On December 13, 2019 Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Nasdaq: CNST) a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its expertise in epigenetics to discover and develop novel therapeutics, reported closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 7,475,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $34.50 per share, which includes 975,000 shares issued upon the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions (Press release, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, DEC 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234552351]). The total gross proceeds of the offering were $257.9 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses payable by Constellation. All of the shares in the offering are being sold by Constellation.

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!

J.P. Morgan, Jefferies and Cowen acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. RBC Capital Markets acted as a bookrunner, and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey acted as lead manager for the offering.

The shares were offered by Constellation pursuant to an automatically effective shelf registration statement that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on December 9, 2019.

This offering was made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement that form a part of the registration statement. A final prospectus supplement relating to and describing the terms of the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may also be obtained by contacting: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: (866) 803-9204; Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at 877-821-7388 or by email at [email protected]; or Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, Attn: Prospectus Department, by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (833) 297-2926.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

On December 13, 2019 Athenex, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATNX), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer, reported results from a pivotal Phase III clinical trial showed oral paclitaxel and encequidar had superior response and survival with much lower incidence and severity of neuropathy compared to IV paclitaxel in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (Press release, Athenex, DEC 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234552350]). For additional details on the study results, please refer to the abstract GS6-01, which can be found online at View Source!/7946.

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!

Dr. Rudolf Kwan, Chief Medical Officer of Athenex, commented, "Oral paclitaxel and encequidar is the first oral taxane to demonstrate in a Phase III study statistically significant improvement in response rate and median overall survival compared to IV paclitaxel, in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer while associated with a much lower incidence and severity of neuropathy. We believe these data suggest the potential for oral paclitaxel and encequidar to provide an important advance in the management of patients with metastatic breast cancer."

These results will be presented in an oral presentation today at the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) at 3:15 p.m. CT in General Session 6 in Hall 3 of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, and were selected for the official SABCS press program at 7:30 a.m. CT.

The Orascovery platform was initially developed by Hanmi Pharmaceuticals and licensed exclusively to Athenex for all major worldwide territories except Korea, which is retained by Hanmi.

On December 13, 2019 Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on harnessing the body’s immune system in the fight against cancer, reported an update regarding the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) technology it is developing with its partner, Moffitt Cancer Center (Press release, Anixa Biosciences, DEC 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234552348]).

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!

Experimental results reported from the laboratory of Dr. Jose Conejo-Garcia, the inventor of Anixa’s CAR-T technology and the Chair of the Department of Immunology at Moffitt, indicate that the potential efficacy of this technology as a treatment for ovarian cancer could be greatly improved through additional genetic engineering.

CAR-T therapy begins with the extraction and isolation of T-cells from individual cancer patients. A viral vector is then used to transform these T-cells to produce on their surface a molecule that enables the cell, once re-infused into the patient, to find cancer cells and kill them. With Anixa’s CAR-T therapy, the T-cells are transformed to express on their surface, the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which targets cells that are expressing follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR).

Dr. Conejo-Garcia’s recent experimental results indicate that with additional engineering, the transformed cells produced by the viral vector currently being used could express much higher levels of FSH, enabling a more potent cancer killer. In order to increase the potency of the transformed T-cells, researchers at Moffitt will create an improved viral vector and verify experimentally that it will result in a more powerful cancer therapy. As a result, the decision has been made to optimize the therapy and file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US. Food and Drug Administration in the future. This optimization work may take an additional year, resulting in the filing of the IND in late 2020, with clinical trials to commence in 2021.

Dr. Amit Kumar, President and CEO of Anixa Biosciences stated, "While this new development may be disappointing to shareholders, we have decided that we want to go into the clinic with the best possible therapy. CAR-T technology has not worked in a clinically meaningful way for solid tumors. Making this change would result in a radically superior therapy and give us a dramatically greater chance of success against ovarian cancer, a solid tumor."

"These decisions are based on scientific developments. Our technology is the most cutting-edge science and as R&D results mandate, and for the welfare of patients, we must provide the best possible chance of success. The Anixa and Moffitt teams will strive to get into the clinic as soon as possible with the best possible therapy," commented Dr. Conejo-Garcia.

Dr. Robert Wenham, Chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at Moffitt, and the investigator who will be leading the clinical trial, noted, "Mortality rates from ovarian cancer have not changed for decades, with most women relapsing after initial therapy. Based on the pre-clinical data and promise of this CAR-T therapy, I look forward to launching the clinical trial with the more optimized therapy in order to give our patients the best chance of a successful outcome."

On December 13, 2019 Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on harnessing the body’s immune system in the fight against cancer, reported that it will hold a conference call on December 17, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific / 4:30 p.m. Eastern to discuss the progress made and the future plans for its CchekTM artificial intelligence based cancer diagnostic test and its CAR-T based ovarian cancer therapeutic and breast cancer vaccine programs (Press release, Anixa Biosciences, DEC 13, 2019, https://ir.anixa.com/news/detail/941/anixa-biosciences-to-host-conference-call-to-discuss-plans-for-2020 [SID1234552347]).

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!

Conference Call Information:
Interested participants and investors may access the conference call by dialing:

(877) 876-9174
Conference ID: Anixa
An audio webcast will be accessible via the Investors section of the Anixa website at View Source An archive of the webcast will remain available for 30 days after the call.

On December 13, 2019 The board of directors of Abbott (NYSE: ABT) reported the company’s quarterly common dividend to 36 cents per share – a 12.5% increase (Press release, Abbott, DEC 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234552346]).

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 marks the 384th consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid by Abbott since 1924. The cash dividend is payable Feb. 14, 2020, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 15, 2020.

Abbott has increased its dividend payout for 48 consecutive years and is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have increased dividends annually for at least 25 consecutive years.