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Corixa, Kirin
to tie up on antibodies
CORIXA corporation, a developer of immunotherapeutics, and Kirin
Brewery CO, Ltd, reached an agreement to discover and develop fully
human monoclonal antibodies directed against targets from Corixa’s
extensive library of autoimmune disease, cancer and infectious disease
antigens.
Kosan receives
NCI grant for Epothilone
KOSAN Biosciences Incorporated said it was awarded a phase I Small
Business Innovative Research grant from the National Cancer Institute.
The grant was awarded to Kosan to generate epothilone analogs by
genetic engineering.
Merck lowers
estimate, cites Vioxx sales
MERCK & Co Inc, the world’s No. 3 drug maker, warned
that its full-year earnings would be below its previous projections,
hurt by slower-than-expected sales of its flagship arthritis drug
Vioxx and the negative impact of foreign exchange rates.
Biogen, Genentech
battle with psoriasis drugs
NEW drugs to relieve pain and itching in millions of psoriasis
sufferers showed promise in studies detailed by major US biotechnology
companies, including industry heavyweights Biogen Inc and Genentech
Inc.
Inhibitex
gets Orphan Drug status for Staph. drug
INHIBITEX Inc has received orphan designation from the United
States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of a human
immunoglobulin to prevent hospital-acquired staphylococcal infections
in very low birth weight infants, a company release stated.
Novuspharma begins
phase II study on pancreatic cancer drug
NOVUSPHARMA SpA, a leading biotechnology company focused on
cancer, today announces that recruitment has begun for a phase II
trial of its novel tri-platinum complex, BBR 3464, for the treatment
of advanced pancreatic cancer.
Depomed begins
phase III trial for Metformin
DEPOMed Inc announced the opening of the investigators’
meeting for the company’s phase III clinical trial of Metformin
GR.
Cell Genesys
launches phase I/II trials of Gvax
CELL Genesys, Inc said it has initiated a second multicentre
phase I/II clinical trial of Gvax lung cancer vaccine in patients
with advanced stage non small-cell lung cancer who have failed previous
therapies, a company said in press release.
Viragen approved
to start MS clinical trials
VIRAGEN Inc and Viragen (Europe) Ltd jointly announced that
the Medicines Control Agency, the governmental body that regulates
therapeutic drugs in the United Kingdom, has approved Viragen’s
Application for its natural alpha interferon, Omniferon, to commence
human clinical trials for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
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