The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.

Today's Top Story

• Sanofi, Selecta sign allergy immunotherapy deal worth up to $900M
  Sanofi agreed to use Selecta Biosciences' vaccine technology to develop one immunotherapy for a life-threatening food allergy, with an option to develop two more treatments. The deal entitles Selecta to as much as $300 million in preclinical, clinical, regulatory and sales milestone payments for each allergen indication, for as many as three immunotherapy candidates, plus sales royalties. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (11/28), Reuters (11/28)     

Health Care & Policy

• EU OKs Ironwood-Almirall's linaclotide for IBS with constipation
  The European Commission approved Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and Almirall's linaclotide to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. The drug, which will be sold under the brand name Constella, is expected to be available in Europe next year and was approved under the brand name Linzess in the U.S. in August. Mass High Tech (Boston) (11/28)     

• J&J's tuberculosis drug gets FDA panel support
  An FDA panel has backed the safety and efficacy of Johnson & Johnson's bedaquiline drug for tuberculosis, but also pointed out possible heart and liver-safety issues. The drug works by targeting the adenosine triphosphate synthase enzyme, which the pathogen requires to generate energy. Reuters (11/28)     

• AesRx reports promising data for sickle cell disease drug
  AesRx said data from a Phase I study of its sickle cell disease treatment Aes-103 showed the drug is safe and well-tolerated by patients. The data are set to be presented at a hematology meeting. Following the positive findings, AesRx has started a second trial at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., that will involve patients with sickle cell disease. Mass High Tech (Boston) (11/27)     

• Method allows aging stem cells to rejuvenate
  Canadian researchers have developed a method to prompt aging stem cells to rejuvenate. The researchers created a "micro-environment" conducive to growing heart tissue from stem cells collected from elderly patients. The discovery could allow for the development of "young" patches for treating or healing damaged or diseased hearts without the fear of rejection. ZeeNews.com (India)/Indo-Asian News Service (11/28)     

Company & Financial News

• Maker of nanoemulsion-based drugs raises $11M
  NanoBio secured $11 million in a Series C funding round from existing investors. The firm will use the proceeds to further develop its nanoemulsion-based infectious disease drugs and vaccines. MedCityNews.com (11/28)     

• Panacela lands $4.6M contract to develop infectious disease drugs
  The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation awarded Panacela Labs a contract worth around $4.6 million to develop Xenomycins, a family of anti-infective compounds that works by targeting pathogenic microbe DNA. In preclinical studies, Xenomycins showed efficacy against parasites and pathogenic fungi that cause candidiasis, aspergillosis and other infections. "We expect that the contract will enable us to accelerate our preclinical program and evaluate the potential application of Xenomycins against life threatening infectious diseases," Panacela CEO Dmitry Tyomkin said. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (11/27)     

Industry Deals

• Curis secures global rights to Genentech's cancer drug
  Genentech granted Curis exclusive global rights to its experimental cancer drug GDC-0917, which works by targeting a family of proteins that prevent programmed cell death. The compound, which has been renamed CUDC-427, recently completed an early-stage trial in patients with solid tumors or lymphoma. Under terms of the deal, Genentech will receive $9.5 million plus milestone fees and sales royalties. American City Business Journals/San Francisco/Biotech SF blog (11/28)     

Food & Agriculture

• Study linking biotech corn to cancer has serious defects, EFSA says
  There is no need to re-assess the safety of Monsanto's biotech corn NK603 because the study that linked the crop to cancer risks in rats had major design and methodology flaws, according to the European Food Safety Authority. "Conclusions cannot be regarded as scientifically sound because of inadequacies in the design, reporting and analysis of the study as outlined in the paper," EFSA said. The Wall Street Journal (11/28)     

Industrial & Environmental

• Poll: Advanced biofuel execs believe federal support will stay
  Most of the participants in last month's Advanced Biofuels Markets conference in San Francisco were optimistic that federal support for biofuels would be continued or increased in 2013, and that commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol production would be achieved next year, a survey showed. More than 67% of respondents believed that the Renewable Fuel Standard would stay in its current form through 2013, the poll showed. BiofuelsDigest.com (11/28)     

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