February 2012- Volume 8, Issue 2
February 2012
In this Issue
Diagnostics
OPKO Health acquires FineTech Pharmaceutical
OPKO Health acquires FineTech Pharmaceutical
Deal provides OPKO with in-house capabilities for difficult syntheses of diagnostic and pharmaceutical products
Making their Metamark
Making their Metamark
Metamark Genetics to provide novel cancer therapeutic targets to Janssen Biotech
Lining up with Lineagen
Lining up with Lineagen
Sponsored research agreement to target blood-based MS assay
Getting renal with oncology markers
Getting renal with oncology markers
TrovaGene boosts tumor marker assets with license to novel mutations associated with prognosis and chemo response in leukemia
Global News
A leg up for oncology
A leg up for oncology
Takeda acquires Intellikine for $310 million, adding two novel programs to cancer pipeline
China experiences diabetes epidemic
China experiences diabetes epidemic
Hua Medicine licenses new diabetes drug from Roche as China’s population grows ever larger
A trio of leads for a hopeful future
A trio of leads for a hopeful future
Collaboration between Compugen and BioLineRx begins with three peptides but could lead to much more
The role of CD40L in ALS
The role of CD40L in ALS
ALS Therapy Development Institute announces research agreement with Biogen Idec and UCB to investigate promising therapeutic approach
Pfizer, Karo Bio go nuclear
Pfizer, Karo Bio go nuclear
Collaboration to target RORgamma modulators for autoimmune therapies
Contract Services
AZ pursues targeted cancer therapy
AZ pursues targeted cancer therapy
AstraZeneca pays $20 million to Chi-Med to co-develop and commercialize new cancer drug Volitinib
Getting to know the locals
Getting to know the locals
New Quintiles CRO to offer services for China’s local trial market
Healthymagination alliance
Healthymagination alliance
GE Healthcare and M+W Group to help emerging nations manufacture their own essential biopharmaceuticals, reducing reliance on imports
Biologics down under
Biologics down under
DSM Biologics, AIBN partner developing biologics facility in Queensland
CROs form Asia Alliance
CROs form Asia Alliance
Five companies band together to enhance clinical research across continent
Omics & Systems Biology
No inhibitions about drug discovery
No inhibitions about drug discovery
Ipsen, Oncodesign to develop therapeutic agents that inhibit mutations that cause Parkinson’s disease
Arecor adds Lilly
Arecor adds Lilly
Eli Lilly & Co. becomes latest partner to work with U.K. company on advanced formulations of protein therapeutics
(Anti)sense and sensibility
(Anti)sense and sensibility
Biogen Idec, Isis ink agreement to target spinal muscular atrophy
Gene therapy at UCL, St. Jude’s infuses hemophiliacs with hope
Gene therapy at UCL, St. Jude’s infuses hemophiliacs with hope
Study offers hope for men born with disabling blood disorder
Abbott and Reata AIM high
Abbott and Reata AIM high
Companies explore potential of next-generation antioxidant inflammation modulators in multiple therapeutic areas
Research & Development
Betting on biosimilars
Betting on biosimilars
Amgen and Watson announce collaboration to develop and commercialize oncology biosimilars
ADC from A to Z
ADC from A to Z
ImmunoGen and Lilly in $200 million-plus deal for antibody drug conjugates
Sigma-Aldrich looks to buy BioReliance Corp. for $350 million in cash
Sigma-Aldrich looks to buy BioReliance Corp. for $350 million in cash
With Sigma-Aldrich Corp. offering a purchase price of $350 million to be financed through a combination of cash on hand and credit facilities, BioReliance Corp., a provider of global biopharmaceutical testing services, has agreed to be acquired, with majority owner Avista Capital Partners giving the nod.
BMS and Gladstone combat Alzheimer’s disease ‘tsunami’
BMS and Gladstone combat Alzheimer’s disease ‘tsunami’
Pharma funds research institute’s work on Tau dysfunction
Follow the leaders
Follow the leaders
Baxter, Momenta partner on follow-on biologics
Seeking a rare and precious prize
Seeking a rare and precious prize
Alexion to acquire Enobia and gain first potential treatment for patients with ultra- rare disease hypophosphatasia
Tools & Technology
Adding to Pall’s appeal
Adding to Pall’s appeal
Pall Corp. acquires ForteBio via merger
Accelrys on a quest
Accelrys on a quest
California-based company acquires VelQuest Corp. for $35 million
Data warehouse for translational research
Data warehouse for translational research
Long-term collaboration between Windber Research Institute and IDBS has implications for breast cancer research
A wish to advance ISH
A wish to advance ISH
Ventana and ACD to co-promote in-situ hybridization assay system that will be automated on Ventana’s DISCOVERY platforms
UCSD uses RainDance technology for solid-tumor detection
UCSD uses RainDance technology for solid-tumor detection
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) recently announced that it has published data that validates RainDance Technology Inc.’s approach for detecting low-prevalence somatic mutations in heterogeneous tumor samples.
Special Reports
A perfect match
A perfect match
Cancer companion diagnostics gain ground
Commentary
Pay for delay: Right or wrong?
Pay for delay: Right or wrong?
With market pressures from generic drug manufacturers at an all-time high, firms have turned to what’s known as “pay for delay,” a stalling tactic employed by originator pharmaceutical manufacturers to maintain market share after a pharmaceutical patent has expired or has been found to be invalid in court.
Stuck between evidence and policy
Stuck between evidence and policy
Policy, like medical decisions, should be based on evidence, not magic. Evidence to support policy should not be selected from a menu; policy should be derived from evidence. In 2012, we need to get this right.
Editor's Focus
Leave Paula Deen alone, y’all
Leave Paula Deen alone, y’all
Have a seat and pass the mashed potatoes, y’all: It’s time for a chat about celebrity chef and Food Network television host Paula Deen and the brouhaha surrounding her recent announcement that she suffers from type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease whose primary cause is obesity.
