Sandoz acquires rights to extended-release bupivacaine once held by Nycomed and Hospira in deal paying Durect $20m up front. Video interview: Partners Elasmogen and Feldan collaborate with Amgen.

The CTG Catapult aims to capture the commercial potential of the UK's cell and gene therapy research. To that end, it has constructed a GMP-compliant manufacturing facility in Stevenage.

START-UP reviews five years of fundraising and exit activities for privately held biopharma companies developing neurology treatments. Next month we’ll delve into neurology medtech and diagnostics companies’ capital-raising and bow-outs.

Janssen licenses a rheumatoid arthritis program from Modern Biosciences that could address the inflammatory and bone-destruction manifestations of the disease, while Japan’s Otsuka buys Avanir on the strength of its neuroscience pipeline. Meanwhile, previously signed Astellas/Janssen and Novartis/Array agreements are terminated.