If the biotech industry can't create some merger and acquisition activity now - when the equity markets are sending a clear signal that the funding window has been nailed shut - perhaps it never will. By now,...

The rap on gene therapy has been that it sounds good, but doesn't yet work in practice: expression levels aren't high enough, some vectors cause inflammatory responses, and so on. Collateral Therapeutics believes that it...

Chiron Viagene and the Virus Research Institute (VRI) agreed to collaborate on the R&D of intracellular immunizing agents. CHIR will receive an option to exclusively license VRI's intracellular immunization technology for use in the areas...

Viagene Inc. shareholders gained about $31 million when the gene therapy companys merger into Chiron Corp. closed at about a 35 percent premium to the value of the deal when it was announced in April....

When TheraTech Inc .’s Androderm testosterone patch received FDA approval for hypogonadism last week, the Salt Lake City company and its marketing partner, SmithKline Beecham , were ready and waiting. Plans are to launch Androderm in...

CHIR said its previously announced merger with VIGN (San Diego) is expected to be effective on Sept. 29, following last week's approval by VIGN shareholders (see BioCentury Extra April 25). Upon consummation, each VIGN share...

VIGN received a non-exclusive license from Ajinomoto (Tokyo) for the use of the Interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene in gene therapy treatments for cancer and other diseases. Ajinomoto will receive an undisclosed license fee and royalties. The...

A suit was filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery against CHIR, VIGN and VIGN's directors, alleging that VIGN's shareholders are receiving inadequate consideration in the proposed merger of CHIR and VIGN (see BioCentury Extra,...

Chiron Corp. (CHIR) Lonergan said the Emeryville, Calif., company's acquisition of Viagene Inc. will contribute to further downward pressure on CHIR's EPS. She estimated the additional expenses of the acquisition would reducing ongoing earnings by...