Regulatory Index News w/c 20 May 2019

UniQure snags patents on Huntington's gene therapy as it preps for the clinic

UniQure has strengthened patent protections around its experimental gene therapy for Huntington's disease, as it prepares to start human testing later this year in a Phase 1/2 study.

To read more follow this BioPharmaDive link 

AbbVie ends Phase III brain tumour study due to failed primary goal

AbbVie has ended its ongoing phase III INTELLANCE-1 study of depatuxizumab mafodotin (Depatux-M, previously known as ABT-414) in some patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive cancer that begins within the brain.

To read more follow this PharmaTimes link

ECH makes moves toward facilitating medical cannabis importation in UK, EU

European Cannabis Holdings (ECH) has announced plans to launch a new platform to facilitiate the licensed import of medical cannabis across Europe.

The new platform, dubbed Astral Health, will act as a gateway to the European cannabis market, providing a system for the licenced import and distribution of approved medical cannabis products.

To read more follow this PharmaTimes link

Lilly drug scores in Phase 2 Crohn's study

An experimental immunology drug from Eli Lilly has scored positive data in a mid-stage study of Crohn's disease patients.
The study enrolled 180 participants, who received either placebo or one of three doses of Lilly's mirikizumab. After 12 weeks of treatment, all three doses of mirikizumab significantly outperformed placebo on the study's primary endpoint, which was a 50% or greater reduction in the severity of each patient's Crohn's disease.

To read more follow this BioPharmaDive link

Merck puts $1B more into oncology, with kidney cancer a focus

Merck & Co. is dropping just over $1 billion to acquire Peloton Therapeutics, a privately-held biotech working on small molecule medicines that target a protein which, when mutated, can foster tumor development.

To read more follow this BioPharmaDive link

CMA accuses four pharmas of anticompetitive behaviour

Four pharma companies stand accused in the UK of colluding to artificially inflate the price of prescription-only, anti-nausea and dizziness drug prochlorperazine, costing the NHS millions of pounds and breaking competition law.

To read more follow this PharmaTimes link