
The Federal Trade Commission has finally approved the joint venture of Novartis AG (ADR) (NYSE:NVS) and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (ADR) (NYSE:GSK) in consumer health products, and Novartis has agreed to divest its Habitrol line of nicotine patches.

The Federal Trade Commission has finally approved the joint venture of Novartis AG (ADR) (NYSE:NVS) and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (ADR) (NYSE:GSK) in consumer health products, and Novartis has agreed to divest its Habitrol line of nicotine patches.

District-based biotech company Regenxbio has raised a $30 million funding round to move its drugs into clinical trials. T
he Washington Post reports the company’s gene therapy technology, which introduces healthy genes into patients suffering from genetic disorders, will initially focus on treating diseases affecting the central nervous system and eyes. However, executives tell the Post the treatment could be used on as many as 50 different diseases.
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MedImmune has formed a partnership with the National Cancer Institute to develop cancer therapies that use the immune system or attack tumor cells to fight the disease.

BioCity, the incubation specialist with locations in the East Midlands, North West and Scotland has announced a new investment fund, created following a significant contribution by AstraZeneca.
The £5 million fund, to be managed by BioCity will make equity investments, typically between £50,000 and £250,000, in life science companies based at Alderley Park, Cheshire. BioCity Chairman, Dr Louis Nisbet explains: “We are very pleased that AstraZeneca has chosen BioCity to manage these funds, not only to support the growth of a new generation of life science businesses at Alderley Park but also to make sound investment decisions that aim to replenish and grow this evergreen fund over time.”

CDVCA is organizing its 20th anniversary Annual Conference in Washington, DC on March 18-20, 2015 in Washington, DC. CDVCA’s Annual Conference is the premier training and networking event for anyone interested in developmental venture capital, including social VC fund managers, emerging fund managers, investors, economic development professionals, foundations representatives, policy makers, government officials and aspiring students.

Startup Maryland’s first entrepreneur-in-residence is an old hand at helping startups create leadership dream teams.
Shahab Kaviani, co-founder and CEO of CoFoundersLab in Rockville, will work with Startup Maryland members to tackle business development issues such as branding, community outreach and raising money.

BioIT Solutions, a provider of enterprise systems built on the 1Platform4™ product suite, today announced that CIO Review has chosen BioIT Solutions as one of its 20 Most Promising Biotechnology Solution providers.
BioIT Solutions was selected for its expertise in providing data management solutions for biotech research, drug development, and diagnostics. The annual list of companies is selected by a panel of experts and members of CIO Review’s editorial board to recognize and promote technology entrepreneurship.

Germantown-based Intrexon Corp. a synthetic biology company, plans to raise up to $150 million though a secondary offering of common stock, the company said late Tuesday.
Intrexon (NYSE: XON) was trading at around $29 a share Wednesday.

Washington, D.C.-based REGENXBIO Inc., announced today that it had completed a $30 million Series C financing. The round was led by Enrick and Brookside Capital. Also participating were Deerfield Management and an unnamed new investor.

Following AstraZeneca’s December announcement that it is taking steps to reintroduce the EGFR-targeted non-small cell lung cancer drug Iressa (gefitinib) in the US, Qiagen said last week that it would develop a tissue-based molecular diagnostic test to accompany the drug’s launch.