Incyte, Zai Lab in Collaboration and License Agreement in Greater China

Incyte Corporation (NASDAQ:INCY) and Zai Lab Ltd. (NASDAQ:ZLAB) today announced that the companies have entered into a collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of INCMGA0012, an investigational anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, in Greater China.

Under the terms of the agreement, Zai Lab will pay Incyte US$17.5 million up front, and Incyte is eligible to receive up to an additional US$60 million in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties from the low to mid-twenties, with Incyte responsible for all royalties and pass-through payments to its licensing partner, MacroGenics, Inc. Zai Lab will receive the rights to develop and exclusively commercialize INCMGA0012 in hematology and oncology in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Incyte will retain an option to assist in the promotion of INCMGA0012 in Zai Lab’s licensed territories.

https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/incyte-and-zai-lab-announce-collaboration-and-license-agreement-for-incmga0012-in-greater-china/

Dicerna™ to Begin Clinical Development for Liver Disease Treatment

• Company Submitted Clinical Trial Application and Plans to Initiate Multicenter Phase 1/2 Trial in Third Quarter of 2019 
• Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency-Associated Liver Disease Program Broadens Dicerna’s Commitment to Addressing Chronic Liver Diseases

Dicerna^TM Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRNA) (the “Company” or “Dicerna”), a leading developer of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) therapies, today announced it submitted a Clinical Trial Authorization (CTA) application to the Swedish Medical Products Agency (MPA) last week to conduct a first-in-human Phase 1/2 study of DCR-A1AT, an investigational therapy from the Company’s GalXC™ technology platform, for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency-associated liver disease. A1AT deficiency is a genetic disorder that can cause liver disease in children and adults, leading to complications such as weight loss, fatigue, jaundice and life-threatening conditions such as cirrhosis. Patients with A1AT deficiency are also at risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma.

https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/dicerna-to-begin-clinical-development-of-dcr-a1at-for-treatment-of-patients-with-alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency-associated-liver-disease/

Veru started at Overweight by Cantor

Target $6

https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VERU/ratings

Veracyte started at Buy by Needham

Target $33

https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VCYT/ratings

Bio-Techne upgraded to Buy from Neutral by Janney

Target to $270 from $200

https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TECH/ratings

Equillium started at Buy by Wainwright

Target $14

https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQ/ratings

U.S. Physical Therapy increases quarterly dividend, sells unit

U.S. Physical Therapy (NYSE:USPH) plans to increase Q3 and Q4 dividends for 2019 by an additional 11% to $0.30 per share from $0.27.

Additionally, the Company has sold its 50% interest in one physical therapy partnership to the group’s founders, for cash proceeds of $11.6M; the practice historically had financially under-performed.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3475116-u-s-physical-therapy-increases-quarterly-dividend