Cell culture testing technology developed by Kiyatec aims to help drug developers find out in preclinical trials whether a drug candidate will work in humans.Now the Clemson University spinout is looking to advance its work with new tests for cancer efficacy and liver toxicity. Kiyatec has closed on a series A round of financing that [...]

LabCorp (NYSE:LH) is partnering with molecular diagnostics firm XDx to develop a new diagnostic for lupus flares.Burlington, North Carolina-based LabCorp will work with XDx to develop a biomarker and commercialize a test for the flares — extended periods of activity for the autoimmune disease. Lupus causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissues, [...]

Drug discovery and development company Scynexis, which is in midstage clinical development of a novel hepatitis C treatment, is getting closer to reaching its $15 million fundraising target.Scynexis has raised nearly $11.5 million so far, according to an amended securities filing. The fundraiser, a mix of equity, debt, options and warrants, launched in December. Sycnexis [...]

Type 2 diabetes drug alogliptin may have fallen short of regulatory approval in the United States, but its latest progress overseas is paying off for Furiex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:FURX) in the form of a $10 million milestone payment.The marketing authorization application filed by drug partner Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO:4502) was accepted and triggered the payment to Furiex. [...]

Clinical research organization PPD has hired a Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) veteran to become its new CEO.David Simmons brings 15 years experience at the world’s largest pharmaceutical company to PPD, which is one of the largest CROs in the pharmaceutical services industry. The CEO post became vacant after PPD was taken private in a $3.9 billion acquisition [...]

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) has made a change in its offer to buy Human Genome Sciences (NASDAQ:HGSI), but it’s not sweetening the price.The British pharmaceutical giant announced that it is amending the conditions of its cash offer to acquire HGS for $13 per share — nearly $2.6 billion. HGS last week adopted a “poison pill” to fend [...]

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) AIDS drug abacavir holds a hidden key to understanding allergic reactions that some patients experience from other drugs.Abacavir, which is marketed under the name Ziagen, is already known to cause allergic reactions ranging from mild skin irritation to severe allergic shock in certain patients. It can also lead to death. U.S. Food and [...]

Chelsea Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CHTP), regrouping from orphan drug Northera’s failure to secure regulatory approval, now plans to resubmit a new drug application in early 2013 with data from a modified phase 3 study.The Charlotte, North Carolina drug developer announced the plans following its meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss the complete response [...]

Pharmaceutical companies and insurers are still figuring out how they’ll work with each other, but a clear majority of both camps surveyed in Quintiles‘ annual New Health Report expect that there will be more collaborations in the future.The survey included more than 1,350 healthcare stakeholders ranging from healthcare payers, executives, patients and investors in the [...]

The breakthrough cancer pain treatment developed by BioDelivery Sciences (NASDAQ:BDSI) International is making progress toward entering the European market, triggering a $2.5 milestone payment from BDSI’s drug partner Meda Pharmaceuticals.The milestone was triggered by registration and pricing approval of the drug Breakyl in Europe. Raleigh, North Carolina-based BDSI is due another $2.5 million upon commercial [...]