Plucking from pharma

While most industry watchers are betting on which biotech products will be grabbed by big pharma, such deals can flow in the other direction, as well. In recent days, three private biotech companies have taken over compounds that big pharma found problematic. All three think they can find dosing regimens and indications to solve shortcomings that the big companies didn't want to deal with. Miikana Therapeutics Inc. is taking on a cancer compound from Roche, while Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Elixir Pharmaceuticals Inc. are taking on cancer and metabolic compounds, respectively, from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

For Miikana, which has been a preclinical company out trying to raise $20-$30 million in a series B round, the deal with Roche now gives the biotech a Phase II cancer compound to talk about. ...