With the go-to antipsychotics and antidepressants headed for a patent cliff, start-ups looking to partner on mood disorder drugs have a double incentive to come up with something novel and effective.
Abbott will pay PanGenetics $170 million upfront for the global rights to a humanized antibody to nerve growth factor in Phase I clinical development for osteoarthritis. The agreement positions Abbott as a contender in the race to develop an NGF antibody for pain.
Astex Therapeutics inks a deal with GlaxoSmithKline for fragment-based discovery that surprises on two fronts: It's $33 million upfront, and it's not option-based, unlike most of GSK's recent discovery deals.
FDA is holding its first public meeting to address the boundaries of drug promotion on the Internet and in social media, a topic which drug makers have long asked the agency for guidance on, but to little avail.
