$38 million. The company is developing small-molecule drugs that treat cancer by targeting T cells.
— Bina Technologies of Redwood City, CA, which makes a platform for managing and processing genome sequencing data, announced Dec. 19 its acquisition by Roche. The companies did not disclose a price.
—Amsterdam-based Royal Philips agreed to acquire San Diego medical device maker Volcano Corp. (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VOLC]]) for more than $1 billion. Shares of Volcano, which specializes in heart ultrasound and cardiac catheterization tools, leaped by more than 55 percent, or $6.35, on the news.
—Annexon Bioscience of Redwood City, CA, nailed down $34 million in Series A funding, led by Novartis Venture Funds, to develop monoclonal antibodies to treat neurodegenerative disease. The company is led by two former Elan executives, including the scientist whose work was instrumental in leading to the multiple sclerosis treatment natalizumab (Tysabri).
—Culver City, CA-based NantWorks and its founder, the biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, have agreed to buy a 19.9 percent stake in San Diego’s Sorrento Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRNE]]), which is developing new treatments for cancer and associated pain. NantWorks and Sorrento will jointly develop next-generation immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
—Science magazine said its readers selected San Diego-based Synthorx and its development of a new synthetic DNA base pair for its “People’s Choice for Breakthrough of the Year.” The company was founded by Avalon Ventures and Floyd Romesberg, whose lab at The Scripps Research Institute unveiled work to expand the genetic alphabet.
—San Diego’s Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HALO]]) entered into a global agreement with Janssen Biotech to commercialize Janssen compounds with Halozyme’s proprietary enzyme, which aids in the dispersion and absorption of injected drugs. Janssen agreed to pay $15 million upfront and as much as $566 million if the partners meet a variety of milestones.
—Monrovia, CA-based antibody developer Xencor said Dec. 18 it has signed a deal with Danish drug firm Novo Nordisk, which specializes in diabetes, to develop antibody-based drugs against an undisclosed target. Xencor could earn up to $175 million from the deal, not including royalties.
—Antibody developer Sevion (OTCQB: [[ticker:SVON]]) of San Diego said Dec. 22 it has inked a drug discovery deal with an arm of Janssen Pharmaceuticals that could pay Sevion up to $125 million, plus royalties.
—The British nonprofit Cancer Research UK said Dec. 22 it would sponsor a trial of Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) experimental cancer immunotherapy AMG319 in solid tumors. Amgen has been testing the compound, part of a small-molecule compound class known as PI3K inhibitors, in hematologic cancer.
—San Francisco mobile health app developer First Opinion raised a $6 million Series A round led by Polaris Partners. The firm’s app connects patients and primary care doctors via text message.
