April 2010- Volume 6, Issue 4
April 2010
In this Issue
Omics & Systems Biology
Liver on their plates
Liver on their plates
Regulus, GSK to develop HCV therapies
Prime-and-boost via electroporation yields potential HIV vaccine
Prime-and-boost via electroporation yields potential HIV vaccine
First candidate from Profectus-Ichor collaboration set to enter clinic in Q2 2010
Done deal for drug discovery
Done deal for drug discovery
Asterand completes acquisition of BioSeek, a developer of cell-based disease models
Companions in companion diagnostics
Companions in companion diagnostics
Roche Molecular Systems collaborates with Merck Sharp & Dohme on developmental test for cancer-related gene mutation
Research & Development
Pain- busting partnership
Pain- busting partnership
BMS and Allergan in $413 million deal to develop drug for neuropathic pain
Small molecules lead to big partnership
Small molecules lead to big partnership
UCSF enters into drug discovery agreement with Roche’s Genentech
One door closes, and another opens
One door closes, and another opens
MDS divests Pharma Services business to Ricerca Biosciences
Breathing easier
Breathing easier
Cephalon’s purchase of Ception to further asthma control research
Out of left field
Out of left field
Merck KGaA to acquire Millipore for $7.2 billion
Multi-faceted deal
Multi-faceted deal
Abbott expands pipeline with $450 million Facet Biotech acquisition
Feature
AACR’s Capitol idea
AACR’s Capitol idea
American Association for Cancer Research’s annual conference for 2010 heads to the nation’s capital and offers some new features
Contract Services
Eyes on Europe
Eyes on Europe
AMRI expands geographic footprint and market share across the pond with Excelsyn acquisition
They’re certifiable … in a good way
They’re certifiable … in a good way
BioClinica teams with two additional CROs to strengthen its Certified Partner Program
Clinical research gets a boost
Clinical research gets a boost
invivodata’s regulatory expertise enhances INC Research’s global service offering
French say ‘oui’ to U.K.’s NextPharma
French say ‘oui’ to U.K.’s NextPharma
Ministry of Research approves company as a contract research and development organization; French clients can now claim tax credits
Instruments & Informatics
Supercomputing, one PC at a time
Supercomputing, one PC at a time
Scripps uses IBM World Community Grid to achieve some breakthrough work on HIV/AIDS
Computype & Agilent: Linked by labels
Computype & Agilent: Linked by labels
Computype partners with Agilent Technologies on launch of new microplate labeler, and with Biosero on storage tube label applicators
Creating new workflows to improve discovery and development
Creating new workflows to improve discovery and development
Efforts focus on creation of new applications for high-resolution platform
ALA and SBS propose to merge as SLAS
ALA and SBS propose to merge as SLAS
Two top associations seek enhanced opportunities for members, greater global reach and financial and operational efficiencies
Global News
Awkward courtship
Awkward courtship
After more than a year of wooing OSI unsuccessfully, Astellas goes for hostile bid
From North Carolina to Norway
From North Carolina to Norway
The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences and Oslo Cancer Cluster announce oncology-based partnership
The art of collaboration
The art of collaboration
WuXi reaches agreement with J&J Pharmaceutical Research & Development
Epigenetics evolves in international partnership
Epigenetics evolves in international partnership
CellCentric licenses novel epigenetic discovery program to Takeda
Enough with the labels
Enough with the labels
Tecan and ForteBio automate label-free assays for bioprocess and drug discovery applications
Commentary
Minimizing the cost effects of false positives in cancer testing
Minimizing the cost effects of false positives in cancer testing
In recent months, controversy has swirled around the proper age at which women should have their first mammograms and Pap smears. Yet even as these questions dominate the headlines, we ought not lose sight of a larger issue that affects the lives of every potential cancer patient, male and female: the emotional and economical costs associated with false positives in cancer testing.
Primer on boards of directors
Primer on boards of directors
Do you know what the board is doing? Does the board know what you are doing?
Editor's Focus
March marked by many mergers and acquisitions
March marked by many mergers and acquisitions
Our special “March M&A Madness!” cover highlights a busy month of mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Diagnostics
Seeing green with a hybrid
Seeing green with a hybrid
Quidel Corp. completes $130 million acquisition of Diagnostic Hybrids
Mining for melanoma
Mining for melanoma
GSK, Abbott partner on molecular diagnostic test to select candidates for skin cancer immunotherapy
Stanford health experts help develop North Korea’s first drug-resistant tuberculosis diagnostic lab
Stanford health experts help develop North Korea’s first drug-resistant tuberculosis diagnostic lab
Stanford University professors have broken new ground by trekking through North Korea to initiate the installation of a diagnostic lab to test drug-resistant tuberculosis
Seeking immunosimplicity
Seeking immunosimplicity
Diamedix inks distribution pact with Fumouze Diagnostics
