Kala Pharmaceuticals touted data today from a Phase III trial of its nanoparticle formulation of loteprednol etabonate as a treatment for inflammation and pain in cataract surgery patients. The KPI-121 1% suspension met both primary efficacy endpoints and secondary endpoints and was well tolerated by the trial’s participants. The Waltham, Mass.-based company’s KPI-121 uses Kala’s mucus-penetrating […]
Savara inks $15m loan agreement
Savara (NSDQ:SVRA) said today that it inked a $15 million loan agreement with Silicon Valley Bank. According to the deal, Savara can draw $7.5 million from the $15 million debt facility immediately. The company said it plans to use its newly-acquired capital to repay the pre-merger debt of $3.7 million it owes to Hercules Technology […]
Medtronic wins FDA nod for Resolute Onyx drug-eluting stent
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that the FDA approved its Resolute Onyx drug-eluting stent. The Fridley, Minn.-based company touted its device as the 1st stent formed by a sinusoidal wave of cobalt alloy wire. The company incorporated a radiopaque inner core within the wire to boost visibility, according to Medtronic. The stent also features thin struts and a polymer […]
Aeterna shares tumble after cancer-killing agent fails in Phase III trial
Shares in Aeterna Zentaris (NSDQ:AEZS) fell more than -50% this morning after the company said that the Phase III trial of Zoptrex did not meet its primary endpoint in women with locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic endometrial cancer. The ZoptEC pivotal trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a hybrid molecule made up […]
Wireless power source could enable ingestible drug delivery devices
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory have developed the means to wirelessly power electronic devices that stay in the digestive tract indefinitely. The team suggests that these devices could be used as sensors in the GI tract or carry drugs to be delivered over […]
H&T Presspart, Hovione ink commercialization deal for inhaler tech
H&T Presspart said this week that it acquired the global rights to Hovione Technology‘s capsule-based dry powder inhaler. The company launched a next-gen version of the inhaler called PowdAir Plus at this year’s Respiratory Drug Delivery Europe. The PowdAir Plus device is made of plastic and its 4-component design lessens manufacturing, assembly and production costs, according […]
Artificial pancreas shows promise in pediatric study
A pilot study evaluating an artificial pancreas in children with Type I diabetes found that the device helped kids control their condition, according to researchers at the University of Virginia. The artificial pancreas was developed at the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology and features a smartphone powered by algorithms that wirelessly link to a glucose monitor […]
Sanofi Q1 earnings top estimates, diabetes sales fall
Shares in Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) rose today after the company beat expectations on Wall Street with its 1st quarter results. The French company posted profits of $5.7 billion on sales of $8.65 billion for the 3 months ended March 31, for bottom-line growth of 413.5% on sales growth of 11.2% compared with the same period last year. Get […]
Allergan closes $2.4B Zeltiq acquisition
Allergan (NYSE:AGN) said today that it closed its $2.48 billion acquisition of Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. (NSDQ:ZLTQ) and its portfolio of body-contouring products. Zeltiq’s FDA-approved CoolSculpting system uses a cooling mechanism to reduce the appearance of fat which has not responded to diet or exercise, without disturbing surrounding tissue. Get the full story at our sister […]
Boston Scientific looks to lead the drug-eluting PAD market
Angioplasty is not a new procedure – doctors have been widening obstructed arteries with balloons since the 1960s. But for years the medtech industry has been plagued with what Jeff Mirviss, president of Boston Scientific’s interventional peripheral biz, calls the procedure’s Achilles heel: Restenosis. For patients treated with bare balloons, half must have the procedure done again […]
United Therapeutics launches $250m share repurchase program
United Therapeutics (NSDQ:UTHR) said today that its board of directors approved the repurchase of up to $250 million of the biotech’s common stock. The share repurchase program is effective immediately and United said it will stay open until the end of 2017. The company can make purchases in the open market, accelerated share repurchases or in privately […]