RepliCel Life Sciences Inc (TSXV:RP)
RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company developing autologous cell therapies that address diseases caused by a deficit of healthy cells required for normal healing and function.
The Trump administration has announced a pilot project allowing states and non-federal government entities to import certain medicines from Canada which pays much lower prices under its single-payer system.
Eligible drugs for importation must be approved for sale in Canada and will require retesting and relabeling to ensure quality. Controlled substances, biologics, injectables and high-risk (REMS) medications are excluded.
About a dozen states have expressed a keen interest in sourcing drugs north of the border.
Another provision would allow a domestic drugmaker to import its own product from Canada.
A major hurdle is the Canadian government which has repeatedly stated that its market is too small to accomodate U.S. demand.
Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) has notified Pacific Biosciences (NASDAQ:PACB) that it has exercised its right to extend the deadline of acquisition offer to March 31, 2020.
As stipulated in the agreement, it will pay PACB $6M no later than January 2, 2020, $22M no later than March 2, 2020 and $6M no later than March 2, 2020. The monies are repayable without interest if the merger agreement is terminated and PACB enters into a certain change-of-control agreement with a third party within two years or raises at lease $100M in new capital in a single transaction.
The companies are facing regulatory opposition to the tie-up in several jurisdictions over concerns that it will lessen competition.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) has submitted its marketing application to the FDA seeking approval of CAR T therapy lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) (formerly JCAR017) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who have received at least two prior therapies.
Arcus Biosciences (NYSE:RCUS) and Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY) will collaborate on two clinical trials, in third-line metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The CRC study will compare the combination of AB928, Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and Bayer’s (OTCPK:BAYRY) Stivarga (regorafenib) against atezolizumab + regorafenib.
The pancreatic cancer study will compare AB028 + atezolizumab and chemo agent gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel [Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (NYSE:BMY) Abraxane] versus gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel.
Each company is supplying product for the jointly funded studies.
AB928 is a dual adenosine A2aR/A2bR receptor antagonist designed to inhibit the adenosine-driven impairment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. In other words, it is designed to block adenosine’s effect on suppressing the immune response to cancer cells.
The cash and stock deal is valued at up to $45M – $5.7M in cash and $32.3M in Akerna (NASDAQ:KERN) stock, with additional consideration of $7.6M possible.
Ample is expecting 2020 revenue of $8.7M.
The deal is seen closing in Q1.
