Alexion gains option to acquire Prothelia

Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) gained an exclusive option to acquire rare disease company Prothelia Inc. (Milford, Mass.), which is developing preclinical protein replacement therapy PRT-01 to treat merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A). Prothelia has rights to the laminin-111 from the University of Nevada, Reno, under a 2008 deal. MDC1A is a rare muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the gene that encodes laminin alpha-2 ( LAMA2). Prothelia referred all questions to Alexion, which did not provide details in time for publication. ...