FDA panel offers unanimous endorsement of Theratech’s HIV drug

Canada's Theratechnologies took a big step forward on Thursday, winning the unanimous backing of 16 FDA panel members who recommended its new HIV drug tesamorelin for approval. Designed to treat the excess build-up of abdominal fat, the fate of tesamorelin now moves to the agency, which has set a July 27 deadline for a final decision. The FDA isn't bound by the recommendation, but the agency is unlikely to ignore a unanimous vote in its favor. "The advisory committee's recommendation is...

Survey: Quebec’s biotech industry in peril

Once Canada's envy, Quebec's biotechnology industry is a shadow of its former self and in danger of disappearing, according to the Montreal Gazette. A recent survey by BioQuébec of its members showed 70 percent of companies have less than one year of cash to operate their business--that's up from 50 percent last year. "Slowly, but surely, the industry is dying," said Yves Rosconi, the CEO of St. Laurent-based Theratechnologies, who serves on the executive of BioQuébec. "We're in...