News

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Menlo Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:MNLO) today announced the pricing of the Company’s initial public offering of 7,000,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $17.00 per share, before underwriting discounts. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by Menlo. The Company has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase from the Company an additional 1,050,000 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount. Menlo’s common stock has been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Global Select Market and is expected to begin trading under the ticker symbol “MNLO” on January 25, 2018. The offering is expected to close on January 29, 2018, subject to customary closing conditions.

Audentes Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BOLD), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing gene therapy products for patients living with serious, life-threatening rare diseases, today announced positive interim data from the first dose cohort of ASPIRO, a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AT132 in patients with X-Linked Myotubular Myopathy (XLMTM).  ASPIRO is a multicenter, multinational, open-label, ascending dose study to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of AT132 in approximately 12 XLMTM patients less than five years of age.

STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Loxo Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOXO), a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced that the company has initiated submission of a rolling New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for larotrectinib for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with NTRK-fusion proteins in adult and pediatric patients who require systemic therapy and who have either progressed following prior treatment or who have no acceptable alternative treatments. The company expects to complete the NDA submission in early 2018.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TransEnterix, Inc. (NYSE American: TRXC), a medical device company that is pioneering the use of robotics to improve minimally invasive surgery, today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with Great Belief International Limited (GBIL), to advance the SurgiBot System towards global commercialization. The SurgiBot System is the single-port, robotically enhanced laparoscopic surgical platform developed by TransEnterix. This agreement transfers ownership of the SurgiBot System assets, while the Company retains the option to distribute or co-distribute the SurgiBot System outside of China. Upon completion of the transfer of all SurgiBot System assets, GBIL will have the System manufactured in China and obtain Chinese regulatory clearance from the China Food and Drug Administration ("CFDA"), while entering into a nationwide distribution agreement with China National Scientific and Instruments and Materials Company (CSIMC) for the Chinese market. Being the largest medical device distribution company in China, CSIMC will help GBIL maximize the commercial potential of the SurgiBot System in the Chinese market, and optimize post-sale services to Chinese hospitals. The Company retains the right to commercialize the SurgiBot System outside of China after manufacturing has been established and the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained.

MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 15, 2017 -- Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS), a dermatologist-led biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ESKATA™ (hydrogen peroxide) topical solution, 40% (w/w) for the treatment of raised seborrheic keratoses, or SKs. SKs are non-cancerous skin growths that affect more than 83 million American adults and can be an aesthetic skin concern. SKs tend to increase in size and number with age. The condition is more prevalent than acne, psoriasis and rosacea combined.

PLYMOUTH, Minn., Dec. 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Entellus Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENTL) announced today a definitive merger agreement by which Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK) will acquire Entellus in an all cash transaction for $24.00 per share, or an equity value of approximately $662 million. The Entellus Board of Directors unanimously approved entering into the agreement.

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Loxo Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOXO), a biopharmaceutical company innovating the development of highly selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers, today announced that it has entered into a global collaboration with Bayer to develop and commercialize larotrectinib and LOXO-195, Loxo Oncology’s franchise of highly selective TRK inhibitors for patients with TRK fusion cancers. Under the terms of the agreement, Loxo Oncology will receive a $400M upfront payment. Loxo Oncology is eligible for $450M in milestone payments upon larotrectinib regulatory approvals and first commercial sale events in certain major markets and an additional $200M in milestone payments upon LOXO-195 regulatory approvals and first commercial sale events in certain major markets.

HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arcus Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative cancer immunotherapies, announced today the completion of a $107 million Series C financing. This financing brings the total equity capital that the company has raised since its inception in 2015 to $227 million. The proceeds from this financing will be used for the advancement of Arcus’s clinical programs for AB928, a first-in-class dual adenosine receptor antagonist, and AB122, a PD-1 antibody. Earlier this month, Arcus initiated a phase 1 trial of AB928 in healthy volunteers and Arcus plans to initiate a phase 1/2 trial of AB928 in combination with AB122 in cancer patients during the first half of 2018. Also in November, Arcus initiated a phase 1 trial of AB122 in cancer patients in Australia. Data from the AB122 trial will be available in 2018 and Arcus plans to evaluate AB122 in combination with its other product candidates, in addition to AB928, in the future. The proceeds raised will also allow Arcus to advance at least two additional product candidates into clinical development, including AB680, a first-in-class small molecule CD73 inhibitor, and AB154, a TIGIT antibody. The financing was led by GV (formerly Google Ventures), with participation from new investors, including Wellington Management Company LLP, EcoR1 Capital, BVF Partners L.P., Decheng Capital, Hillhouse, Aisling Capital and entities affiliated with Leerink Partners. Arcus’s existing investors, including The Column Group, Foresite Capital, Invus Opportunities, DROIA, Celgene Corporation and Taiho Ventures, also participated in the financing.

Recently, Jill Malandrino, Global Markets Reporter, Nasdaq sat down with Steve Elms and Drew Schiff, Managing Partners at Aisling Capital to discuss their investment focus and strategies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE92Z0heUCE

NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aisling Capital, a late-stage life sciences investment firm that partners with companies to successfully bring novel medical therapies to market, today announced the closing of its newest fund, with $280 million in committed capital. The capital raised will allow Aisling Capital to continue helping clinical stage ventures improve global health by more rapidly bringing breakthrough medical treatments to market. Aisling Capital will assist companies developing therapeutics to complete their clinical studies, navigate approval and ultimately reach commercialization. Portfolio companies gain access to Aisling Capital's strategic counsel and deep experience in both financial and medical fields, along with its unmatched network that extends from regulatory organizations to leading pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions. Aisling Capital is determined to increase the number of quality medical therapeutics in development and get treatments into the hands of people who need it.