July 2012- Volume 8, Issue 7
July 2012
In this Issue
Global News
Art of the deals
Art of the deals
Takeda announces plans to acquire Brazil’s Multilab just before closing deal on U.S.-based URL Pharma
Brazil beckons to Belgium
Brazil beckons to Belgium
Belgium-based UCB partners with emerging market Brazil-based Meizler to create Meizler UCB Biopharma
Just what the doctor ordered
Just what the doctor ordered
Dr. Reddy’s, Merck to collaborate on biosimilars
Probing the bowels of disease
Probing the bowels of disease
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada, Vertex Pharmaceuticals lead industry-academic quest to uncover biology of IBD
Diagnostics
Last man standing
Last man standing
LabCorp acquires MEDTOX Scientific, one of two remaining major independent clinical labs
Spanning the melanoma continuum
Spanning the melanoma continuum
HTG Molecular Diagnostics, John Wayne Cancer Institute partner to commercialize melanoma signatures
In their blood
In their blood
Biocartis, Philips and Wellcome Trust to develop automated blood-based assay system for monitoring tumor load
Exosome chooses Life
Exosome chooses Life
Exosome Diagnostics will use Life Technologies’ real-time PCR platform for exosome biofluid oncology diagnostics
Casting a clinical eye
Casting a clinical eye
Agilent to acquire Dako for $2.2 billion as it looks to growth in clinical diagnostics market
Research & Development
Racking the brain
Racking the brain
Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center, two California biotechs lead effort to create new treatments for glioblastoma multiforme
Taking a long, hard look at HER
Taking a long, hard look at HER
GE Healthcare and Affibody team up on HER2-specific PET imaging agent for breast and gastric cancer
On the hunt for Huntington’s disease therapy
On the hunt for Huntington’s disease therapy
Lundbeck, CHDI to conduct preclinical studies on a Lundbeck investigative compound
Tau Therapeutics and NCI launch Phase Ib trial in brain cancer
Tau Therapeutics and NCI launch Phase Ib trial in brain cancer
Tau Therapeutics LLC, a pharmaceutical company developing T-type calcium channel inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors, announced today that it has opened enrollment for a Phase Ib clinical trial
A pair of Northern lights
A pair of Northern lights
Canada’s Actium Research, McMaster University announce partnership
International team tackles cancer
International team tackles cancer
BMS launches global academic collaboration to focus on immuno-oncology
Tools & Technology
No more ‘garbage in, garbage out’
No more ‘garbage in, garbage out’
Seeking better data analysis in histology, Flagship Biosciences acquires IHCtech
Pop-up informatics
Pop-up informatics
Robust SaaS workspace accelerates and streamlines collaborative drug discovery for virtual teams
A*STAR for Hitachi
A*STAR for Hitachi
Hitachi and Singapore’s A*STAR design novel method to reduce genome data storage
Harnessing ISH and IHC
Harnessing ISH and IHC
Affymetrix and Leica collaborate on RNA in-situ hybridization tissue assay for research use
Corning announces cell-culture automation collaboration with TAP Biosystems
Corning announces cell-culture automation collaboration with TAP Biosystems
Corning Life Sciences announced last month that it has entered into a collaboration with TAP Biosystems to provide a manufacturing automation solution for large-scale, attachment-dependent cell culture
Omics & Systems Biology
New on the singles scene
New on the singles scene
Broad Institute and Fluidigm launch new research center to focus on mammalian single-cell genomics
Real-time liquid biopsy
Real-time liquid biopsy
Fluxion Biosciences and Rubicon Genomics to collaborate on tracking down circulating tumor cells
An A+ partnership on hemophilia B
An A+ partnership on hemophilia B
Baxter, Chatham partner on Factor IX gene therapy
BGI, Asian Cancer Research Group publish genome-wide study of hep B virus
BGI, Asian Cancer Research Group publish genome-wide study of hep B virus
Study focused on hepatitis B virus integration in hepatocellular carcinoma
Does persistence pay off?
Does persistence pay off?
GSK extends offer to acquire Human Genome Sciences, details remain the same
From pilot to partners
From pilot to partners
Novartis, Foundation Medicine build on oncology genome analysis collaboration
Government Watch
Taking the fifth
Taking the fifth
PDUFA legislation is reauthorized by House and Senate for fifth time since 1992
I spy with my little eye …
I spy with my little eye …
FDA’s I-Spy 2 trial aims to make cancer drug approvals faster, more efficient
California bill seeks restrictions on genetic data
California bill seeks restrictions on genetic data
Some researchers concerned that broad provisions will impede genetic research
Supreme Court decision delivers clarity to generic drugmakers
Supreme Court decision delivers clarity to generic drugmakers
Caraco v. Novo Nordisk clarifies Congress’ intention in Hatch-Waxman Act
Special Reports
Epigenetics: Half of the picture (PART 1)
Epigenetics: Half of the picture (PART 1)
Science plugs stem cells into epigenetic opportunities that control various disease states
Epigenetics: Half of the picture (PART 2)
Epigenetics: Half of the picture (PART 2)
Science plugs stem cells into epigenetic opportunities that control various disease states
Commentary
Meeting the need for large-scale production of stem cells
Meeting the need for large-scale production of stem cells
As demand for stem cells for both drug discovery and clinical applications grows, effectively translating the promise of stem cells into therapeutic reality will require large-scale “industrialized” production under tightly controlled conditions.
Out of Order: Good news and good luck
Out of Order: Good news and good luck
Bad news isn’t inherently bad just because it’s not what we expected or wanted, and it should be allowed to inform our subsequent decisions just as much as the good news. We’re just going to have to learn to discuss it like adults.
Editor's Focus
Crohn’s a very personal disease
Crohn’s a very personal disease
My sister Nina has Crohn’s disease, and a severe form of it at that. She never complained much -- she even had a sense of humor about a disease that some people consider unfit for polite conversation.
