Novartis has acquired Melbourne, Australia-based Spinifex Pharmaceuticals for $200 million plus undisclosed clinical development and regulatory milestone payments. The acquisition is centered on Spinifex’s lead candidate EMA401, a novel angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor antagonist, being developed as a potential first-in-class oral treatment for chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain, without central nervous system (CNS) side effects. Positive results from Spinifex’s Ph...