BioInvent and ThromboGenics' new anticancer antibody is poised to
enter clinical trials and could prove a serious rival to
VEGF-blocking drugs, due to fewer side-effects and less drug
resistance.
Japanese researchers have used an advanced microspectroscopy
technique to study the cell cycle of yeast without the need for
fluorescent imaging agents that can potentially alter the cellular
environment.
A group of scientists believe they have cracked the riddle of how
Parkinson's disease is triggered - a breakthrough that could lead
to more effective therapies against the disease.
Summit (formerly VASTox) has signed a $450,000 (€312,000) deal with
one of the world's top five pharma firms to enable it to use
Summit's zebrafish-platform in its drug safety programme.
Japanese pharma firm Takeda beat off strong competition from the
likes of Coca-Cola to take home the dubious honour of Consumer
International's 'Worst Product' award thanks to its sleeping pill
ad.
The UK's largest charity, the Wellcome Trust, has awarded £1.3m
(€1.9m) to fund the world's largest ever genome-wide association
study to identify the genetic origins of Alzheimer's disease.
US researchers have identified an enzyme that reduces the build up
of heart-disease causing plaques by removing the cholesterol that
causes them to form.
In a shock announcement at its third quarter financial results,
Merck KGaA has said it will stop its diabetes research and partner
out any current programmes.
As the fires in California continue to rage, Pfizer and other
pharma and biotech companies all over Southern California are
bracing themselves for closures and even evacuations of their
facilities.
In this week's review of activity within the preclinical research
services arena, new deals have emerged involving Cato Research,
Genoway, Caliper Life Sciences and Rules-Based Medicine.
Japan's Kirin Holdings, best-known in the West as a beer maker,
will acquire a controlling stake in Kyowa Hakko, and thus get its
hands on what Kyowa claims are 'the ultimate antibody
warriors' against cancer.
Scientists have discovered how neurons keep themselves sugar-free
and healthy, a process that must be upheld to prevent the onset of
several neurodegenerative diseases, including a fatal form of
epilepsy.
Promega has launched a new method of isolating the DNA sequences
that bind to proteins that removes the need to generate specific
antibodies used in traditional ChIP experiments.
New research has shown that even if laboratory rats are genetically
identical they can still develop distinct metabolic profiles that
could skew drug toxicity and metabolism studies.
A team of US scientists have used typically discarded body parts to
create a 'joint in a test tube', which can be used to test
arthritis drugs instead of using animals.
As men grow older, the majority of them will suffer from the
symptoms of an enlarged prostate. However, help could be on the
horizon from BioXell's new drug that treats both the symptoms and,
crucially, the cause of this debilitating...
A US start-up firm is gearing up to launch an online database where
researchers can access a variety of drug discovery service
providers across the globe.
The activity of local and international firms establishing
preclinical testing services to good laboratory practice (GLP)
standards in Asia continues to gain momentum.
Drug formulation and delivery specialist Orexo has decided it has
had enough of improving established drugs and wants to develop its
own, so has bought speciality pharma firm Biolipox.
Boehringer Ingelheim has witnessed Vitae Pharmaceuticals attack the
same diabetes and obesity target as itself, only faster, and has
decided to splash out for a piece of the action.
Moody's Investors Service believes that things are set to get worse
for the US pharma industry and has revised is credit ratings
outlook from stable to negative.
Biogen Idec has announced it is seeking a buyer for the company and
has already received several expressions of interest - including a
reputed $23bn (€16.2bn) bid from billionaire corporate raider Carl
Icahn.
Two new techniques have been developed that could signal the end of
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification for sequencing
applications and dramatically increase the efficiency of sample
preparation.
Drug developers have a new target to aim at in the fight against
obesity after the discovery that a certain protein in the body
stimulates the formation of fat cells.
Wyeth has begun first-in-man trials for an oral drug designed to
calm an irregular heart beat, triggering a milestone payment to its
partner on the project, Denmark-based Zealand Pharma.
Ablynx, a biopharma firm that specialises the potentially lucrative
sector of miniature antibodies, has announced it plans to launch on
the stock market this year.
Kinaxo Biotechnologies is now offering a new proteomics service to
help drug developers decide which drug candidates to move through
the preclinical process.
As Speedel's fourth renin inhibitor enters clinical trials, this
award-winning new class of drugs has generally been well-received.
However, some have raised questions about their safety and
effectiveness. DrugResearcher.com...
NPS Pharmaceuticals has ended its collaboration with pharma giant
AstraZeneca, selling the rights to the partnership for $30m
(€21.2m) in order to fund development of its late-stage products.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) thinks that drugs based on boron, rather than
carbon, could side-step the issue of resistance in anti-bacterial
and anti-viral therapy - and is willing to bet billions on it.
Rumours that Pfizer is looking into buying a large stake in
Sanofi-Aventis, which could be seen as a prelude to a full takeover
bid, has prompted a flurry of shareholder activity.
The discoverer of embryonic stem cells (ES cells) and two other
scientists have won a Nobel Prize for their work to develop a
'magic wand' to modify the mouse genome.
The UK government has set-aside £1bn (€1.45bn) to give early-stage
companies better support after a review of the UK's science and
innovation policies by Lord Sainsbury of Turville.
Pfizer has launched a new independent biotech centre and announced
five new senior appointments - not least a new head of R&D
- all geared towards reinvigorating the firm.
Researchers have, for the first time, unearthed a genetic variation
that makes women more likely to suffer from the most extreme form
of premenstrual tension or syndrome (PMT, PMS).
The excessive use of a popular influenza drug, and the
associated build up of its waste in the environment, is
heightening the risk of creating viruses in nature that are
resistance to the therapy.
Three of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies have signed a
landmark deal with the UK government that will see them use stem
cell technology to road-test the safety of new compounds.
Furious trading in shares of PDL BioPharma has taken place over the
past couple of days as investors jumped in with both pockets open
in the hope that a partner will soon be in the offing for the
ailing firm.
German pharma firm Bayer is currently discussing with Indian
company Biocon about a potential deal that would include the
co-development of new biologics with an outsourcing element,
according to Biocon.
Eighty-year-old Italian pharma company Recordati believes its
future lies in rare diseases and has put its money where its mouth
is by spending €135m on speciality firm Orphan Europe.
Investors in Bristol-Myers Squibb were in a frisson of excitement
earlier this week as speculation mounted - not for the first time -
that the firm could soon become the target of a major
pharmaceutical acquisition.
Biogen Idec is pushing forward with a therapeutic antibody that can
turn myelin producing cells back on and so could reverse the
damaging effects of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Although it is over forty years since scientists realised cancer
cells don't have the anti-oxidant protective capabilities of normal
cells, it seems that only one pharma company has developed a drug
to exploit this fact.
Researchers from Novartis have published results using
high-throughput screening (HTS) mass spectrometry (MS) techniques
for the identification of enzyme inhibitors.