April 2015- Volume 11, Issue 4
April 2015
In this Issue
Business & Government Policy
Valeant acquires Salix for more than $11 billion
Valeant acquires Salix for more than $11 billion
Addition of U.S. company to Canadian company’s collection of acquisitions gives Valeant a GI boost
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Advancing mRNA in vaccination
Advancing mRNA in vaccination
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CureVac collaborate on vaccine technology
Power of combining
Power of combining
Bristol-Myers Squibb signs agreement with Bavarian Nordic for PSA-targeting cancer immunotherapy
Imagining a future with Imbruvica
Imagining a future with Imbruvica
AbbVie pays $21 billion for Pharmacyclics, nets promising cancer therapy
Research & Development
Horizon Discovery to support Cancer Research UK program
Horizon Discovery to support Cancer Research UK program
Horizon’s Diagnostics division will provide genetically defined, human genomic reference standards to Stratified Medicine Programme
Does team of TG and Checkpoint mean checkmate in oncology?
Does team of TG and Checkpoint mean checkmate in oncology?
Immuno-oncology deal between the two companies targets hematological malignancies
GPS against cancer cells
GPS against cancer cells
Kite Pharmaceuticals is trying to change the landscape of immunotherapy
A solid partnership
A solid partnership
Freeslate to combine HTS tech with CIRCE’s predictive software to address solid state issues
Machinery of the mind
Machinery of the mind
TSRI discoveries shed light on neurodegenerative disorders, including research on ‘molecular motor’
Clinical Trials
A trio advancing trials
A trio advancing trials
Taking a look at three recently announced technologies aimed at making clinical trials run more effectively
On to Phase 3 for ADHD clinical trial
On to Phase 3 for ADHD clinical trial
Alcobra’s MDX meets primary endpoint in Phase 2 trial in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
MetAP2 mettle
MetAP2 mettle
Zafgen releases promising clinical results for obesity drug beloranib
Kicking the habit
Kicking the habit
Merger makes Catalyst public and advances clinical trial goals, while ending Targacept’s nicotine R&D
Preclinical
Rexahn’s RX-5902 shows its mettle
Rexahn’s RX-5902 shows its mettle
Preclinical data show that Supinoxin’s mechanism of action decreases expression of several oncogenes
Preclinical data published on fast skeletal muscle troponin activator
Preclinical data published on fast skeletal muscle troponin activator
Rat model suggests possible effectiveness in treating heart failure-related exercise intolerance
Right to the bone
Right to the bone
N8 drug combo may promote osteogenesis and prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection
Algae, mosquitoes and herd immunity
Algae, mosquitoes and herd immunity
UCSD School of Medicine researchers discover malaria vaccine candidate, but funding sources dry up
Discovery
Re-Pharm finds new use for old drug
Re-Pharm finds new use for old drug
Antibiotic shows novel anti- inflammatory activity after five decades in service against noninflammatory conditions
Together on a QUEST
Together on a QUEST
Cyclenium Pharma brings QUEST Library to multidrug-resistant infection collaboration with Fundación MEDINA
Adimab enters bispecific antibody deal with Sanofi
Adimab enters bispecific antibody deal with Sanofi
Sanofi will have the rights to all therapeutic antibodies and bispecifics resulting from the collaboration
Putting a hurt on neuropathic pain
Putting a hurt on neuropathic pain
UC Davis researchers identify carboline compound that could lead to drugs to prevent neuropathic pain syndromes
Diagnostics
Biocept launches liquid biopsy option
Biocept launches liquid biopsy option
Blood-based EGFR detection method can help identify who would benefit from certain NSCLC therapies
Plaque Array method links blood plaque components to Alzheimer’s
Plaque Array method links blood plaque components to Alzheimer’s
Study on Plaxgen Alzheimer’s disease blood diagnostic published in peer-reviewed journal
Dual assay for developing world and beyond
Dual assay for developing world and beyond
Rheonix gets $1.5-million grant to complete development of point-of-care HIV/AIDS test
Pairing up for precision medicine
Pairing up for precision medicine
Merck Serono, Illumina to collaborate on universal NGS-based cancer diagnostic
Q&A
Q&A: Berg works to ‘put Dallas back in North Texas’
Q&A: Berg works to ‘put Dallas back in North Texas’
DDNews speaks with Dr. Niven R. Narain, co-founder, president and chief technology officer of Berg, about his company's Interrogative Biology platform, AI and predictive modeling, Big Data and bringing more actual cures to patients instead of just relief
Commentary
Commentary: Precision medicine is not just about genetic testing
Commentary: Precision medicine is not just about genetic testing
Leveraging science and technology to prevent and treat diseases based on our individual biological makeup is a potentially transformative approach that will enable us to deliver healthcare more effectively and efficiently than we ever thought possible, and one of the technological keys to that is LC-MS
Djerassi, spring break and mass spectrometry
Djerassi, spring break and mass spectrometry
Find out a bit about why Carl Djerassi is such a big deal and also why mass spectrometry means so much to life sciences generally and drug discovery and development as well
Editor's Focus
Tech, tock; tech, tock…how long until we reveal all?
Tech, tock; tech, tock…how long until we reveal all?
So much of our personal information is out there for consumption by corporate interests and others; new movements to use wearable tech to enhance life-sciences research and clinical trials mean your vitals might be added to that data collective, though it still may be for the best in the end
Special Reports
Neuroscience Special Report: Turn on, tune in and knock out
Neuroscience Special Report: Turn on, tune in and knock out
How the flip of a switch is turning neuroscience on its head
Feature
Massing in Missouri for mass spec
Massing in Missouri for mass spec
The American Society for Mass Spectrometry heads to St. Louis for its 2015 annual meeting
