June 2012- Volume 8, Issue 6
June 2012
In this Issue
Research & Development
Long court battle over stem cell research continues
Long court battle over stem cell research continues
Three-judge panel hears oral arguments in Sherley case
NCATS finds new tricks for old dogs
NCATS finds new tricks for old dogs
NIH launches industry-government collaboration with Big Pharma to repurpose clinical-stage drugs
Accelerated development
Accelerated development
AstraZeneca, Axerion team up to take biologic approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease
Sanofi collaborates with MJFF on Parkinson’s disease treatment
Sanofi collaborates with MJFF on Parkinson’s disease treatment
Sanofi announced in late April that it has entered into a collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to conduct a clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE 8112, a Sanofi phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Right on TARGET
Right on TARGET
Merck, Endocyte reach deal to develop cancer drug
Out with gout
Out with gout
AstraZeneca acquires Ardea Biosciences for $1.26 billion, gains gout program
Watson adds action and strength to generics position
Watson adds action and strength to generics position
Pharma acquires privately held generic drugmaker Actavis Group for $5.4 billion
Tools & Technology
Companies create ‘road atlas’ of human biology
Companies create ‘road atlas’ of human biology
BioTime acquires XenneX to map stem cell types
‘Mainlining’ research content to scientists
‘Mainlining’ research content to scientists
Thomson Reuters and IDBS integration aims to change biological content delivery
Getting everyone’s heads in the cloud
Getting everyone’s heads in the cloud
BT advances cloud services to increase pharmaceutical R&D productivity and optimize clinical trial results
Dolomite joins forces with LioniX
Dolomite joins forces with LioniX
Companies partner on development of microfluidic devices and systems
Ambry Genetics launches Fluidigm-based genomic research services
Ambry Genetics launches Fluidigm-based genomic research services
Ambry Genetics, a global leader in clinical diagnostics and genomic services, announced last month the launch of Fluidigm BioMark HD and Access Array System-based genomic research services
Omics & Systems Biology
New class is in session
New class is in session
GSK teams up with Yale to design a new class of medicines to attack disease-causing proteins
Creating a new oral tradition
Creating a new oral tradition
Boosted by NIH grant, NYU-UCSF research team will use genomics to find biomarkers to predict oral cancer metastasis in patients
Fresh horizons in drug discovery
Fresh horizons in drug discovery
Horizon, H3 Biomedicine announce target validation collaboration
Two down, 94 to go
Two down, 94 to go
Epizyme and Celgene partner to advance human health through epigenetic-based therapies
BGI and several academic partners to sequence 100 human adenoviruses
BGI and several academic partners to sequence 100 human adenoviruses
BGI announced May 2 that the genomics organization will work with George Mason University (GMU), the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) to sequence 100 human adenoviruses gathered from researchers globally, including ones that cause respiratory, gastrointestinal and ocular diseases
Contract Services
Spain and France join hands
Spain and France join hands
Harlan Labs partners with Ipsen for development of preclinical drug candidates
Partnering for Phase III
Partnering for Phase III
Amgen selects PRA as CRO of choice for Phase III biosimilars trials
Hustling on half-lives
Hustling on half-lives
Caisson Biotech licenses heparosan-based delivery technology to Novo Nordisk to extend half-lives on drugs
AMRI inks deal with Biota Holdings
AMRI inks deal with Biota Holdings
AMRI was recently selected by Biota Holdings Ltd. to further develop and manufacture the influenza antiviral CS8958 (laninamivir), a second-generation, long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor
Raising the third pillar
Raising the third pillar
Synexus strengthens its presence in Poland with acquisition of Osteomed to complement German and U.K. presence
Global News
Sandoz acquires Fougera Pharmaceuticals
Sandoz acquires Fougera Pharmaceuticals
$1.5 billion deal makes Novartis group the top global generic dermatology medicines company
Turning toward Turkey
Turning toward Turkey
Amgen to acquire Mustafa Nevzat Pharmaceuticals, increase international presence
Australian pharma nabs U.S. shareholders
Australian pharma nabs U.S. shareholders
Biota, Nabi Biopharmaceuticals to merge in $212 million deal
A duo that’s sweet on new biomarkers
A duo that’s sweet on new biomarkers
Ezose Sciences and Hirosaki University to collaborate in glycomics research to find new cancer biomarkers
A joint research project
A joint research project
Novo Nordisk, Oxford University forge arthritis drug development deal
Evotec licenses inflammatory disease compounds to Chinese pharma
Evotec licenses inflammatory disease compounds to Chinese pharma
Evotec AG announced the grant of a development and marketing license to Conba Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. of China
Commentary
Release of proposed AMP rule creates new issues for life-science industry
Release of proposed AMP rule creates new issues for life-science industry
The new guidelines will have a wide-reaching financial impact on the life- science industry by creating serious administrative and operational challenges that will have to be addressed relatively quickly.
Making decisions … and making them work
Making decisions … and making them work
How do we make decisions? Do we analyze Democrats and Republicans with respect to their overall “comparative effectiveness,” or is it their “comparative ineffectiveness” that influences our thinking?
Diagnostics
Childhood cancer collaboration
Childhood cancer collaboration
Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital and Serametrix to develop Dx test for pediatric cancers
The way to man’s heart— through his stomach
The way to man’s heart— through his stomach
LipoScience will translate Cleveland Clinic research into cardiovascular test based on gut flora metabolite
A hankering for HER2
A hankering for HER2
Dako, Genentech pair up for FDA submissions of HER2 companion diagnostics
NGS for cancer Dx
NGS for cancer Dx
Genomic Health and OncoMed use next-generation sequencing to develop personalized cancer therapeutics
QIAGEN joins POC Dx Initiative
QIAGEN joins POC Dx Initiative
QIAGEN announced May 3 that it has joined the Point-of-Care Diagnostics (POC Dx) Initiative led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Grand Challenges Canada
Stretching its wings
Stretching its wings
Hologic acquires Gen-Probe for a total enterprise value of approximately $3.7 billion
Editor's Focus
Michael J. Fox drives stem cell research efforts for Parkinson’s disease back to the future
Michael J. Fox drives stem cell research efforts for Parkinson’s disease back to the future
He’s not climbing into his DeLorean and punching in a destination far into the past, but actor and Parkinson’s disease advocate Michael J. Fox surprised many recently when he told ABC News reporter Diane Sawyer that stem cell research may not be the future of treatments or a cure for this debilitating disease.
