Biomedical Market Newsletter articles from December 2003

Biomedical Market Newsletter archives from December 2003

Medicare prescription drug, improvement & modernization act of 2003 signed into law.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... On Dec. 8, 2003, President Bush signed into law the historic Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. It will help to create a more modern Medicare system, "allow for the biggest improvements in senior health care...

AIDS vaccine.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... DEC 08 2003 -- NEW YORK NY -- Dr. David Ho, Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, administers the first vaccination in a trial of a new investigational DNA-based AIDS vaccine to a patient at the Rockefeller University Hospital,...

Voice activated ultrasound technology.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... NOV 30 2003 -- CHICAGO IL -- Carrie Kulinski, left, and Gilda Pollock, demonstrate VoiceScan, a voice activated ultrasound technology system introduced by GE Medical Systems at the Radio-logical Society of North America (RSNA) meeting in...

New GE 3D mammography technology.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... NOV 30 2003 -- CHICAGO IL -- Laura Bakosh of GE Medical Systems demonstrates the new 3-D digital mammography system for David Padilla, head of diagnostic imaging systems at St. Catherine's Hospital, East Chicago. The technology developed by GE...

President Bush signs Nanotechnology R&D Act.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... DEC 03 2003 -- WASHINGTON DC -- Today at the White House, the President signed into law the 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act, which authorizes funding for nanotechnology R&D over four years, starting in FY 2005. This legislation puts...

Intl Trachoma Initiative's 5th Anniversary.(Breaking News)
December 8, 2003... NOV 11 2003 -- NEW YORK NY -- Dr. Hank McKinnell, Chairman & CEO of Pfizer Inc, answers a question during a news conference on the 5th anniversary of the Intl Trachoma Initiative, at the United Nations. Pfizer announced the continued support of...

FDA commissioner speaks at the European federation for pharmaceutical sciences conference.(Speeches)
December 8, 2003... Dec. 08, 2003 Basel Switzerland One of the greatest global challenges we face is providing access to high-quality, safe medicines for all of our citizens who can benefit from them. Disease and the suffering it creates do not respect...

Medical Industry Directory of Associations & Organizations-2004[TM].(Directory)
December 8, 2003... PART 1--United States Associations--5th Annual Edition * Approx. 2,600 medical associations in over 110 countries worldwide * 10% more than the last edition * Over 1,700 email addresses * Over 1,700 website addresses *...

Hospital, physician & other health revenues reach $1.2 trillion in 2002.(Breaking News)
December 17, 2003... The nation's health care and social assistance sector registered an 8% increase in revenues for 2002, for a total of $1.2 trillion. This was up from $1.1 trillion in 2001, the U.S. Census Bureau said on Dec. 16, 2003. Health care and...

Facts about the new Iraqi healthcare system.(Breaking News)
December 17, 2003... President Bush meets with Iraqi physicians and Dr. Khudair Abbas, the Iraqi Interim Minister of Health, in the Roosevelt Room, Dec. 15, 2003. Dr. Abbas is sitting at the President's right. The President and the visiting physicians discussed...

Study suggests that regionalizing some surgical procedures would not result in unreasonable travel burdens on patients.(Breaking News)
December 17, 2003... CHICAGO IL -- NOV 25 2003 -- Limiting certain high-risk surgery procedures to hospitals that perform high numbers of these operations could be implemented without making patients travel much farther, according to a new study in the Nov 26 2003...

HHS announces immediate steps to make Medicare-approved drug discount card programs available quickly.(Breaking News)
December 17, 2003... DEC 10 2003 -- WASHINGTON DC -- HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced an interim final regulation for the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card Program, designed to help people who are covered by Medicare with the cost of...

4sc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... * MARTINSRIED GERMANY -- Patrick Schwarz-Schutte, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Schwarz Pharma AG, joined its Supervisory Board.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CAMBRIDGE MA -- Barry Greene is its new COO.

Applied DNA Sciences Inc (OTCBB:APDN).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LOS ANGELES CA -- Kyle Keogh is the new Sales Manager at its office in Florida, and will focus on developing business opportunities for the firm's products, in particular, broadening incorporation of its DNA chip into identification cards.

Applied Imaging Corp (NASDAQ:AICX).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SANTA CLARA CA -- Robin C. Stracey is its new President & COO.

Ardais Corp (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LEXINGTON MA -- Donald B. Hawthorne is its new President, CEO, and member of its Board.

Aurora funds (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK NC -- Doug Gooding is the new President of Regado BioSciences, an Aurora portfolio company. As part of that transition, he will become a Venture Partner with Aurora.

Baxter International Inc (NYSE:BAX).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... DEERFIELD IL -- Carlos del Salto is the new President of Baxter's renal business, replacing Al Heller, who resigned to join the life-science transactions group with One Equity Partners as an advisor.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Sa (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... BEDFORVIEW JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA --Dr. Peter Moore is its new Regional Medical Director, Middle East/Africa.

Chiron Corp (NASDAQ:CHIR).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... EMERYVILLE CA -- David Smith is its new CFO; he was serving as its interim CFO, while continuing in his post as VP Finance & Principal Accounting Officer.

Coemergence Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HALIFAX NS CANADA -- Bradford Mills joined its Board of Advisors and is CEO of Bhp Billiton Base Metals.

CytoGenix Inc (OTCBB:CYGX).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HOUSTON TX -- Dr. Samuel Kaplan, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Texas Houston Medical School, joined its Scientific Advisory Board.

Dow Chemical Co (NYSE:DOW).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... MIDLAND MI -- Andrew N. Liveris, Business Group President, Performance Chemicals, is its new President & COO, replacing William S. Stavropoulos, who remains as Chairman of the Board & CEO.

Dudnyk Healthcare Group (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HORSHAM PA -- Dr. Christopher Tobias is its new Scientific Director.

First Horizon Pharmaceutical Corp (NASDAQ:FHRX).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ALPHARETTA GA -- Patrick Fourteau is its new President & COO.

GangaGen (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO CA -- David W. Martin, Jr., M.D. is its new CEO & Chairman.

Gastrotech Pharma a/s (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... COPENHAGEN DENMARK -- Dr. Claes Post is its new CEO.

Graffinity Pharmaceuticals AG (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HEIDELBERG GERMANY -- Mathias Woker is its new VP of Business Development US, a new position.

Health Discovery Corp (OTCBB:HDVY).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... WACO TX -- Joe Fanelli is its new Director of Corporate Development and will focus building strategic alliances, partnerships, acquisitionsc and licensees for its patent protected biomarker discoveries.

HealtheTech Inc (NASDAQ:HETC).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... GOLDEN CO -- James W. Dennis, CEO, is its new Chairman of the Board. Alexander MacPherson is its new President & COO and will also serve on the Board.

Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ATLANTA GA -- Renee Buckingham is its new VP of its provider network in Georgia.

Imaging Systems Inc (AMEX:IRI).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CHATSWORTH CA -- John Yi is its new VP of Operations, Iris Diagnostics Division.

ImmunoGen Inc (NASDAQ:IMGN).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CAMBRIDGE MA -- Promoted Virginia Lavery, VP, Sr Controller & Treasurer, to interim CFO, replacing Gregg Beloff who resigned.

Independence Blue Cross (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... PHILADELPHIA PA -- Promoted Deputy General Counsels Richard F. Levins and Eleanor D. Thompson to VPs.

LipoScience Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... RALEIGH NC -- Richard M. Pinnola is its new COO.

McKesson Corp (NYSE:MCK).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO CA -- Jeffrey C. Campbell, Sr VP & CFO of Amr Corp and its subsidiary, American Airlines, will be its new Sr VP & CFO beginning January 1, 2004, succeeding William R. Graber, who is retiring April 30, 2004.

Medco Health Solutions Inc (NYSE:MHS).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... FRANKLIN LAKES NJ -- Pamela T. Miller is its new VP of Market Development for its government sector.

Nephros Therapeutics Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LINCOLN RI -- Richard B. Stead, MD, former VP of Clinical Research & Development at Immunex, is its new Chief Medical Officer, and Karen M. Brennan is its new Sr Director of Clinical Operations.

Organogenesis Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CANTON MA -- Geoff MacKay is its new CEO and Santino Costanzo is its new VP of Sales.

PTC Therapeutics Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SOUTH PLAINFIELD NJ -- Joseph Puglisi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Structural Biology at Stanford University School of Medicine, joined its Scientific Advisory Board.

Peninsula Pharmaceuticals Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ALAMEDA CA -- Promoted Matthew A. Wikler MD to Executive VP & Chief Medical Officer, and Debra Odink Ph.D. to VP of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Product Development.

Peptimmune Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CAMBRIDGE MA -- Thomas P. Mathers, who was President & CEO of Cell Based Delivery, is its new President.

Perlegen Sciences Inc (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... MOUNTAIN VIEW CA -- Robert Middlebrook is its new Chief Corporate Development Officer.

PharmaNet (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... PRINCETON NJ -- Grant N. Ko, MD, is its new Sr Medical Director of its Neuroscience Division.

RenalTech Intl (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... NEW YORK NY -- Al Kraus is its new President & CEO, replacing interim CEO Bruce Davis.

Senetek Plc (NASDAQ:SNTK).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... NAPA CA -- Director Anthony Williams is its new Vice Chairman and continues his role as Chairman of the Compensation Committee.

Synovis Life Technologies (NASDAQ:SYNO).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ST PAUL MN -- Promoted Fariborz Boor, who was President & COO since 2000, to Executive VP.

Vectron Therapeutics Ag (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... MARBURG GERMANY -- Dr. Petra Wuelfroth is its new CEO, and Axel H. Leimer is its new Chief Business Officer. Both form the new executive board.

Varian Inc (NASDAQ:VARI).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... PALO ALTO CA -- Garry W. Rogerson, President & COO, will succeed Allen J. Lauer as CEO effective Dec. 31, 2003. Rogerson will retain the title of President and will join its Board when he assumes the new position. Lauer will remain the...

Velcura Therapeutics (privately-held).(People News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ANN ARBOR MI -- Daniel Chagnovich, Ph.D. is its new Sr Scientist of Bioinformatics.

Direct Wireless Communications Inc (OTCBB:HDVY).(Business News)(name changed to Health Discovery Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... WACO TX -- NOV 06 2003 -- Direct Wireless Communications, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: HDVY), a biotech company which is focused on "first-phase" biomarker and pathway discovery for diagnostic markers and drug targets, today announced that it has...

Hanoun Medical (privately-held).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... DOWNSVIEW ONTARIO -- NOV 17 2003 -- Signed letter of intent to merge with Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment, which is expected to close in Jan. 2004. Hanoun provides employer-based injury cost reduction programs. Baltimore Therapeutic offers...

ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc (NYSE:VRX).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... COSTA MESA CA -- NOV 12 2003 -- Changed its name to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Valeant: Jeff Misakian, 714-545-0100 ext 3309, http://www.valeant.com

Idec Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BIIB).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CAMBRIDGE MA -- NOV 13 2003 -- Idec Pharmaceuticals Corp and Biogen, Inc. announced that they have completed a merger with Biogen. The combined firm, Biogen Idec Inc, is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol BIIB. Biogen: (Investor Relations)...

Integrated Biosystems, Inc (privately-held).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... NAPA CA -- NOV 10 2003 -- Opened a new customer support and applications lab in Aubagne, near Marseille, France. It's located in the facilities of Stedim, a strategic partner in its efforts to develop and commercialize its patented freeze-thaw...

Integrated Healthcare Systems Inc (privately-held).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... KENT WA -- NOV 6 2003 -- Merged with Creative Pharmacy Solutions, Inc (Grapevine TX). Integrated: May Eisenberg, 800-541-4102, http://www.majornewswire

Inyx (OTCBB:IYXI).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... MIAMI FL -- NOV 06 2003 -- Received an order from a privately held Australian OTC drug company to begin development of a preservative-free sterile saline nasal spray for the Australian market. This new product, which is planned to be launched...

Genome Therapeutics (NASDAQ:GENE).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... WALTHAM MA -- NOV 18 2003 -- Entered into a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction with Genesoft Pharmaceuticals, which will focus on the commercialization and development of new anti-infective therapeutics. The deal is...

Molecular Diagnostics Inc (OTCBB:MCDG).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CHICAGO IL --NOV 20 2003 -- Announced, along with its subsidiaries, AccuMed Intl and Oncometrics Imaging Corp, that the licenses granted by the two firms to MonoGen Inc (VERNON HILLS IL) for the limited use of certain technologies in the field...

RoundTable Healthcare Partners (privately-held).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LAKE FOREST IL -- NOV 10 2003 -- Acquired Argon Medical Devices Inc, the vascular products business of Maxxim Medical Inc, which manufactures, assembles and markets specialty vascular access and pressure-monitoring devices utilized in the...

STS Biopolymers Inc (privately-held).(Business News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HENRIETTA NY -- NOV 14 2003 -- Signed an agreement and plan of merger to be acquired by Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ANPI) in an buyout of all its outstanding shares, which is expected to close by the end of December 2003. Angiotech: Ian...

Arrow International Inc (privately-held).(Marketing Agreements)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... READING PA -- NOV 07 2003 -- Received authorization from its European Notified Body, TUV Product Services of Munich, Germany, to Ce-mark the Arrow LionHeart, a left ventricular assist system. Arrow may now market the device within the European...

Jacobson Resonance Enterprises Inc (OTCBB:JRSE).(Marketing Agreements)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... BOYNTON BEACH FL -- NOV 11 2003 -- Received licensing rights for the production and worldwide marketing (except in US) of a new generation of battery powered portable resonators to alleviate joint pain. Sales should begin in the first or second...

Labopharm Inc (TSX:DDS).(Marketing Agreements)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LAVAL QUE CANADA -- NOV 06 2003 -- Announced that its subsidiary, Labopharm Europe Ltd, secured a licensing/distribution agreement with Austria-based Csc Pharmaceuticals Handels GmbH for 14 Eastern European countries for its lead in-house...

Merck Kgaa (privately-held).(Marketing Agreements)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... DARMSTADT GERMANY -- NOV 13 2003 -- Received authorization from the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products to market Erbitux for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer who no longer respond to standard chemotherapy treatment with...

Quinton Cardiology Systems Inc (NASDAQ:QUIN).(Marketing Agreements)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... BOTHELL WA -- NOV 10 2003 -- Signed a joint marketing agreement with Nihon Kohden America in which it will distribute Nihon Kohden's hospital line of Ecg machines in the US and will integrate these with Quinton's cardiology management system,...

Cepheid (NASDAQ:CPHD).(Collaboration Deals)(Cepheid Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SUNNYVALE CA -- NOV 06 2003 -- Restructured its collaborative relationship with Infectio Diagnostics (Quebec Canada) through a series of new agreements. Cepheid now receives non-exclusive worldwide distribution rights to Infectio's assays for...

Edgewater Technology Inc (NASDAQ:EDGW).(Collaboration Deals)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... WAKEFIELD MA -- NOV 17 2003 -- Partnered with NuGenesis Technologies Corp. The two firms will offer a complete end-to-end solution framework to support the development and execution of clinical studies, integrating protocol design and...

GenPath Pharmaceuticals Inc (privately-held).(Collaboration Deals)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... CAMBRIDGE MA -- NOV 17 2003 -- Entered into a multi-year collaborative deal with Merck & Co. Inc (NYSE:MRK). GenPath will use its proprietary cancer models to identify essential tumor maintenance genes which maybe suitable targets for the...

Imaging Diagnostic Systems Inc (OTCBB:IMDS).(Collaboration Deals)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... FT LAUDERDALE FL -- NOV 05 2003 -- Signed a collaborative agreement with the Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research Inc for the development of optical imaging products for the lab market. For Imaging Diagnostic: Rick Lutz (Investor...

Analogic Corp (NASDAQ:ALOG).(Product News)(atherosclerosis imaging software)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... HARTLAND WI -- NOV 10 2003 -- Its subsidiary, Camtronics Medical Systems Ltd, introduced the Cimt Screen, software that measures, analyzes reports, and IDs patients with pre-clinical atherosclerosis and clarifies cardiovascular risk....

Biotique Systems (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... EMERYVILLE, CA -- NOV 17 2003 -- Said that Monsanto, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and the National Yang-Ming Univ of Taiwan are subscribing to its products/services for biological data integration, analysis and visualization. It also launched...

Cell Signaling Technology Inc (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... BEVERLY MA -- NOV 17 2003 -- Launched its validated Signal Silence sirna kits for signal transduction research, which allow researchers to specifically inhibit and monitor protein expression. The product uses RNA interference, a method in which...

Cyclone Commerce Inc (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SCOTTSDALE AZ -- NOV 17 2003 -- Released a Lifecycle Management product to pharmaceutical mfrs. It helps firms manage and track, in real-time, the exchange of clinical trials data between investigators, CROs and sponsors. It generates an audit...

Fortress Technologies (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... TAMPA FL -- NOV 11 2003 -- Reports its product Airfortress by PocketMD to protect applications used to access patient records and medical references through mobile handheld devices. This system allows health care professionals making rounds to...

Innovative Biosensors (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... GAITHERSBURG MD -- NOV 20 2003 -- Obtained an exclusive license for the Canary biosensor technology developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, which uses cells of the immune system that have been engineered to...

Nikon Instruments Inc (privately-held).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... MELVILLE NY -- NOV 10 2003 -- Introduced its upgraded Eclipse te2000e2 inverted research microscope, which offers a platform for inverted microscopy for scientists who need a fully automated, computer-controlled advanced microscope system. Barb...

Varian, Inc. (NASDAQ:VARI).(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... PALO ALTO CA -- NOV 11 2003 -- Debuted its new 800 MHz Cold Probe for research in proteomics and structural biology. Varian recently installed it at the National Magnetic Resonance Facility at Madison, an NIHfunded, Biomedical Technology...

Biophan Technologies Inc (OTCBB:BIPH).(Distribution/Research News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... ROCHESTER NY -- NOV 05. 2003 -- Entered into a joint development agreement with Boston Scientific Corp (NYSE:BSX) to make medical devices more compatible with MRI technology. The two firms will also explore possible licensing deals. Biophan:...

Bioreason Inc (privately-held).(Distribution/Research News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... SANTA FE NM -- NOV 20 2003 -- Signed a distribution agreement with CTC Laboratory Systems of Japan for exclusive marketing and support of Bioreason's ClassPharmer systems and databases in Japan. The company's system analyzes complex...

Coronado Industries Inc (OTCBB:CDIK).(Distribution/Research News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... FOUNTAIN HILLS AZ -- NOV 17 2003 -- Completed a five-year exclusive sales/distribution deal with Izasa sa (MADRID SPAIN). The deal is the second with a major European distributor to be signed in Nov. The first was Oct 2003 with Eupharmed (ROME)...

Dharmacon Inc (privately-held).(Distribution/Research News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... LAFAYETTE CO -- NOV 11 2003 -- Agreed to supply its custom siRNA reagents to Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp, designed to use the firm's proprietary Smartselection and Smartpool technologies. They will be among the siRNAs used by Bayer in its target...

Dynavax Technologies Corp (privately-held).(Distribution/Research News)(Brief Article)
December 17, 2003... BERKELEY CA -- NOV 03 2003 -- Signed a license and supply deal with Berna Biotech Ltd (Bern Switzerland), granting Dynavax a worldwide, nonexclusive right to utilize Berna's hepatitis B surface antigen, Hbsag, in its programs for developing...