Photo: Pierre Martin
The Nobel Prize 2011
During the festivities of the Nobel Week our editor in chief got a chance to meet the Nobel Laureates in Medicine or Physiology, Jules Hoffman, Bruce Beutler and Alexis Steinman, daughter of the late Ralph Steinman. We also took a chat about quasicrystals with Dan Shechtman, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. Read more about these exclusive interviews and realted research in the Nordic countries in the upcoming issue of Nordic Life Science Review, out in January 2011.
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Thermo Fisher Scientific acquires Phadia
Thermo Fisher Scientific announced its acquisition of Phadia, one of the leading companies within diagnostics of allergies and autoimmune diseases, for 23 billion SEK (approximately 3,5 billion USD). The acquisition, which is expected to be completed by the end of the fourth quarter of 2011, is expected to contribute positively by a raise of 0,26 – 0,30 USD per chair.
Phadia has been a pioneer within the development of diagnostic tests for allergies and autoimmune diseases and has two leading products: ImmunoCAP for testing allergy and asthma and EliA for testing of autoimmune diseases. Phadia will be a part of Thermo Fisher’s area Specialty Diagnostics within the segment Analytical Technologies
Read more about the business deal between Thermo Fisher Scientific and Phadia in the upcoming issue of Nordic Life Science review, out in January 2012.
Astra Zeneca acquires generics company to broaden patient access to medicines in China
AstraZeneca announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Gunagdong BeiKang Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, a privately-owned generics manufacturing company, based in Conghua City, Guangdong province, China. The deal will give AstraZeneca access to a portfolio of injectable medicines used to treat infections which AstraZeneca will make available to patients in China.
Following completion of the acquisition, AstraZeneca will be responsible for the manufacture and commercialization of these medicines. Effectiveness of the agreement is contingent on the approval of certain regulatory authorities, including the approval of the Minister of Commerce in China. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Mark Mallon, President of AstraZeneca’s Asia-Pacific region, said: “AstraZeneca continues to invest in the key emerging markets such as China where the combination of growing populations, elevated levels of chronic diseases and increasing income are driving demand and expectations for better healthcare treatment. Our new acquisition further underscores our intention to serve the health needs of Chinese patients through our innovative medicines and, increasingly, high quality branded generic treatments that are locally produced to global standards.”
Since first establishing a presence in China in 1993, AstraZeneca has invested around 500 million USD in China and has fast become one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies in the country, with a turnover of more than 1 billion USD in 2010.
Halo Genomics acquired by Agilent technologies
Agilent technologies announced the strategic acquisition of Halo Genomics, a privately held company in Uppsala, Sweden. Financial details were not disclosed.
Halo Genomics’ technology addresses sequence-selective (or “target enrichment”) sample preparation in next-generation-sequencing. The company’s proprietary HaloPlex technology combines the speed and specificity of polymerase chain reaction-based systems with the scalability and capture-size flexibility of solution-based hybridization formats, thus eliminating the need for library preparation. The fast and simplified target enrichment solution for next-generation sequencing helps to remove bottlenecks associated with targeted resequencing without the use of expensive, dedicated instrumentation or laborious protocols.
“Halo Genomics’ unique technology and talented R&D team will expand Agilent’s solutions for emerging sequencing applications and accelerate our entry into the rapidly growing next-gen clinical sequencing market,” said Gustavo Salem, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Biological Systems Division within the Life Science Group. “This acquisition further builds upon Agilent’s position as a leader in genomics.”
“Joining Agilent is a win-win situation for Halo employees and our valued customers,” said Olle Ericsson, former CEO and founder of Halo Genomics. “With Halo’s innovative technology and Agilent’s market leading products and long history of quality and service, we look forward to offering our customers an expanded portfolio of solutions to meet their needs.”
Promising prognostic and preclinical data for Acute Myeloid Leukemia
BerGenBio AS, an emerging oncology biopharma in Bergen, Norway, is developing a first class inhibitor of Axl kinase, BGB324. Promising preclinical data was presented at the 53rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, USA. The research suggests that Axl is a useful prognostic indicator for AML and the BerGenBio's inhibitor, BGB324, is a highly effective therapeutic candidate.
BerGenBio has been researching the Axl receptor for a number of years and has shown that this ubiquitous cell surface molecule is fundamental to cancer biology. It has been demonstrated that Axl has a crucial rule in the mechanism that contributes to the escape of tumor cells from chemotherapy and likely contributes to tumor metastasis. The expression of Axl in AML is associated with a poor clinical outcome and survival.
The research, which was conducted by Sonja Loges, MD, PhD from University of Hamburg, Germany, demonstrates that BGB324 inhibits growth in human AML tumors in xenograft studies in mice when administered alone and exerts additive effects when co-administered with the standard of care. Richard Godfrey, CEO of BerGenBio, added "Dr. Loges work is very promising for the application of BGB324 as a novel therapeutic agent for AML this also fits into the wider picture of the significance of Axl to tumor formation and maintenance. With this quality of research and findings, we will accelerate the clinical development of our first in class Axl kinase inhibitor, BGB 324. We are still considering the full development plan for BGB324, but anticipating starting clinical trials in 2013."
Camurus enters collaboration with Novartis
Camurus, based in Lund, Sweden, has granted Novartis an exclusive option to licence the FluiCrystal® Injection depot technology to develop, manufacture and commercialize Camurus’ octreotide product CAM2029 and related unnamed products.
CAM2029 is a ready-to-use, long acting octreotide product being developed for treatment of patients with acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), and other indications. CAM2029 has received orphan drug designation by EMA for treatment of acromegaly and has been studied in two completed clinical Phase I trials assessing single and repeat dosing. A further clinical trial investigating pharmacokinetics, pharmadynamics, and safety of CAM2029 versus an active control was recently approved and initiated. This trial is expected to be completed and reported by the third quarter of 2012.
Fredrik Tiberg, President and CEO of Camurus, commented on the deal: “We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Novartis, our partner of choice for CAM2029 and related assets, given their world class research, unique development capacity across relevant indications, as well as global market presence and leadership in endocrinology and oncology. We now look forward to working closely with the exceptional teams of Novartis to further accelerate and expand our product pipeline with the aim of introducing new treatment options to patients suffering from serious and life-threatening diseases.”
According to the agreement, Novartis will pay Camurus a non-refundable option fee of 10 million USD. Camurus will fund, perform and retain control over the clinical development of CAM2029 until exercise of the license option. If exercised, Novartis will thereafter assume responsibility for further clinical development, including pivotal studies, product registration and worldwide commercialization. Camurus is in total eligible to payments in excess of 700 million USD, subject to achievement of predefined development, regulatory and commercial milestones for the various products of the agreement. In addition, Camurus is entitled to running royalties on global product sales.
BioInvent International AB presents new preclinical data
BioInvent International AB announced that new preclinical data has been presented on its BI-505 program that demonstrates anti-cancer activity in multiple myeloma and beneficial effects on bone density. The results were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, San Diego, USA in December 2011.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA, under the direction of Professor Guido Tricot. Compared to untreated controls, BI-505 treated animals showed a significant reduction of tumor burden induced by primary human multiple myeloma cells as measured by human IgG levels.
Svein Mathisen, President and CEO of BioInvent, said: “Current pharmaceutical regimes in multiple myeloma are associated with sever negative side effects. It is our belief that an antibody-based regime would make a meaningful difference in this respect. These preclinical data on the anti-cancer activity of BI-505, well in line with one of the leading cytotoxics, take us one step in that direction.”
A second outcome investigated in the study was bone resorption. This is very important to multiple myeloma patients because, as the disease progresses, lysis or breakdown of bone causes increasing pain. This lysis is caused by the shift in balance in favor of osteoclasts, the bone cells in charge of skeletal breakdown, over osteoblasts, bone cells promoting build-up. The study demonstrated that both BI-505 and Velcade had a favorable effect on bone mineral density.
Aprea announces continuation of clinical Phase I/II study of APR-246 in patients with leukemia
Aprea AB has announced that the first patient has been dosed in a clinical Phase I/II-study of APR-246. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics, but also to make an early assessment of effectiveness.
“This Phase I/II-study is a continuation of an earlier completed dose finding study, which showed that APR-246 was safe at predicted therapeutic plasma levels. The previous study also demonstrated dose and time independent pharmacokinetics of the compound over the dose range studied”, says Ulf Björklund, CEO at Aprea AB
The study is being carried out at five sites in Sweden under the supervision of Dr. Sören Lehmann at the Department of Hematology of the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm. It will include ten patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), refractory to standard treatment. The study is expected to be completed during the first half of 2012.
Aprea AB is a Karolinska Development AB portfolio company. Other main investors are Industrifonden, Östersjöstiftelsen and Praktikerinvest.
