November 2016- Volume 12, Issue 11
November 2016
In this Issue
Preclinical
Vaxonella vs. Zika
Vaxonella vs. Zika
Prokarium seeks to develop world’s first oral vaccine against Zika virus
A new cancer combination
A new cancer combination
AsiDNA and PARP inhibitors demonstrate synergistic effect, bypass genetic restriction
It’s all in the presentation
It’s all in the presentation
A quick roundup of some recent preclinical data presentations
A new option for Sanfilippo?
A new option for Sanfilippo?
Abeona’s preclinical data support gene therapy for rare disorder MPS IIIA
Clinical Trials
An ACTIVE accomplishment
An ACTIVE accomplishment
Radius’ abaloparatide-SC reduces fractures, boosts bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Romosozumab impresses in osteoporosis trial
Romosozumab impresses in osteoporosis trial
FRAME study demonstrates effectiveness of drug that binds and inhibits activity of sclerostin
A Phase 1, 2 punch to Parkinson’s disease
A Phase 1, 2 punch to Parkinson’s disease
Phase 1 clinical trial shows PXT002331 to be a potential weapon against Parkinson’s disease
Managing migraine
Managing migraine
Drug treats migraine symptoms without cardiovascular risk
Going after Crohn’s and colitis
Going after Crohn’s and colitis
Celgene announces positive data from two studies of oral therapies for the gastrointestinal conditions
Discovery
The eyes have it
The eyes have it
Indiana U. wins $1.9M NIH grant for blindness prevention through research on photoreceptors
Companies join forces to improve R&D
Companies join forces to improve R&D
drug discovery, drug development, R&D
A new partnership ‘Blooms’ for 3D models
A new partnership ‘Blooms’ for 3D models
Plasticell and CellSpring collaborate on tissue models for drug candidate screening
U.K. drug discovery landscape in fundamental shift
U.K. drug discovery landscape in fundamental shift
According to a new report, the British drug arena is headed more toward collaboration and open innovation
Tarveda licenses HSP90 drug conjugate platform
Tarveda licenses HSP90 drug conjugate platform
Deal with Madrigal Pharmaceuticals could be worth in excess of $249 million
Business & Government Policy
Next- generation cancer partnership
Next- generation cancer partnership
Investigational therapy uses an oncolytic virus platform to infect and break down cancer
Off the shelf and into the lab
Off the shelf and into the lab
Fate Therapeutics and Memorial Sloan Kettering to develop off-the-shelf T cell product candidates
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Patent Docs: Scope of Hatch-Waxman ‘safe harbor’ remains unclear
Patent Docs: Scope of Hatch-Waxman ‘safe harbor’ remains unclear
The question of whether activities undertaken post-approval are subject to the act has not been subject to Supreme Court review and recently it declined such review in a specific case
Diagnostics
Putting cancer breath test through the paces
Putting cancer breath test through the paces
Owlstone Medical embarks on world’s largest clinical trial for breath-based lung cancer detection
Bone breakthrough
Bone breakthrough
Austrian company demonstrates miRNA-based test for early detection of osteoporosis
Cancer Genetics and BARC launch partnership
Cancer Genetics and BARC launch partnership
Initial focus will be on immuno-oncology, hematological cancers and lung cancer
Meeting up for MDx
Meeting up for MDx
New Agilent/Burning Rock deal to focus on cancer diagnostics
Contract Services
Bracket gets random with integrated PBD technology
Bracket gets random with integrated PBD technology
Clinical trial tech and services company becomes first clinical IRT provider to natively integrate PBD
PAREXEL acquires ExecuPharm to broaden functional service depth
PAREXEL acquires ExecuPharm to broaden functional service depth
Deal is part of ongoing effort to serve a broader customer base of varying sizes with varying abilities
Ideathon makes an ‘Inspiring’ first showing
Ideathon makes an ‘Inspiring’ first showing
The ‘Inspiring Hope’ Ideathon crowdsources ideas for boosting clinical trial awareness and participation
Exco InTouch boasts quadrupled growth
Exco InTouch boasts quadrupled growth
September saw Exco InTouch celebrate its recognition on the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100
Research & Development
‘A one-step, one-flask process’
‘A one-step, one-flask process’
Scientists stumble upon revolutionary process in drug design and synthesis
Headway on HIV
Headway on HIV
TSRI identifies Env ‘holes’ and bnAbs as potential new approaches in targeting HIV
A duo for single-cell sequencing
A duo for single-cell sequencing
TTP Labtech/UC San Diego collaboration accelerates single-cell genomics research
Pair of grants for a protein program
Pair of grants for a protein program
Inventiva nets €2.3 million to pursue YAP/TEAD research
Editor's Focus
An update on Cancer Moonshot efforts
An update on Cancer Moonshot efforts
The Cancer Moonshot program launched in January by President Barack Obama is something we've been covering here and there in DDNews, and now we catch you up on some of the latest activities
Commentary
Out of order: Being human
Out of order: Being human
There is certainly value to finding ways to alleviate some of the most challenging and debilitating aspects of autism, but DDNews Features Editor Randall C Willis offers a suggestion: Maybe we shouldn't be trying to actually 'cure' autism per se
Guest Commentary: Accelerating discovery through contract chemical synthesis
Guest Commentary: Accelerating discovery through contract chemical synthesis
Contract chemistry laboratories are playing an increasingly important role in pharma R&D, and Jeremiah Malerich and colleagues from SRI International share their insights about the role contract chemistry plays in drug discovery
Feature
ASCB 2016 Show Preview: Following the arc of scientific discovery
ASCB 2016 Show Preview: Following the arc of scientific discovery
American Society for Cell Biology 56th annual meeting headed for San Francisco
