Business & Industry News Channel
Novo Nordisk today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire intellectual property rights from Neose Technologies Inc. related to Neose's proprietary GlycoPEGylation technology. The acquired rights are currently subject to a license from Neose for Novo Nordisk's development of GlycoPEGylated recombinant blood clotting factors FVIIa, FVIII and FIX.
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for the use of HUMIRA®, in combination with methotrexate (MTX), as a treatment for active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in adolescents aged 13 to 17. Additionally, HUMIRA for JIA treatment is approved for those patients who have responded inadequately to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Bayer Schering Pharma's YAZ® will be available across Europe as of September 2008. YAZ® is the first oral contraceptive containing 3 mg of the unique progestin drospirenone combined with 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol in a new dosing regimen of 24 days of active hormone tablets followed by 4 days of hormone-free tablets.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: VRX) announced that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide collaboration agreement for the investigational drug retigabine, a first in class neuronal potassium channel opener for treatment of adult epilepsy patients with refractory partial onset seizures.
Nycomed agreed with Bayer Schering Pharma on the sale of the preclinical anti-cancer program. The agreement is part of Nycomed's strategic decision not to further invest in oncology R&D activities. As the final step in the divestment of its Oncology portfolio, Nycomed agreed with Bayer Schering Pharma on the sale of a kinase inhibitor program, targeting a key growth and survival pathway in cancer.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) announced that they have entered into a five-year, $25 million-plus collaborative agreement to build a unique alliance in stem cell science, leading to the development of new medicines.