Emerging Company Profile: ESSA Pharma, a publically traded cancer R&D company, believes it has the answer to drug resistance in patients treated with best-selling cancer therapies Xtandi and Zytiga – as it targets last-line patients with a prostate cancer therapy based on a new mechanism of action.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Tech Transfer Deals column provides a monthly review of licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions in the In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Device, and Pharmaceutical sectors. This month’s column covers deals announced February through March 2016.

At least two companies in the neuroscience space are set to deliver potentially good news by year’s end, with other promising candidates in the offing, according to industry consultant Harry Tracy, who compiled a list of the top 10 partnering opportunities in the field for the upcoming Therapeutic Area Partnerships meeting.

It has not been a good week for Canadian biotech. The sell-off of the crown jewels at QLT (scripintelligence.com, 25 September 2012), the return of rights to Cardiome (scripintelligence.com, 27 September 2012), the loss of a court case at Tekmira and the failure to receive fast-track NDA status at Aeterna Zentaris have left biotech investors north of the border wondering if there is much of a home-grown sector left.