MediGene AG (Frankfurt, Prime Standard, MDG, TecDAX) has announced the sale of full European marketing and distribution rights to Eligard^® (leuprolide acetate, for the treatment of hormone-dependent prostate cancer) to Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. (London, “Astellas”), previously MediGene’s European marketing partner for Eligard^®. Astellas will make one-off payments totalling EUR 25 million, while MediGene remains entitled to royalties. There will be no further costs to MediGene. The sales price reflects the full NPV of all future Eligard® revenues while allowing MediGene to benefit from continued Eligard® growth. For more information, please see the full press release.
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In several clinical trials, antibody company Micromet has demonstrated outstanding efficacy and safety of its bispecific BiTE antibodies which come with two binding sites: one for a cancer target and a second one for a T cell. As a result, T cells are recruited and guided directly to the tumor cell, initiating cancer cell death in a serial fashion.  » Read more...

Alzheimer-specialist Probiodrug AG last week not only obtained a new US patent covering the inhibition of the enzyme glutaminyl cyclase (QC) for the treatment of CNS diseases. The company also announced the appointment of Dr Claus Braestrup, former President & CEO of Lundbeck A/S to Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Prof Dr Lennart Mucke, Director of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease in San Francisco, Calif. to its Scientific Advisory Board.  Moreover, the company was awarded the “IQ Innovationspreis Mitteldeutschland” by the Industrial Initiative for Central Germany for its innovative therapeutic strategy to combat Alzheimer’s disease. In May, Probiodrug hosted the PSP 2010 conference with more than 150 scientists to discuss its approach.

- Update Presented at the 15^th Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) -

Micromet, Inc. (NASDAQ: MITI) today announced updated clinical data from a Phase 1 and a Phase 2 trial, respectively, of its lead product blinatumomab (MT103). The data were presented at the 15^th Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Barcelona, Spain.  » Read more...

- 365 Energy and partner Zohar Energy start collaboration with POLENERGIA -

365 Energy today announced that its partner Zohar Energy has been chosen by Polish energy company POLENERGIA to support its expansion as a leading provider of infrastructure solutions for electric vehicles (EVs) in Poland. The first ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station was installed in Warsaw earlier this month. The ChargePoint stations are manufactured by US-based Coulomb Technologies. More information is available here.

- Closing of two additional license and supply agreements for the commercialization and marketing of Veregen® -

MediGene AG (Frankfurt, Prime Standard, TecDAX) has signed two further license and supply agreements for the commercialization and marketing of Veregen®. These have been signed with GC-Rise Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in China and JS Bio Pharm Co., Ltd. in South Korea.  » Read more...

- Study Meets Primary Endpoint -

MediGene today announced first preliminary results from its Phase II clinical trial of EndoTAG(TM)-1 for the treatment of triple receptor-negative breast cancer. The trial in 140 patients was conducted to show efficacy of EndoTAG(TM)-1 against this extremely difficult to treat cancer type, and to further investigate the safety of the drug candidate. The primary endpoint was a progression-free survival rate at 16 weeks of at least 30% of EndoTAG(TM)-1 monotherapy treated patients, and at least 30% of EndoTAG(TM)-1 plus paclitaxel combination treated patients respectively.  » Read more...

Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI) and Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that they have entered into a collaboration agreement for the research, development and commercialization of a new BiTE antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Despite recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma, the disease remains largely incurable. While the majority of patients initially respond to treatment, almost all of these patients will eventually relapse.  » Read more...

ISO norm guarantees highest biospecimen quality for pivotal studies

Hamburg-based Indivumed GmbH today has achieved ISO-9001:2008 certification. The company, which offers biobank products, clinical data and research services for the development of personalized cancer therapies, is now the world’s first ISO-certified provider of human biospecimens.  » Read more...

Micromet, Inc. (NASDAQ: MITI) a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation antibodies for the treatment of cancer, announced today that it has achieved a milestone under its collaboration agreement with Bayer Schering Pharma AG.  The milestone was triggered by Micromet’s achievement of pre-clinical proof of concept for a BiTE antibody for the treatment of solid tumors. For more information, please read the complete press release