Pfenex, which was spun off by Dow Chemical earlier this month, agreed to license its protein expression technology to Merck to make specific proteins for developing an undisclosed vaccine. The deal involves $52 million in upfront payments, milestones and royalties.
Cubist will pay $92.5 million to purchase privately held Calixa Therapeutics, which is developing a Phase II antibiotic, CXA-201, as a treatment for several gram-negative, drug-resistant types of infection. Cubist plans to continue the antibiotic’s clinical development in three indications, with an NDA filing anticipated in 2013.
Vion Pharmaceuticals may have to curtail or cease operations if it cannot raise capital to fund a randomized study of its myeloid leukemia drug Onrigin that FDA requested in a complete response letter.
