March 2010- Volume 6, Issue 3
March 2010
In this Issue
Feature
SBS builds on its success
SBS builds on its success
After changing up the format slightly last year, SBS makes some more thematic shifts to broaden and deepen the educational offerings
Government Watch
ACLU patent case could have far-reaching consequences
ACLU patent case could have far-reaching consequences
Plaintiffs seek to stop Myriad Genetics, Utah researchers from patenting breast cancer genes
Nanotechnology concerns are big in D.C.
Nanotechnology concerns are big in D.C.
Senate bill giving FDA authority to study nanomaterials
Arizona animal testing bill stopped in its tracks
Arizona animal testing bill stopped in its tracks
Covance-backed bill, which passed committee in early February, dropped a week later
Lilly settles Mississippi lawsuit for more than $18 million
Lilly settles Mississippi lawsuit for more than $18 million
Eli Lilly & Co. will pay $18.5 million to end Mississippi’s case against it for promotional claims related to the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa, according to an announcement made by state Attorney General Jim Hood at the end of January.
Pharmas heed FDA warnings
Pharmas heed FDA warnings
Eli Lilly, Amylin, Bayer and Cephalon comply with FDA concerns about drug marketing materials
New Products
Automated decapper for screw-cap sample storage tubes
Automated decapper for screw-cap sample storage tubes
The ScrewCap DeCapper available from Micronic Europe BV is a compact, automated instrument for the opening and closing of screw-capped tubes (0.5 - 1.4ml).
Assay kits for measuring complete range of HDAC enzymes
Assay kits for measuring complete range of HDAC enzymes
AMSBIO has announced two new histone deacetylase (HDAC) cell-based assay kits that provide a tool for studying the activity and inhibition of the full range of HDAC enzymes (1 to 11).
Instruments & Informatics
Everyone take note(book)
Everyone take note(book)
David H. Murdock Research Institute partners with ArtusLabs for cross-disciplinary electronic lab notebook
InfoSys RISes to meet Elan’s informatics needs
InfoSys RISes to meet Elan’s informatics needs
Company to deploy informatics system to aid Elan’s drug discovery programs
Applied Biosystems and Idaho Technology enter into cross-licensing agreement
Applied Biosystems and Idaho Technology enter into cross-licensing agreement
Applied Biosystems LLC, part of Life Technologies Corp., and Idaho Technology Inc. announced in late January that they signed a cross-licensing agreement that covers a broad range of products, including hardware, software and reagents
Getting selective with febit
Getting selective with febit
Company pushing forward with established and new HybSelect technology to capture NGS market
Editor's Focus
Readers show support for Cleveland biotech hub
Readers show support for Cleveland biotech hub
Two interesting events followed my February commentary, “Cleveland: The next biotech hub?” First, readers began to contact me to show support for my argument that with some effort and organization, multi-challenged Cleveland could become the next Research Triangle Park.
Omics & Systems Biology
The right sequence makes the difference
The right sequence makes the difference
Duke, SAEC lead effort to better understand the role of rare genetic variation in clozapine-induced agranulocytosis using whole genome sequencing
Into the gaps
Into the gaps
TGen and Geisinger Health System announce strategic partnership to shape future of personalized medicine
Connected by ChIPs
Connected by ChIPs
Beckman Coulter Genomics partners with Genpathway to unravel complex DNA-protein interactions
Map of billions
Map of billions
Scripps Research and GIS map out epigenome of human stem cells during development
Diagnostics
The right medicine for the right patient
The right medicine for the right patient
Pfizer, QIAGEN unit to develop companion diagnostic for brain tumor patients
Going under the needle
Going under the needle
Asuragen launches multi-center collaboration for development of diagnostic test for pancreatic cancer
Fulfilling an unmet need
Fulfilling an unmet need
Health Discovery Corp. will use PBLSC’s specimen bank in search of non-invasive diagnostic test for pancreatic cancer
Thermo Fisher Scientific stakes claim in diagnostics
Thermo Fisher Scientific stakes claim in diagnostics
Acquisition of high-performance PCR solution provider Finnzymes gives the company a foothold in molecular diagnostics market
Research & Development
Watson’s garden of Eden
Watson’s garden of Eden
As a key part of its plan to expand its global operations and supply chain to achieve increased efficiencies in production, Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently completed the acquisition of Eden Biopharm Group
Envoy for metabolic disorders
Envoy for metabolic disorders
Envoy pairs with Merck affiliate to discover novel diabetes and obesity drug targets
Biopharmas bonded by blood
Biopharmas bonded by blood
Ipsen and Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals to create hemophilia franchise
Three of a kind
Three of a kind
Roche allies with MGH, Harvard to develop stem cell-derived cell lines for drug discovery
Global News
Taking the distress out of ARDS
Taking the distress out of ARDS
Apeiron and GSK sign an exclusive license agreement for Apeiron’s therapeutic enzyme project APN01
Strength in numbers
Strength in numbers
Galapagos gains Argenta Discovery’s medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, ADME and biology activities
Diabetes double team
Diabetes double team
Alizé Pharma, Lilly collaborate on UAG agonists for the treatment of type II diabetes
Fluidigm and IntegraGen partner to create a genetic analysis service embedded in a France-based demonstration facili
Fluidigm and IntegraGen partner to create a genetic analysis service embedded in a France-based demonstration facili
Fluidigm, the inventor of integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs), has joined with IntegraGen SA, a leading provider of genetic research testing services, to bring IFC technology to European researchers.
Ranbaxy eyes vaccines, biologics growth with Biovel asset acquisition
Ranbaxy eyes vaccines, biologics growth with Biovel asset acquisition
Weeks after rumors began to circulate that Ranbaxy was in talks to buy a vaccine company, the Indian pharma announced in late January that it has acquired certain assets of Biovel Life Sciences Private Ltd., a biotechnology firm focused on the manufacturing of biogenerics, biosuperiors and biopharmaceuticals based in Bangalore, India.
Commentary
Efficient R&D process can position a drug candidate for commercial success
Efficient R&D process can position a drug candidate for commercial success
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are under increased pressure to differentiate new drugs from those already on the market.
Every flower needs a STEM
Every flower needs a STEM
It doesn’t take a very elegant sensor to detect the current general malaise. Those of us who are old enough to have suffered a half-dozen such cycles know that we’ve come out of them by focusing on and delivering on innovation.
