June 2009- Volume 5, Issue 6
In this Issue
Research & Development
Catalyst to ‘industrialize’ stem cell tech
Catalyst to ‘industrialize’ stem cell tech
Fate Therapeutics and Stemgent establish consortium to offer stem cell advances to the research market
Sanofi-aventis to acquire BiPar Sciences in a deal worth up to $500 million
Sanofi-aventis to acquire BiPar Sciences in a deal worth up to $500 million
Acquisition expected to add to oncology portfolio, late-stage drug programs
Merck, Medarex and MBL enter antibody deal
Merck, Medarex and MBL enter antibody deal
Worldwide licensing agreement will target C. difficile infection
Companies to apply proprietary analytical technique to Alzheimer’s disease research
Companies to apply proprietary analytical technique to Alzheimer’s disease research
Back-scattering interferometry offers promise of revolutionizing screening for drugs that inhibit amyloid build-up
Utah researchers collaborate on stem cell therapy for ALS
Utah researchers collaborate on stem cell therapy for ALS
A team of Utah-based researchers are collaborating on a stem cell therapy to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
J&J pounces on Cougar
J&J pounces on Cougar
Johnson & Johnson to acquire oncology drug developer Cougar Biotechnology for $1 billion
Pfizer takes lead role in stem cell research
Pfizer takes lead role in stem cell research
Agreements with University College London, U of Wisconsin—Madison part of $100 million investment in international stem cell development program
Genomics & Proteomics
Twice is quite nice
Twice is quite nice
Isis and Alnylam extend their existing collaboration to develop single-stranded RNAi technology
Buying local
Buying local
TheraCode acquires fellow German company JPT Peptide Technologies
Researchers unlock autism puzzle piece
Researchers unlock autism puzzle piece
Largest study of autism finds genes linked to brain cell connections
That two may become one
That two may become one
MDS Pharma’s OncoPanel combined with Compendia’s Oncomine to help speed development of cancer drugs
Continuing down the right pathway
Continuing down the right pathway
Clinical Data continues to push FCGR work with monoclonal antibodies forward, adding two new research partners to explore this pathway
Serving it up rare
Serving it up rare
RainDance Technologies and Expression Analysis pair up on resequencing solutions looking at rare gene variants in cancer populations
Multiplex choice
Multiplex choice
Study probing how healthy younger adults make use of genetic tests
Automation & Instrumentation
Partners in pathway lucidation
Partners in pathway lucidation
Marketing agreement between Roche NimbleGen and Sigma-Aldrich seeks to ease epigenetic research bottlenecks
Responding to the market
Responding to the market
Cellectricon and BioFocus team up to advance high-throughput ion channel drug discovery
Bringing the biomarkers together
Bringing the biomarkers together
BD and Fujirebio Diagnostics to jointly develop biomarker assays for early ovarian cancer detection
Fighting the flu
Fighting the flu
Millipore and Microbix to co-develop novel purification process in influenza vaccine manufacturing
Breaking into the market
Breaking into the market
Co-marketing deal gives Agilent a good opening to enter the next-gen sequencing market and gives Illumina customers a new and necessary tool
PerkinElmer acquires Analytica of Branford
PerkinElmer acquires Analytica of Branford
Investment intended to enhance mass spec portfolio and expertise
Informatics
Taking a shine to Golden Helix
Taking a shine to Golden Helix
Agilent partners up with genetic analysis expert to create tool for wider-scale adoption of large CNV association studies
Heads in the clouds
Heads in the clouds
Applied Bio and Geospiza team up to offer next-gen genetic analysis via Amazon Web Services
Clinical trial traceability
Clinical trial traceability
Phase Forward acquires Waban Software to create integrated data analysis and reporting solution
Analyzing data at single-cell level
Analyzing data at single-cell level
PerkinElmer and Accelrys announce software collaboration to enable single-cell imaging using high-content screening technology
Dealing with a deluge of data
Dealing with a deluge of data
NextBio announces informatics licensing agreement with Merck
Global News
‘Made in China’ gains new meaning
‘Made in China’ gains new meaning
Abbott to select from 600 Chinese drug and biomarker compounds via HUYA Bioscience
Evotec catches Zebrafish
Evotec catches Zebrafish
Acquisition of Summit’s Zebrafish unit will expand geographic reach to Asia
South Pacific acquisition
South Pacific acquisition
Thermo Fisher Scientific pens $120M deal to acquire Biolab, a life science tools provider in New Zealand and Australia
Risks and rewards
Risks and rewards
AstraZeneca signs R&D deal worth up to $220 million with India’s Jubilant
Bayer, Ardea MEK-ing progress
Bayer, Ardea MEK-ing progress
Bayer and Ardea enter global agreement focused on the development of MEK inhibitors for the treatment of cancer
Commentary
How small CROs can survive and thrive in a shaky economy
How small CROs can survive and thrive in a shaky economy
In a shaky economy where demand from sponsor companies is slack, small CROs may want to consider various partnership strategies to improve stability and profitability—or be forced to liquidate. Examining current industry, economic and political trends will help CROs determine the best strategy and even thrive in the months ahead.
Patent News
ACLU mob attacks breast cancer test patent
ACLU mob attacks breast cancer test patent
The fight over the patentability of isolated genes is misplaced since patents are usually obtained not just for the isolated gene, but also for methods of use and as part of more complex assays or kits.
Editor's Focus
Media’s treatment of Big Pharma can sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow
Media’s treatment of Big Pharma can sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow
Last month, many major news groups elected to take what should have been perceived as good news in a bad economy, and presented it as yet another slam on greedy, bloodsucking Big Pharma. Is it any wonder that most Americans express dissatisfaction with our healthcare system?
