Biotech Growth tops bio-trust league with 47% NAV rise – Orbimed-managed Biotech Growth Trust (BIOG) recorded the rise 47% rise in NAV in 2019, representing the best performance of the 14 specialist biotech/pharma closed end investment vehicles monitored by Marten & Co. Biotech Growth’s rise in NAV was more than double that of the benchmark […]
BioPharma Credit loan to Sarepta, as FDA approves Vyondys BioPharma Credit (BPCR), the LSE-listed life sciences debt investor, is to extend a loan of up to $350m to the US listed biotech, Sarepta Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRPT), as part of a $500m senior secured term loan arranged by its manager Pharmakon Advisors, with the remainder provided […]
Trust favourite Alexion acquires complentary player Achillion Rare disease specialist and investment trust favourite Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) has notched up its second business development transaction in a just over a week, with a $1bn deal to acquire the smaller US competitor Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACHN). The acquisition follows the option deal covering StealthBioTherapeutics’ Phase II stage drug […]
Trust favourite Alexion options Stealth Bio’s mitochrondrial disease drug US rare disease biotech and investment trust favourite Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) has effectively added a new Phase III-stage programme to its R&D pipeline, by virture of an option deal covering Stealth BioTherapeutics’ lead product elamipretide for mitochondrial diseases. Stealth (NASDAQ:MITO), a $270m market cap US biotech […]
Biogen/Eisai discontinue BACE inhbitor in Alzheimer’s US-biotech Biogen and its Japanese partner Eisai have stopped two large Phase III studies of the investigational BACE (beta amyloid cleaving enzyme) inhibitor elenbecestat/E2609 for Alzheimer’s disease, after an interim safety review highlighted an unfavourable risk-benefit ratio. The move effectively marks the end of development of agents in this […]
Acadia stock surges 65% on positive trial result in dementia psychosis – US biotech Acadia Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ACAD) saw its stock jump 65% today on the back of a positive result in its “Harmony” Phase III study of Nuplazid (pimavanserin) for dementia-related psychosis. The company reported that the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a […]
BMS claims still on track to close Celgene deal by early 2020 – Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has confirmed that it remains on track to close its proposed $74bn acquisition of the US biotech giant Celgene by the end 2019 or in early 2020, even though this is now dependent on securing a separate deal to […]
Trust favourite Sage to test ‘217 in treatment resistant depression – US biotech Sage Therapeutics announced plans to advance its lead development candidate, SAGE-217 (zuranolone) into a Phase III trial for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The drug is already in Phase III for major depressive disorder (MDD) and has completed – successfully – a Phase III […]
Acadia falls on negative trial result in schizophrenia – US biotech Acadia Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ACAD) saw its stock fall by 15% today on the back of a negative top-line result from its 396-patient “Enhance” Phase III study of Nuplazid (pimavanserin) in treatment resistant schizophrenia. The company, which is a mid-size holding of the UK’s International Biotechnology […]
Genmab raises $582m in Europe’s largest ever Nasdaq IPO – Denmark’s Genmab has raised a gross total of $582m from its US IPO, the largest sum ever by a European biotech. Genmab, which is already listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen, sold 32.78m ADSs – each of which represents one-tenth of a share – at $17.75/ADS, only a 3% […]