Lykera joins a growing wave of companies targeting the tumor stroma, but it is taking a different approach with a portfolio of first-in-class mAbs against S100 proteins implicated in driving metastases. Its lead programs are...

DISEASE CATEGORY: Endocrine/metabolic INDICATION: Diabetes Promoting expression of S100A9, a plasma protein induced by leptin, could treat diabetes. Type I and Type II diabetes induce insulin deficiency, which causes metabolic imbalances including hyperglycemia, hyperglucagonemia, hyperketonemia,...

DISEASE CATEGORY: Ophthalmic disease INDICATION: Blindness Mouse studies suggest gene therapies delivering ABCA4 or CEP290 as split inteins could help treat Stargardt disease or Leber congenital amaurosis type 10 (LCA10), respectively. The therapies consist of...

Athenex raises $100M to advance Oraxol Looking to fund commercialization activities for Oraxol and advance its oncology pipeline and actinic keratosis therapy, Athenex Inc. (NASDAQ:ATNX) raised $100 million in a private placement through the sale...

Oxford BioMedica plc (LSE:OXB) said Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NASDAQ:SNY) will seek a partner to continue further development of two ophthalmology gene therapy programs that the pharma gained under a 2009 deal with Oxford BioMedica. The products...

Active Biotech AB (SSE:ACTI) said once-daily 1 mg oral laquinimod missed the primary endpoint of improving the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale - Total Motor Score (UHDRS-TMS) from baseline to 12 months vs. placebo in the...

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests antibody-drug conjugates targeting the tumor stroma could treat cancers by co-opting a stromal mechanism to feed cytotoxic drugs to the surrounding tumor cells. Tumor-associated stroma,...

Ophthotech Corp. (NASDAQ:OPHT) acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize a preclinical ophthalmic gene therapy from the University of Florida Research Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania. The deal gives the biotech an adeno-associated...

Ophthotech Corp. (NASDAQ:OPHT) gained $0.29 (10%) to $3.09 on Thursday on news that it acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize a preclinical ophthalmic gene therapy from the University of Florida Research Foundation and...