Biotech Analysis

Cytokinetics’ Cardio Bet Pays Off with Amgen Option Exercise
Cytokinetics Inc.’s decision to scrap its internal oncology programs and focus on heart failure drug CK-1827452 is looking pretty smart now that partner Amgen Inc. exercised its option on the drug, triggering a $50 million payment to Cytokinetics. Amgen will cover all future expenses, including two [...]

Acadia Climbs 150% on $395M Pimavanserin Deal with Biovail
Shares of Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. gained 150 percent in midday trading on Monday after the company unveiled a surprise partnership with Biovail Corp. for North American rights to its lead drug, pimavanserin. The deal may bring Acadia $30 million up front and $365 million in milestone [...]

VIA Pops on Subset Analysis from Phase II ACS Trial
Shares of VIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. jumped 50 percent in midday trading Friday after the company presented a subset analysis from its Phase II trial of VIA-2291 in acute coronary syndrome. The trial previously met its primary endpoint of significantly inhibiting Leukotriene B4 production. The subset [...]

What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs.
What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore [...]

Oral MS Drug Data a Mixed Bag at AAN
Two oral multiple sclerosis drugs – Merck Serono’s cladribine and Novartis AG’s FYT720 (fingolimod) – continued to show solid efficacy data but safety concerns prevented either one from emerging as a clear winner at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in Seattle. Both drugs met their [...]

Oxford BioMedica Loses TroVax Partner but Gets New Sanofi Deal
Oxford BioMedica plc has to start shopping around for a new partner for its TroVax therapeutic cancer vaccine after Paris-based Sanofi-Aventis dropped the late-stage program as part of a sweeping pipeline makeover. But the good news is that the Oxford, UK-based firm signed a new [...]

EASL Roundup: Anadys, Salix, Schering
In the flurry of EASL news breaking today, shares of Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc. plunged 42 percent in midday trading amid safety concerns about polymerase inhibitor ANA598. Meanwhile, Schering-Plough Corp. released final data from a Phase II trial of protease inhibitor boceprevir in treatment-naïve HCV patients. And Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. said [...]

Genentech Deal Looking Better; Avastin Misses in First Adjuvant Trial
Though some analysts believed Genentech Inc. could have gotten more than $95 per share for its remaining minority stake in the $46.8 billion deal with Roche Holdings AG earlier this year, the buyout price was looking pretty good Wednesday, after Genentech reported that cancer drug Avastin [...]

Medarex, Mass Biologic License Antibodies to Merck in Deal Worth up to $225M
A combination of monoclonal antibodies co-developed by Medarex Inc. and Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories have been licensed to drug giant Merck & Co. Inc. in a deal worth up to $225M. Medarex and Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories will split equally a $60 million up-front [...]

Discovery Labs Shares Fall on FDA Delay of Surfaxin
Shares in Discovery Labs spiraled downward 52 percent Monday on news that the FDA has again delayed a decision on the company’s application to market Surfaxin for the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants. For the fourth time, the agency has issued a complete [...]