XenoPort will be acquired by Arbor Pharmaceuticals in a deal worth about $467 million, expanding the latter's product portfolio with the addition of XenoPort's treatments for moderate to severe primary restless legs syndrome. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products recommended orphan-drug designation for Akari Therapeutics' Coversin, a second-generation complement inhibitor indicated for the treatment of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Animal studies demonstrated that the drug provided protection against the effects of the disease, Akari said.

The Department of Agriculture has allocated about $21 million to fund efforts to develop regional systems in bioenergy and biobased products and educate and train scientists. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding "will have a direct impact on local economies now and set us up for a brighter, more innovative future."

Janssen secured conditional approval from the European Commission for Darzalex, or daratumumab, as a treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in previously treated patients who experience disease progression. The decision was supported by data from five studies, including an analysis of two that showed patients treated with Darzalex had a median overall survival of 20 months and an overall response rate of 31%.

A follow-on offering has brought in $63 million for Coherus BioSciences. The firm is evaluating its Humira biosimilar, CHS-1420, as a treatment for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis in a late-stage trial.