May 2017- Volume 13, Issue 5
In this Issue
Business & Government Policy
Patent Docs: Laches as a defense to patent infringement felled by Supreme Court
Patent Docs: Laches as a defense to patent infringement felled by Supreme Court
Decision raises the level of diligence drug companies must maintain to best avoid facing patent infringement suits at times when a drug has reached maximum profitability
Doubling down on KRAS
Doubling down on KRAS
Boehringer Ingelheim and Vanderbilt University expand collaboration to tackle difficult-to-treat cancers
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
The chicken or the egg
The chicken or the egg
New study finds high prescription drug costs are not driving up U.S. healthcare costs
For your approval
For your approval
A collection of recent regulatory approvals and other actions globally
Q&A
Q&A: The ethics of germline editing
Q&A: The ethics of germline editing
Cambridge BioMarketing's Dr. Sam Falsetti discusses CRISPR/Cas9 in rare diseases and possibilities for the technology in somatic cell vs. germline editing
Contract Services
Picking up the pace
Picking up the pace
PPD advances on a trio of fronts: rare disease, nephrology and HIV
An April acquisition in TNAs
An April acquisition in TNAs
LGC snaps up Axolabs, boosts manufacturing capacity for therapeutic nucleic acids
Cream of the CRO crop
Cream of the CRO crop
PSI CRO, INC Research, Chiltern among top CROs rated by investigative sites globally in new CenterWatch survey
Plenty of vitality in vaccines
Plenty of vitality in vaccines
INC Research attends World Vaccine Congress, shares recent industry trends
Diagnostics
Hello, hyperpolarized helium MRI
Hello, hyperpolarized helium MRI
New imaging technique could aid in development of improved therapies for CF
Loxo and Ventana set sights on CDx
Loxo and Ventana set sights on CDx
The companies will collaborate to develop and commercialize a pan-TRK IHC test for larotrectinib
Genomic Health reveals Oncotype DX breast cancer test data
Genomic Health reveals Oncotype DX breast cancer test data
New evidence highlights significant impact in reducing burden of unnecessary chemotherapy for patients
Discovery
X- Chem deal-making continues apace
X- Chem deal-making continues apace
Company inks collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical for oncology target drug leads
Switching genes to fight addiction
Switching genes to fight addiction
Drugs can change epigenetics, a finding that could inform drug discovery
Faster than Prozac
Faster than Prozac
UCSD researchers find GLO1 quickly alleviates depression in mice
Lhasa and Optibrium enter research and product development collaboration
Lhasa and Optibrium enter research and product development collaboration
Drug discovery software specialists combine expertise to extend studies into drug metabolism modeling
MicroRNA inhibitors halt cancer cell growth
MicroRNA inhibitors halt cancer cell growth
TSRI research says small-molecule RNA inhibitors can target and kill specific types of cancer
Preclinical
Heat reports ComPACT therapy data
Heat reports ComPACT therapy data
Poster presented at AACR meeting shows positive data for combination immunotherapy
Envigo covers all the R&D bases
Envigo covers all the R&D bases
Company rolls out new animal and non-animal technologies; at least five new in-vitro tests to be introduced ahead of CiPA recommendations
Making sense of mitochondria
Making sense of mitochondria
Luxcel Biosciences and HD Biosciences team up on new assay technology for mitochondria toxicity and metabolism
Putting some muscle behind SMA treatment
Putting some muscle behind SMA treatment
Preclinical trial of CK-2127107 shows improved muscle function in mouse models of spinal muscular atrophy
Research & Development
Potential colon carcinoma cure
Potential colon carcinoma cure
Small-molecule compounds demonstrate tumor regression and adaptive immune response
As good as the real thing?
As good as the real thing?
Organovo shares bioprinted kidney tissue data and celebrates review of their bioprinted liver tissue
A CNS collaboration
A CNS collaboration
nLife, WAVE Life Sciences team up for the first time on nucleic-acid therapeutics
‘Disruptive’ technology to find synergistic drug combos
‘Disruptive’ technology to find synergistic drug combos
Pharnext announces R&D agreement with Galapagos to generate a new pipeline of synergistic drug combinations
New treatment potential for some breast cancers
New treatment potential for some breast cancers
PARP inhibitors may be able to treat more breast cancer subtypes than previously thought
Clinical Trials
Linking predictive biomarkers to clinical trials
Linking predictive biomarkers to clinical trials
BMS, Foundation Medicine focus on such markers as tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability
Adding AI to the mix
Adding AI to the mix
CGI teams up with Mendel Health to better match patients with clinical trials
A quick antibiotic response
A quick antibiotic response
Paratek’s omadacycline shows promise as broad-spectrum treatment for community-acquired infections
The new way to the heart?
The new way to the heart?
Analysis shows Novartis’ Entresto improves glycemic control in heart failure patients with diabetes
Feature
Show Preview: Cancer experts get ready to blow into the Windy City for ASCO 2017
Show Preview: Cancer experts get ready to blow into the Windy City for ASCO 2017
World’s largest clinical cancer research meeting to highlight latest advances in patient and survivor care
Show Preview: ISSCR celebrates 15th anniversary during annual meeting in Boston
Show Preview: ISSCR celebrates 15th anniversary during annual meeting in Boston
ISSCR 2017 highlights new discoveries in stem cell research and progress toward clinical therapies
Commentary
Guest Commentary: CRISPR--The past, present and future
Guest Commentary: CRISPR--The past, present and future
The associate director in the Product Management group at Taconic Biosciences takes a look at where CRISPR has been, where it is now, where it is going and what that could all mean for getting the most out of this popular gene-editing technology
Out of order: (Not a) Goo goo g’job
Out of order: (Not a) Goo goo g’job
Regardless of whether it's passive neglect or active erasure, we need to stop leaving out non-Caucasian populations when it comes to cancer research, genome studies and treatment
Editor's Focus
Put your money where your science is
Put your money where your science is
It is good news that NIH, FDA and CDC all got funding boosts in the latest omnibus appropriations legislation, but that should be a foregone conclusion, not something we have to wonder about each and every year
Special Reports
Special Focus: A crisper picture with CRISPR
Special Focus: A crisper picture with CRISPR
CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology continues to make strides in life sciences
