May 2011- Volume 7, Issue 5
May 2011
In this Issue
Government Watch
To patent or not to patent
To patent or not to patent
Federal Circuit to decide by year’s end on patent eligibility of DNA in landmark case
A shifting landscape
A shifting landscape
Patent reform gains momentum in Washington
States take up stem cell debate
States take up stem cell debate
Minnesota, Oklahoma legislators seek to criminalize some embryonic stem cell research procedures
WHO urges action against drug resistance
WHO urges action against drug resistance
As the World Health Organization (WHO) marked April 6 as World Health Day, the United Nations agency charged with directing and coordinating authority on health matters called for “urgent and concerted action” by governments, industry and society to slow down the spread of drug resistance.
Not passing the smell test
Not passing the smell test
Recent Supreme Court decision in Matrixx v. Siracusano puts pharmas on notice about disclosure of adverse drug events after Zicam failures
Research & Development
The kinase killers
The kinase killers
pan-Raf kinase inhibitors are central focus of Sunesis, Millennium collaboration
A new angle and approach
A new angle and approach
La Jolla Pharmaceutical acquires RILs from GliaMed, sets sights on regenerative medicine
On a cancer quest
On a cancer quest
Continuing its strategy to boost its oncology pipeline, Gilead partners with Yale School of Medicine to study genetic basis of cancer
MRSA meets its match
MRSA meets its match
With new polymers, IBM and Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology take aim against antibiotic-resistant pathogens
Merck eyes ophthalmology market
Merck eyes ophthalmology market
Pharma acquires specialty drugmaker Inspire Pharmaceuticals for $430 million
Feature
Spicing up microbiology
Spicing up microbiology
The 2011 annual conference of the ASM in New Orleans has some new features to jazz it up
The language of New Orleans
The language of New Orleans
It's not just what you say but how you say it, and whether you understand the lingua france of the city
Pleasing the palate in New Orleans
Pleasing the palate in New Orleans
A roundup of some of New Orleans’ most famous edibles and eateries
Around and about New Orleans
Around and about New Orleans
Getting to know the famous French Quarter and other areas in the city proper
Omics & Systems Biology
Blockbuster buddies
Blockbuster buddies
RXi Pharmaceuticals signals new course with acquisition of Apthera
Getting lively over lipids
Getting lively over lipids
Agilent and National University of Singapore begin research collaboration, marking Agilent’s first collaboration in lipidomics R&D worldwide
Making their mark
Making their mark
Technology collaboration between New England Biolabs and Sequenom delivers EpiMark Methylated DNA Enrichment Kit, the first product for epigenetics
Might is right
Might is right
Four new Alzheimer’s disease genes discovered by UPenn-led consortium double known contributing genes
Global News
Tackling ‘the Big C’
Tackling ‘the Big C’
Seattle-based nonprofit Sage Bionetworks, AstraZeneca team up to match cancer patients with best treatment
Looking outward to improve inwardly
Looking outward to improve inwardly
MedImmune and Inserm form strategic collaboration around research into oncology, respiratory, inflammation and autoimmune diseases
Takeda, Heptares probe GPCR’s role in CNS disorders
Takeda, Heptares probe GPCR’s role in CNS disorders
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. and Heptares Therapeutics on April 11 announced the formation of a two-year drug discovery collaboration focused on a single G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that plays an important role in the pathology of central nervous system disorders.
Novartis acquires 85 percent stake in Chinese vaccine maker
Novartis acquires 85 percent stake in Chinese vaccine maker
Swiss pharma’s deal with Zhejiang Tianyuan strengthens its existing product portfolio and expands innovation
Amgen expands footprint
Amgen expands footprint
Company acquires Bergamo, agrees to reacquire rights to products from Hypermarcas
A white knight rides in
A white knight rides in
Teva unexpectedly offers $6.8 billion to acquire Cephalon, rescuing the company from a hostile takeover attempt by Valeant
Instruments & Informatics
PerkinElmer adds muscle to informatics
PerkinElmer adds muscle to informatics
Company signs agreement to acquire CambridgeSoft, completes purchase of ArtusLabs
Inkjet tech: Not just for printers anymore
Inkjet tech: Not just for printers anymore
Tecan and HP to market new drug-dispensing solution for pharmaceutical testing with goal of providing faster, more accurate drug screening
Breaking the ICE
Breaking the ICE
LI-COR Biosciences collaborates with MitoSciences on metabolic pathway assays
NuGEN’s sample prep to be integrated with WaferGen’s analytical workflow
NuGEN’s sample prep to be integrated with WaferGen’s analytical workflow
The two companies will co-develop integrated workflows using NuGEN’s SPIA products and WaferGen’s SmartChip system
BioTime and XenneX form platform for stem and progenitor cells
BioTime and XenneX form platform for stem and progenitor cells
BioTime Inc., a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, and XenneX Inc., a biomedical research tool provider, recently announced the formation of LifeMap Sciences Inc., a joint effort that plans to make available a database for use by stem cell researchers.
Diagnostics
On a Quest for Celera
On a Quest for Celera
Quest Diagnostics acquires Celera for approximately $344 million
ARIAD takes ponatinib into pivotal preclinical trial
ARIAD takes ponatinib into pivotal preclinical trial
Company partners with MolecularMD to develop a companion diagnostic test for leukemia patients
Forging an oncology collaboration
Forging an oncology collaboration
Caliper Life Sciences partners with Catholic Health Initiatives to develop improved methods for the discovery of cancer drugs
Metabolic map is made
Metabolic map is made
By identifying metabolic abnormalities in people with schizophrenia, Finnish scientists take one step closer to a diagnostic test for the brain disorder
PGXL Labs, AutoGenomics to expand molecular testing in pharmacogenetics
PGXL Labs, AutoGenomics to expand molecular testing in pharmacogenetics
PGXL Laboratories, a provider of pharmacogenetic testing and interpretive services, recently announced that it has established a collaborative partnership with AutoGenomics Inc., a developer of an automated, microarray-based multiplexing diagnostic platform, wherein they will utilize this platform—the automated INFINITI analyzer—for several different personalized medicine applications.
QIAGEN gains access to Cellestis’ early disease detection technology
QIAGEN gains access to Cellestis’ early disease detection technology
Tests for TB and CMV virus will provide synergies with QIAGEN’s existing assay portfolio and pipeline
Special Reports
Plop, fizz … fizzle
Plop, fizz … fizzle
How the “fizz, fizz” part is all too often missing in today’s new drug formulations
Commentary
Molecular screening tools and personalized healthcare: Determining success early in drug development
Molecular screening tools and personalized healthcare: Determining success early in drug development
By facilitating personalized healthcare, molecular techniques have the potential to significantly improve patient care, rescue effective drugs from development failure and provide cost benefits to both healthcare systems and pharma development programs.
Patent News
If separate parties perform steps of a method claim, can they each be held liable for patent infringement?
If separate parties perform steps of a method claim, can they each be held liable for patent infringement?
If separate entities each perform separate steps of a method claim, under what circumstances would that claim be directly infringed, and to what extent would each of the parties be liable?
Editor's Focus
This just in: Stem cell research is a go
This just in: Stem cell research is a go
In a decision rendered just hours before we put our May issue to bed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia crowned the Obama Administration the victor in an ongoing debate over whether the U.S. government should help fund research that involves the destruction of embryos. Read on for the latest in the controversial Sherley v. Sebelius case.
