in running and analyzing the EndoTAG-1 clinical trials. Both of these have now been completed. MediGene has previously announced that it will take EndoTAG-1 into Phase III development only in cooperation with a partner who will also bear the costs. The company says that several potential partner companies are in the process of conducting due diligence on EndoTAG-1. In August the company reported an annualised cash burn rate of €16.40 million and cash or near cash of €8.2 million. In July MediGene sold the European rights to Eligard, a treatment of hormone-dependent prostate cancer, to Astellas for €25 million.

Ligon Discovery collaborates with Bayer Schering Pharma

Ligon Discovery has announced that it has partnered with Bayer Schering Pharma to apply its small molecule microarray screening platform to discover drug candidates for new disease targets in the fields of oncology and coagulation disorders.

KINAXO and Daiichi Sankyo sign collaboration agreement

KINAXO Biotechnologies and Daiichi Sankyo have entered a long-term partnership in cancer research. Under the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will employ KINAXO’s technology platform to support the development of Daiichi Sankyo’s targeted cancer drugs. This will involve KINAXO applying its pchemical proteomics technologies and its phosphoproteomics technology within various research programs pursued at Daiichi Sankyo. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

GENOVAC announces antibody discovery collaboration with ESBATech

GENOVAC has announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with ESBATech, a subsidiary of Alcon, for the generation of antibodies for use in the field of ophthalmology. Under the terms of the agreement, GENOVAC will apply its genetic immunisation technology to generate high affinity antibodies against molecular targets identified by ESBATech. ESBATech will develops these antibodies towards therapeutic antibody fragments by applying its platform technologies.

Dyax and CMIC sign DX-88 partnership

Dyax and CMIC have announced an agreement to develop and commercialize subcutaneous DX-88 for the treatment of hereditary angioedema and other angioedema indications in Japan. DX-88 has been approved by the FDA and is marketed for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE in patients 16 years of age and older. Under the terms of the agreement, Dyax will receive $4 million upfront and $102 million in future development and sales milestones for DX-88 in HAE and other angioedema indications. CMIC is solely responsible for all costs associated with development, regulatory activities, and commercialization of DX-88 for all angioedema indications in Japan. CMIC will purchase drug product from Dyax on a cost-plus basis for clinical and commercial supply. Additionally, Dyax is eligible to receive royalties of 20%-24% on net product sales.

Human Genome Sciences selects monoclonal antibody in Morphotek collaboration

Morphotek, a subsidiary of Eisai, has announced that a monoclonal antibody has been selected for advancement to clinical development under the terms of its March 2009 collaboration agreement with Human Genome Sciences. Under the agreement, the parties collaborate in the discovery, development and commercialization of antibodies that target certain antigens discovered by HGS. The collaborative work is focused on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for the fields of immunology and oncology.

The humanized antibody, which is being evaluated in the field of immunology, was generated and optimized by Morphotek using its proprietary technologies and the parties will work together to further develop and commercialize the antibody under the collaboration agreement. Each party also has the right to opt in to participate in development and commercialization of any other antibody candidate selected for advancement under the agreement.

Clinical Genomics and Garvan sign license agreement for bio-markers

Clinical Genomics and The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, an institute focused on gene-based medical research with a strong focus on cancer and metabolic syndromes, both based in Sydney, Australia, have entered into a license agreement in relation to novel bio-markers discovered by the scientists at the Garvan Institute. Under the terms of the agreement, Clinical Genomics obtains worldwide exclusive rights to the Garvan’s proprietary cancer associated methylation DNA bio-markers, for the diagnosis and/or treatment of colorectal cancer. Clinical Genomics intends to expand its colorectal bio-marker research program, to evaluate these promising biomarkers in view of formulating a diagnostic test, utilizing those biomarkers demonstrating clinical benefit, for the early detection of colorectal cancer.

Pieris signs collaboration with Sanofi-Aventis

Pieris has announced that it has signed a collaboration and license agreement with both Sanofi-Aventis and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group under which Pieris will apply its Anticalin technology to discover novel Anticalin drugs against multiple targets, with further development undertaken by Sanofi-Aventis and Sanofi-Pasteur. The collaboration will initially involve two targets nominated by Sanofi-Aventis and Sanofi-Pasteur, and includes the option for four additional targets.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pieris will receive €3.5 million in an upfront payment for the first two targets, plus committed research funding and payments for the achievement of research, preclinical, regulatory and commercial milestones. Overall, the agreement could result in payments to Pieris up to €26.5 million in development milestones for the first therapeutic application and $18 million in commercial milestones. Further milestones would be received by Pieris with respect to the same product in the case of development of that product in additional therapeutic applications. Payments will also include tiered royalties on sales of products resulting from the collaboration. Sanofi-Aventis and Sanofi Pasteur will have exclusive marketing rights worldwide for all such products.