On December 30, 2020 Axial Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to building a unique class of gut-restricted therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and conditions, reported that management will participate in a keynote presentation at the ACCESS CHINA Forum @JPM WEEK 2021 Conference on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 8:00 PM EST (Press release, Axial Biotherapeutics, DEC 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234573417]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ("Immutep" or "the Company"), a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapy treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, reported the grant of patent number 10,874,713 entitled "Combined Preparations for the Treatment of Cancer or Infection" by the United States Patent & Trade Mark Office (Press release, Immutep, DEC 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234573355]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

This United States patent follows the grant of the corresponding European patent announced in November 2018. The claims of the patent protect Immutep’s intellectual property relating to combined preparations comprising its lead active immunotherapy candidate eftilagimod alpha ("efti" or "IMP321") and a PD-1 pathway inhibitor. In this case, the PD-1 pathway inhibitor is either pembrolizumab or nivolumab.

The expiry date of the patent is 8 January 2036.

This new patent is particularly significant as it covers the combination of active ingredients evaluated in the Company’s phase II TACTI-002 and phase I TACTI-mel trials. It also further highlights the ongoing and important steps being taken by the Company to protect its lead product candidate in a range of novel and commercially relevant combination formats, in both immuno-oncology (IO)-IO and chemo-IO settings.

"We are very pleased that this United States patent has been granted covering our lead product candidate, efti, in combination with key anti-PD-1 therapies. This is particularly so in view of the highly encouraging data we have seen from both our TACTI (Two Active Immunotherapies) trials which evaluate efti in combination with pembrolizumab. Furthermore, this new patent and our corresponding patents and patent applications in other key markets continue to underpin our ongoing investment in clinical development", said Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep.

Dr. Frédéric Triebel, Immutep’s Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Medical Officer, also welcomed the news, noting that, "This United States patent grant represents another important milestone for the Company, and along with the clinical data we have seen from our trials, supports our long held view that combining efti with an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor should result in a very meaningful therapeutic benefit to cancer patients."

On December 30, 2020 Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: "HBP") ("Helix" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing unique therapies in the field of immuno-oncology, based on its proprietary technological platform DOS47, reported it has closed a private placement financing for gross proceeds of $3,000,000 (Press release, Helix BioPharma, DEC 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234573344]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The terms of the placement are for the purchase of units at $0.50 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each common share purchase warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at an exercise price of $0.70 and have an expiry of five years from the date of issuance. Helix intends to use the net proceeds of the private placement for working capital and research and development activities.

ACM Alpha Consulting Management AG provided financial advisory services to Helix in connection with the private placement.

On December 30, 2020 Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a globally focused, clinical-stage biotechnology company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, reported that the company was officially included into the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (the "Hong Kong Stock Connect") (Press release, Ascentage Pharma, DEC 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234573343]). This was officially announced by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("SZSE") on December 25, 2020, which has been effective since December 28, 2020. This inclusion is the very first arrangement for the eligible pre-revenue biotech companies listed under Chapter 18A of Hong Kong’s Main Board Listing Rules, and complied with the conditions for the inclusion in the Hong Kong Stock Connect.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The Hong Kong Stock Connect is a collaboration program between the Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. Stock Connect allows international and China Mainland investors to trade securities in each other’s markets through the trading and clearing platforms of their home exchange. In this adjustment, a total of six eligible pre-revenue biotech companies will be the first included in the Hong Kong Stock Connect. The expansion of the eligible stocks of Hong Kong Stock Connect, will further optimize the interconnected, intercommunicated, and mutual development of the capital markets between Mainland China and Hong Kong.

As the first biotech stock specializing in small molecular innovative drugs, Ascentage Pharma has made significant progress in clinical development, external partnership, and patent distribution during the recent one year since its listing, and achieved a number of global collaborations, which is transforming the company from an R&D enterprise for self-innovative new drug to an R&D and manufacturing enterprise. In 2020, Ascentage Pharma made its first New Drug Application (NDA) and was granted priority review by China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), achieving a significant milestone. During the past six months, the company has kept ahead in the industry, four new drugs have been granted eight Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In August, Ascentage Pharma was included in the Hang Seng Composite Index, the Hang Seng Hong Kong-Listed Biotech Index and the Hang Seng Healthcare Index, which have become effective in September 2020. Only over a year since the listing, Ascentage Pharma was included in the Hang Seng Index as well as the Hong Kong Stock Connect, fully demonstrating that its value for investment and the future prospect are highly recognized in the capital market.

"As one of the first batch of the arranged Chapter 18A companies according to the new regulation, the inclusion of the company is a significant milestone and fully reflects the recognition and confidence in the company’s business and development prospects from the capital market, and will facilitate further expansion of our investor base and enhance the liquidity of our stocks," said Dr. Dajun Yang, Chairman & CEO of Ascentage Pharma. "In the future, we will adhere to the innovation strategy and continue strengthening the R&D, and maintaining our leading position in the industry in order to accelerate the global clinical development of our pipelines, We will commit to Ascentage Pharma’s mission of ‘addressing the unmet clinical needs in China and around the world’, benefitting worldwide patients and return to our public shareholders and investors."

On December 30, 2020 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, reported that on December 31, 2020, it will give notice of its intention to redeem the following Senior Notes, representing an aggregate total principal amount of approximately $2.6 billion, on January 15, 2021 (the "Redemption Date") (Press release, Thermo Fisher Scientific, DEC 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234573342]):

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

€0.5 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.150% Senior Notes due 2022 (NYSE: TMO 22A) (the "2022 Notes")
$1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 3.000% Senior Notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes")
$1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.150% Senior Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes" and, together with the 2022 Notes and the 2023 Notes, the "Notes")
The Notes will be redeemed at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of the Notes to be redeemed discounted to the Redemption Date (a) on an annual basis at a comparable bond rate plus 25 basis points in the case of the 2022 Notes, (b) on a semi-annual basis at a comparable treasury rate plus 25 basis points in the case of the 2023 Notes and (c) on a semi-annual basis at a comparable treasury rate plus 20 basis points in the case of the 2024 Notes, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. Thermo Fisher intends to fund the redemption using cash on hand.