March 2012- Volume 8, Issue 3
March 2012
In this Issue
Research & Development
IMUC, University of Pa. in deal for dendritic-cell production technology
IMUC, University of Pa. in deal for dendritic-cell production technology
ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (IMUC) announced in late February that it has entered into an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania under which the school has granted IMUC an exclusive, worldwide license for a patent-pending technology for the production of high-activity dendritic cells
Homing in on hematology
Homing in on hematology
Celgene acquires Avila Therapeutics in definitive merger agreement
Cytomedix undergoes business regeneration
Cytomedix undergoes business regeneration
Company acquires Aldagen in stock deal valued at $40 million, becomes regenerative stem-cell therapy operation
Engendering the collaborative spirit to cure MS
Engendering the collaborative spirit to cure MS
Myelin Repair Foundation, ENDECE Neural explore small- molecule compounds’ potential to reverse symptoms of multiple sclerosis
Puff the magic drug-delivery system
Puff the magic drug-delivery system
Zogenix and Battelle to collaborate on development of DosePro subcutaneous delivery technology
Amgen takes a big BiTE
Amgen takes a big BiTE
Company signs $1.16 billion merger agreement with oncology firm Micromet
Tools & Technology
Addtech adds one
Addtech adds one
Addtech Life Science closes acquisition of BioNordika
Speaking the right language
Speaking the right language
Linguamatics, Brandwatch and University Of Sussex announce project to enhance language processing of ‘big data’
A hot microplate
A hot microplate
Scripps Research, Brooks Life Science Systems partner on microplate imaging system
Building on their relationship
Building on their relationship
Vela Laboratories and Anagnostics enter strategic partnership to offer hybcell technology to biotech and pharma customers under GMP conditions
Global News
A deal with first-in-class cancer potential
A deal with first-in-class cancer potential
Merck KGaA and Threshold announce global agreement to co-develop and commercialize Phase III hypoxia-targeted drug TH-302
Two for C
Two for C
BioLineRx in-licenses two oral hepatitis C treatments
A breath of fresh air
A breath of fresh air
Almirall, BioFocus announce respiratory alliance
The power of partnering
The power of partnering
Sistemic is latest company to sign on for TiGenix’s stem cell therapy consortium
Oceania- bound and generic-focused
Oceania- bound and generic-focused
Watson Pharmaceuticals acquires Ascent Pharmahealth from Strides Arcolab for $393 million
Special Reports
Just a shot in the dark?
Just a shot in the dark?
Cancer vaccines slow to catch on
Omics & Systems Biology
IDT on deck
IDT on deck
Integrated DNA Technologies acquires 1st BASE oligonucleotide business in Singapore
Spanish partners to develop low-cost informatics methods for clinical genomics
Spanish partners to develop low-cost informatics methods for clinical genomics
Venture attracts $1.3 million grant for ‘new frontier’ of data interpretation for clinical and diagnostic applications
Doing the monogenic mambo
Doing the monogenic mambo
Shire, Sangamo to develop therapies for hemophilia, other monogenic diseases
Genentech reaches for the stars
Genentech reaches for the stars
Company gains access to Constellation Pharmaceuticals’ epigenetics expertise with $95 million deal
Sunshine State collaboration
Sunshine State collaboration
Sanford-Burnham, Florida Hospital and Moffitt partner to develop PMP Florida
Feature
AACR Annual Meeting 2012: Photos and Other Additional Material
AACR Annual Meeting 2012: Photos and Other Additional Material
Additional pre-show coverage for AACR Annual Meeting 2012
AACR Annual Meeting 2012: Concentrated delivery
AACR Annual Meeting 2012: Concentrated delivery
In an age when diverse oncology areas must pull together and more therapeutic options emerge, AACR packs a lot into a few days
Diagnostics
Picking up a Chip
Picking up a Chip
Signal Genetics acquires ChipDX, expands molecular diagnostics assets in oncology
Trovagene closes on CLIA
Trovagene closes on CLIA
Company completes acquisition of MultiGEN Diagnostics’ clinical laboratory assets
New companions for new tests
New companions for new tests
Siemens heralds growth in CDx market with pair of partnerships
Scary dairy
Scary dairy
GeneThera acquires Applied Genetics in effort that indirectly fights Crohn’s disease
A*STAR, GE Global Research in medical imaging deal
A*STAR, GE Global Research in medical imaging deal
GE Global Research has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Singapore’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research, also known as A*STAR.
Playing hard to get
Playing hard to get
Illumina remains defiant in the wake of Roche’s takeover bid
Government Watch
FDA provides guidance on biosimilars
FDA provides guidance on biosimilars
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued three draft guidance documents on biosimilar product development to assist the industry in securing approval for such products in the United States.
Privacy vs. right to know
Privacy vs. right to know
Presidential Commission on Bioethics debates genome sequencing
OK as-is?
OK as-is?
Conflict-of-interest rules for FDA not needed, says agency commissioner
SPRINTing to a cure
SPRINTing to a cure
Congressional lawmakers acknowledge need to invest in U.S. research
Editor's Focus
Falling short of filling unmet medical needs
Falling short of filling unmet medical needs
Shouldn’t addressing drug shortages be a top priority for an industry that claims—on every press release that crosses my desk and in most of the stories we write—that its very reason for existence is “to address a high unmet medical need?"
Commentary
Out of Order: Watch that last step
Out of Order: Watch that last step
Every year, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries spend billions on cutting-edge R&D, clinical trials, sales and marketing and medical education and training, to get just a handful of drugs into the medical community. And yet, every year, another drug is recalled or sees its market significantly curtailed by unfortunate events in that final step— delivery to patients.
Guest Commentary: So you want to collaborate?
Guest Commentary: So you want to collaborate?
By combining their ingenuity in a collaboration, industry and academia, for better or worse, become partners with both shared and diverse interests. As a result, the already complex inventorship matrix is made even more challenging. By combining their ingenuity in a collaboration, industry and academia, for better or worse, become partners with both shared and diverse interests. As a result, the already complex inventorship matrix is made even more challenging.
