October 2006- Volume 2, Issue 10
October 2006
In this Issue
News Briefs
Editor's Focus
Reflections on recent drug discovery trends
Reflections on recent drug discovery trends
Recent trends in the drug discovery area have seen a variety of companies focusing on quality rather than quantity of compounds, instrumentation and data, which means the market demands high-quality compound synthesis for focused libraries; robust and easy-to-use compound storage; reliable transportation and compound handling across multiple sites; and information-rich assays such as those used for cell-based screening.
The side-effects of too many ads
The side-effects of too many ads
In the evening, when the kids are in bed and I get a chance to watch a few moments of television, I’m reminded of just how much the landscape has changed in the past five or more years when it comes to how large pharmaceutical companies market their products. It seems I can’t watch a sporting event or a movie without seeing advertisements for Lipitor, Prevacid, Ambien and countless others. I’ve come to the conclusion that “dry mouth” is a very, very common side effect of prescription medications, followed closely by bloating and cramping.
The Process and the Ps
The Process and the Ps
The funny thing about for-profit companies is that their stakeholders expect them to make—are you ready for it—a profit. And for the majority of industries around the globe, people universally accept this fact. It is interesting, therefore, to look at the healthcare industry where the existence of a for-profit model is less widely accepted or at least is tinged with outcries for profit but not profiteering.
Research & Development
Amphora doubles down to leverage IP and skills
Amphora doubles down to leverage IP and skills
Forms two stand-alone business units that are intended to leverage the company’s intellectual property and proprietary expertise.
ChemoCentryx completes Series C financing
ChemoCentryx completes Series C financing
ChemoCentryx announced it completed $17.7 million in Series C financing.
Ultrasound advice
Ultrasound advice
Researchers use ultrasound to poke holes in cells; method could be used for drug delivery.
Genomics & Proteomics
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Affymetrix collaborate
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Affymetrix collaborate
Five-year collaboration to analyze genomic information across large patient samples.
Genetix acquisition improves their imag-ing
Genetix acquisition improves their imag-ing
Picks up Applied Imaging's large portfolio of automated imaging and image analysis systems for $18.3 million.
StemCells grants patent license to Stem Cell Therapeutics
StemCells grants patent license to Stem Cell Therapeutics
Agreement also provides StemCells with access to STC’s intellectual property portfolio for use in drug discovery, screening and testing, and therapeutic use of cellular compositions.
Luminex, Exiqon announce microRNA agreement
Luminex, Exiqon announce microRNA agreement
Exiqon will develop and manufacture microRNA products on behalf of the Luminex Bioscience Group, based on Luminex’s xMAP technology and Exiqon’s Locked Nucleic Acid technology.
Global News
Dynavax collaboration with AstraZeneca could total $136 million
Dynavax collaboration with AstraZeneca could total $136 million
Companies sign research collaboration and license agreement for the discovery and development of TLR-9 agonist-based therapies for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
ESBATech spins out Oncalis AG
ESBATech spins out Oncalis AG
Developer of antibody fragment therapeutics recently announced the spin-out of its small-molecule inhibitor programs.
MediGene AG to buy U.K.’s Avidex Ltd.
MediGene AG to buy U.K.’s Avidex Ltd.
With the acquisition, MediGene will diversify and broaden its drug pipeline with several drug candidates to treat cancer and auto¬immune diseases.
Millennium to acquire AnorMED
Millennium to acquire AnorMED
Entered into an agreement to acquire AnorMED Inc., a Canadian-based biopharmaceutical company with a late-stage Phase III hematology-oncology product, Mozobil
Omeros expands pipeline and research capabilities
Omeros expands pipeline and research capabilities
Announced the acquisition of Nura Inc., a company developing treatments for pain and other central nervous system disorders.
Protein therapeutics market could reach $87 billion by 2010
Protein therapeutics market could reach $87 billion by 2010
Market has more than doubled in the last five years—jumping from $25 billion in 2001 to $51 billion in 2005—making it the scientific trump card of the pharmaceutical industry.
Informatics
ABI opens up its code
ABI opens up its code
Applied Biosystems has decided to provide life scientists and independent software vendors open access to its genetic analysis data file format and a data file converter.
SoftGenetics investment no hard sell
SoftGenetics investment no hard sell
The Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania announced its investment of $250,000 in SoftGenetics LLC, a developer of analytical software.
Aureus gets first customer for discovery Web portal
Aureus gets first customer for discovery Web portal
Swiss-German company Origenis becomes first customer of AurWEB, which offers ser¬vices in drug design, synthesis and characterization.
Making a botanical breakthrough
Making a botanical breakthrough
Collaboration has resulted in the capture of the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana—the “laboratory rat” of the plant world—in one sweep.
Cognia expands presence in Scotland
Cognia expands presence in Scotland
Cognia Corp. is expanding its Scottish operations by hiring 50 new employees for a text mining team that will help identify information to include in databases for drug discovery researchers.
Automation & Instrumentation
Xceleron expands into US microdosing market
Xceleron expands into US microdosing market
Company looks to tap into the growing U.S. market.
Aurora Discovery sells liquid handling line to Beckman Coulter
Aurora Discovery sells liquid handling line to Beckman Coulter
Beckman Coulter acquires asset portfolio and IP comprising nanofluidic handling and detection assets, inventory, patents and trademarks.
PerkinElmer acquires Avalon Instruments for Raman
PerkinElmer acquires Avalon Instruments for Raman
Acquisition will broaden PerkinElmer’s molecular spectroscopy product portfolio with a Raman spectrometer line.
Kalypsys, Panasonic to automate new areas of drug discovery
Kalypsys, Panasonic to automate new areas of drug discovery
Companies recently announced a broad collaboration for the development of next-generation drug discovery systems.
