March 2014- Volume 10, Issue 3
March 2014
In this Issue
Research & Development
NIH, industry and non-profits AMP up collaborative research
NIH, industry and non-profits AMP up collaborative research
Goal is to develop new treatments earlier, beginning with Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders
FAST-AS you can for autism
FAST-AS you can for autism
Atlanta team of researchers jumps into FAST-AS race for NIMH-funded autism spectrum disorder studies
FISHing for new services
FISHing for new services
New collaboration puts powerful tools into hands of cell-line quality assurance service provider
Five Prime steps up search for monoclonal antibodies
Five Prime steps up search for monoclonal antibodies
Agreement with Adimab will help discover monoclonal antibodies for cancer immunotherapy
Merck and Samsung Bioepis expand biosimilars pact
Merck and Samsung Bioepis expand biosimilars pact
Companies will develop and commercialize a biosimilar version of diabetes therapy Lantus
Preclinical
Treatment without toxicity
Treatment without toxicity
CytomX and ImmunoGen collaborate to develop PDCs to fight cancer
Getting a move on with malaria
Getting a move on with malaria
University of Dundee, MMV researchers to develop antimalarial compound with potential for disease treatment, prevention
Regulus and Sanofi update partnership agreement
Regulus and Sanofi update partnership agreement
Companies’ strategic alliance to focus on orphan disease and oncology targets
Alnylam acquires Sirna Therapeutics from Merck
Alnylam acquires Sirna Therapeutics from Merck
Strategic transaction to gain investigational RNAi therapeutics, along with new Genzyme alliance, cap off a “transformational” year
Mi casa, su casa
Mi casa, su casa
Spain’s CNIO and Germany’s Merck sign license agreement to develop, market new cancer drugs
Q&A
Seth Lederman: Turning something old into something new (Part 2 of 2)
Seth Lederman: Turning something old into something new (Part 2 of 2)
To find out a bit more about the philosophy and practice of retooling old drugs for new purposes, DDNews spoke with Dr. Seth Lederman, co-founder, CEO and chairman of Tonix Pharmaceuticals
Feature
AACR 2014 conference preview: Progressing toward a cure
AACR 2014 conference preview: Progressing toward a cure
Rapid advances in epigenomics, immunology and cancer metabolism create an atmosphere of optimism at this year’s AACR annual meeting
Editor's Focus
Getting an infectious attitude
Getting an infectious attitude
Infectious diseases are a constant and evolving threat, but research into antibiotics is an area of anti-infective research that has seen a lot of drop-off in terms of Big Pharma interest over the years. Researchers and the public alike may need to open their eyes wider with regard to the dangers of modern bacteria.
Commentary
Out of Order: Human compassion vs. scientific rigor
Out of Order: Human compassion vs. scientific rigor
Striking a balance between the needs of the scientific process in health sciences research and the legitimate desires of ailing patients is a difficult thing. Whether or not we can or should change the system, we should still consider the toll it can take on people
Commentary: Copy number analysis provides new clinical insights into solid tumor cancers
Commentary: Copy number analysis provides new clinical insights into solid tumor cancers
Cancer is a global healthcare challenge; the healthcare industry is witnessing rapid new developments, improved point-of-care diagnostics, cost-effective treatment modalities and personalized medicine, which not only offer efficient early diagnosis but also treat cancer conditions in order to reduce the healthcare cost and disease burden
Commentary: The healthcare exchange you haven’t heard about
Commentary: The healthcare exchange you haven’t heard about
For some time now, healthcare exchanges have figured prominently in the media. Their central role in the Affordable Care Act, the challenges experienced during initial launch and the intense focus on signup numbers have all received extensive coverage. But what has been less widely reported is the fact that the concept of online exchanges as a mechanism to improve healthcare isn’t new.
Business & Government Policy
From acquirer to acquired
From acquirer to acquired
2014 starts off big for Forest with billion-dollar acquisitions
A new indication on the second go-round
A new indication on the second go-round
Merck, Ablynx ink second collaboration, this time targeting immune checkpoints
GSK, Roche go head-to-head to fight melanoma
GSK, Roche go head-to-head to fight melanoma
Small market gets big competition, according to analysis by Datamonitor
Patent Docs: District Court decision raises concerns regarding patent protection for diagnostic methods
Patent Docs: District Court decision raises concerns regarding patent protection for diagnostic methods
Kevin Noonan examines the ‘worrisome’ Ariosa Diagnostics v. Sequenom decision and how the Supreme Court’s earlier Mayo v. Prometheus decision influenced it
GSK wins accelerated FDA approval for combination therapy
GSK wins accelerated FDA approval for combination therapy
Therapy is the first approved combination of Mekinist and Tafinlar with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations
Rockland Immunochemicals expands facilities
Rockland Immunochemicals expands facilities
In January, company began move into a new 60,000-square-foot space
Diagnostics
An eye for diagnostics
An eye for diagnostics
DiagnosTear to begin a clinical study of TeaRx, a point-of-care dry eye syndrome diagnostic assay
Bringing FDA-approved NGS tests to the masses
Bringing FDA-approved NGS tests to the masses
Illumina and Amgen partner up to develop companion diagnostic to identify prospective patients for Vectibix
Dako and Amgen expand collaboration
Dako and Amgen expand collaboration
The partners plan to develop a molecular diagnostic test using Dako’s IQFISH buffer
CollabRx and CellNetix partner to advance molecular testing in oncology
CollabRx and CellNetix partner to advance molecular testing in oncology
Medical informatics will allow physicians to consider a tumor's molecular characteristics in planning of cancer treatment
Clinical Trials
Absorbing more ‘bad’ cholesterol
Absorbing more ‘bad’ cholesterol
A new anti-LDL drug passes another test
Size matters
Size matters
Merger of BioClinica and CCBR-SYNARC creates broad, efficient provider of clinical trial services
‘Gearing’ up to accelerate stroke drug trials
‘Gearing’ up to accelerate stroke drug trials
Robot may help cut time and cost of Phase 3 trials for stroke medications by 70 percent
Kareus Therapeutics initiates Phase 1 trial in diabetes
Kareus Therapeutics initiates Phase 1 trial in diabetes
KU-5039 said to be a potent and selective activator of AMP-kinase
Discovery
Scripps unveils innovative screening strategy
Scripps unveils innovative screening strategy
Novel method first uncovers new lead for fighting obesity-linked diabetes
Targeting ‘triple negative’
Targeting ‘triple negative’
Curie-Cancer and Servier renew cancer research partnership
Growing proteins in space
Growing proteins in space
Emerald Bio targets cholesterol, cancer in microgravity
Facing down FSHD
Facing down FSHD
Researchers discover 52 potential therapeutic candidates for a common form of muscular dystrophy
