Industry news

Biotech's boom spells a spike in R&D down payments

Damian Garde / Fierce Biotech

The average upfront value in biotech deals hit a 9-year peak in 2014, according to Morrison & Foerster, part of a virtuous cycle in life sciences that has pushed asset valuations ever upward.

Research demonstrates how genome editing can eliminate mitochondrial mutations

Nuala Moran / BioWorld

Researchers have used genome editing to selectively eliminate mitochondria mutations in the germline of mice, a technique they suggest could be applied to the treatment of mitochondrial diseases in humans.

04 May 2015

Clearside Biomedical, Inc. and Santen, Inc. Announce Research Collaboration in Glaucoma

Clearside Biomedical, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drug therapies to treat blinding diseases of the eye, and Santen Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Santen Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., today announced the expansion of their research collaboration to include the field of glaucoma. 

04 May 2015

Tobira Therapeutics Completes Financing and Merger with Regado Biosciences

Tobira Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBRA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel treatments for liver and immuno-inflammatory diseases, announced today the completion of its merger with Regado Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RGDO, through May 4). In conjunction with the closing of the merger, Tobira raised $40 million of common stock from a combination of new investors and all current Tobira institutional investors, including the previously announced $13 million in debt that converted to common stock in this closing. 

02 May 2015

Atlas Genetics - Annual Summary 2014 - Setting the new standard in decentralised molecular diagnostics

Atlas Genetics Ltd., developer of innovative, ultra-rapid diagnostics to enable a ‘test and treat’ solution to infectious diseases, today announces its Annual Summary for 2014.

Google's Calico continues its partnering romp on aging R&D with Buck collaboration

John Carroll / FierceBiotechResearch

Google's stealthy biotech Calico is setting up shop inside the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA, after hammering out the latest in a long lineup of deals to collaborate on a new generation of therapeutics.

Here's an M&A strategy: Buy products, hike prices, watch sales grow

Carly Helfand / FiercePharma

As the M&A wave sweeps over pharma, companies are wheeling and dealing for a number of different reasons. Slim-down strategies, tax break potential, portfolio diversification and other usual suspects have all driven transactions as of late--but the promise of price hikes has, too.

China hopes to learn ins and outs of regulation from U.S. FDA

EJ Lane / FeircePharmaAsia

China's FDA is laying plans to work directly with its U.S. counterpart to learn the secrets of drug and medical-device regulation and bring China drugmaking and other regulated industries up to international standards.

India mulls adopting international standards on drug inspections, manufacturing

EJ Lane / FeircePharmaAsia

India's pharmaceutical regulators are considering whether to take the rigid steps necessary to join international drug inspection systems. The actions are considered necessary if India is to become more of an exporting nation, but some pharmas are cautious.

28 April 2015

Spark Therapeutics and Clearside Biomedical Announce Exclusive Option to License Technology for Potentially Differentiated Delivery of Gene Therapy to the Eye

Spark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCE) and Clearside Biomedical, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an option agreement under which Spark acquired exclusive rights to license Clearside's microinjector technology to deliver gene therapies to the back of the eye. Under the agreement, the companies will explore the feasibility of using Clearside's microinjector technology to deliver viral vectors to the choroid and the retina through the suprachoroidal space (SCS).