Servier in licensing pact with SIMM for the development in China of lucitanib

Servier has signed an agreement with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, (SIMM)  for the development in China of lucitanib, a promising targeted anti-tumor drug with antiangiogenic effects. The drug has demonstrated impressive efficacy in PhI/PhII trials in metastatic breast cancer patients. 

MedImmune acquires Amplimmune - US based biologics company focused on developing novel therapeutics in cancer immunology

AstraZeneca today announced that MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Amplimmune, a privately-held, Maryland, US-based biologics company focused on developing novel therapeutics in cancer immunology.

Luqa Pharmaceuticals to commercialize BMG Pharma’s products in China & Hong Kong

BMG Pharma S.r.l and Luqa Pharmaceuticals have entered into a commercialization alliance. Luqa qill register and commercialize BMG’s products in China and Hong Kong. BMG products which Luqa will register and commercialize include innovative dermatology , oral care and Cancer Support Therapy products.

BeiGene outlicenses Global development and commercialization rights (ex-China) for its novel BRAF inhibitor to Merck KGAA

BeiGene Co., Ltd.  a biotech R&D company in Beijing, and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany,  have entered into a global licensing, co-development, and commercialization agreement for BeiGene-283.  BeiGene-283 is is a second-generation BRAF inhibitor for the treatment of cancer developed by BeiGene. BRAF inhibtors so far has been successfully tested in metastatic melanoma. There are two BRAF inhibitors that are already marketed - Dabrafenib (GSK) and Vemurafenib (Roche).
BeiGene-283 is currently in preclinical development and is expected to enter clinical development next year. BRAF inhibitors target a protein (BRAF) that is a downstream component of the MAPK* pathway, which is thought to promote cancer cell growth and is dysregulated in a number of human  cancers.