The New York biotech announces option deals with two universities, asset license from CBM BioPharma. Bayer inks research collaborations with Japan’s RiKen and with a pair of Boston research hospitals.

Genfit believes elafibranor’s clean tolerability and safety profile may help narrow the gap between it and Intercept’s OCA, with safety questions delaying OCA’s entry to market. Part two of Scrip’s interview with Genfit’s CEO and COO.

As Genfit nears Phase III data for its NASH candidate elafibranor, it has promoted a new CEO and is working ahead on both an NDA filing and facing the commercial challenges of a new therapeutic space.

Daiichi Sankyo obtains rights to antiemetic Nasea and the anti-hypertension drugs Perdipine and Oldeca. Mitsubishi Tanabe licenses Asian rights to Viela’s inebilizumab for a rare eye disorder.

Genentech reports that Rituxan yields better results over 52 weeks in pemphigus patients than off-label use of CellCept. Principia, meanwhile, unveils positive Phase II data for its pemphigus candidate.

Reyvow gives Lilly a second MOA in migraine, following the anti-CGRP biologic Emgality, and adds an acute therapy to the preventive agent approved in 2018.