May 2012- Volume 8, Issue 5
May 2012
In this Issue
Feature
More about asm2012 and San Francisco
More about asm2012 and San Francisco
Additional information about the ASM 112th General Meeting and a few of the sites around San Francisco
Getting the big picture from small sources
Getting the big picture from small sources
American Society for Microbiology’s annual meeting covers a lot of ground
Diagnostics
GE ropes in Texas genomics company
GE ropes in Texas genomics company
GE Healthcare completes acquisition of SeqWright, expanding capabilities in fast- growing molecular diagnostic segment
BMS opts for MULTI-ARRAY
BMS opts for MULTI-ARRAY
Bristol-Myers Squibb and Meso Scale Discovery to develop diagnostic assays for Alzheimer’s disease
B cells on the A-list
B cells on the A-list
HTG Molecular Diagnostics and Sanofi US collaborate to identify B-cell malignancy biomarkers
Scratching out allergies
Scratching out allergies
Advaxis, Karolinska Institutet conduct research in allergic diseases
Roche throws in the towel
Roche throws in the towel
Company announces that tender offer for Illumina will not be extended
MMRF, TGen to lead multiple myeloma study
MMRF, TGen to lead multiple myeloma study
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) recently announced a multi-year oncology research partnership with several partners
Government Watch
President Obama signs JOBS Act
President Obama signs JOBS Act
Legislation holds good news for biopharma, biotech startups
Under the looking glass
Under the looking glass
Senate panel voices concerns for 2013 NIH budget
COMMENTARY: Laws of nature muddle patent certainty
COMMENTARY: Laws of nature muddle patent certainty
After a long wait, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Mayo v. Prometheus, an important intellectual property case for the biotechnology industry
Mayo yes, Myriad maybe
Mayo yes, Myriad maybe
Supreme Court agrees with Mayo’s stance on Prometheus patent claims; sends Myriad Genetics case back to the Federal Circuit
Special Reports
Going for multiple shots on goal
Going for multiple shots on goal
Drugmakers seek more than one application for compounds in early phase of development
Research & Development
Spectrum diversifies its revenue
Spectrum diversifies its revenue
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals acquires Allos Therapeutics for $206 million
Clinical-stage collaboration
Clinical-stage collaboration
AstraZeneca’s MedImmune subsidiary partners with Amgen to commercialize early- and late-stage clinical inflammation portfolio
Shire stakes a claim
Shire stakes a claim
Company acquires hematology- focused FerroKin BioScience in deal worth as much as $325 million; also licenses CNS program from Heptares in potential $190 million agreement
AMRI licenses anticancer tubulin inhibitor program to Bessor Pharma
AMRI licenses anticancer tubulin inhibitor program to Bessor Pharma
Agreement demonstrates AMRI’s strategic plan to advance the clinical development of its compounds and programs
Sigma-Aldrich acquires Research Organics, strengthens portfolio of PharmaGrade raw materials
Sigma-Aldrich acquires Research Organics, strengthens portfolio of PharmaGrade raw materials
Sigma-Aldrich Corp. announced in April that it has acquired all outstanding shares of Cleveland, Ohio-based, Research Organics Inc., to expand the company’s buffer production capacity and to increase its portfolio of PharmaGrade raw materials for the biopharmaceutical and diagnostic markets
A deal with 20/20 vision
A deal with 20/20 vision
Bausch + Lomb acquires ISTA, gains strong ophthalmic portfolio
Omics & Systems Biology
Researchers have the stomach for cancer
Researchers have the stomach for cancer
Duke-NUS, NCCS-led team discovers stomach cancer gene mutations
A virtual encyclopedia
A virtual encyclopedia
The Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, a project launched by Novartis and the Broad Institute, lends knowledge to cancer drug development
Cars, remote controls and McDonalds
Cars, remote controls and McDonalds
Obesity and type 2 diabetes targeted by Ember Therapeutics’ license of brown fat technology and IP from the Joslin Diabetes Center
PROOF positive about working with Adiga
PROOF positive about working with Adiga
PROOF Centre and Adiga Life Sciences launch biomarker discovery collaboration related to allergies
Agilent and FAPESP fund life-science research projects in Brazil
Agilent and FAPESP fund life-science research projects in Brazil
Agilent Technologies Inc. and FAPESP, the São Paulo Research Foundation, recently announced the selection of two jointly funded research projects
Tools & Technology
Crystal-clear acquisitions
Crystal-clear acquisitions
Corning Life Sciences to further broaden offerings with acquisition of majority of BD Discovery Labware
Bruker in 3D
Bruker in 3D
Company announces acquisition of SkyScan, launches Micro-CT 3D X-ray imaging systems for life-science and materials research
Beckman Coulter sets sail with Blue Ocean
Beckman Coulter sets sail with Blue Ocean
Acquisition expands company’s flow cytometry portfolio
Sequencing in the palm of your hand?
Sequencing in the palm of your hand?
QuantuMDx Group and A*STAR Institute Of Microelectronics aim to bring nanowire-based DNA sequencing to market
BioClinica’s PET project
BioClinica’s PET project
Company inks collaborative deal to leverage Mirada’s advanced image analysis capabilities
Japan’s Transparent, Molecular Response to launch 3D cell culture system for cancer applications
Japan’s Transparent, Molecular Response to launch 3D cell culture system for cancer applications
Transparent Inc. and Molecular Response Laboratories (MRL) announced in late March that they launch Cell-able Oncology, a novel 3D cell culture system for pharmaceutical researchers and medical professionals.
Global News
Forming a pharma fund
Forming a pharma fund
Index Ventures, GSK and J&J align to make $240 million in venture-capital funding available to life-science companies with early-stage assets
Across the (other) pond
Across the (other) pond
Researchers from Canada and Japan reach across the Pacific Ocean to join forces in the development of stem-cell epigenetics
ADCs for PBD
ADCs for PBD
PolyTherics will collaborate with Spirogen to develop novel anti-cancer antibody-drug conjugates
A French-American alliance
A French-American alliance
Multicenter collaboration to target dendritic cells for therapeutic vaccines
Israeli researchers develop vaccine to fight cancer
Israeli researchers develop vaccine to fight cancer
Vaxil Biotherapeutics, U of Tel Aviv team up on vaccine targeting MUC1
Editor's Focus
Michigan university, lawmakers at impasse over hESCs
Michigan university, lawmakers at impasse over hESCs
In March, Michigan’s House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education said it may withhold $7 million of performance funding from the 2012/2013 state budget for the University of Michigan (U-M) and Michigan State University if U-M does not disclose the number of hESCs the school is using in its research.
Commentary
Out of Order: Patently absurd
Out of Order: Patently absurd
Patents do not stifle innovation any more than copyright laws stifle creativity. In a similar vein, homeownership does not stifle homelessness, and marriage does not necessarily stifle infidelity.
Paradigm shift: Rethinking type 2 diabetes as a heterogeneous disease
Paradigm shift: Rethinking type 2 diabetes as a heterogeneous disease
The only way we will see true, long-term success in treating diabetes is by fundamentally rethinking this disease and shifting our focus to pursue a targeted, personalized approach to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
