BioWorld International articles from April 2004

BioWorld International archives from April 2004

Australia-based Norwood seeks IPO on London's AIM exchange.(Norwood Immunology Ltd.)(Alternative Investment Market )
April 7, 2004... An Australian company with a U.S. development partner is expecting to float on the Alternative Investment Market in London to raise 15 million [pounds sterling] (US$27.2 million). Norwood Immunology Ltd., of Melbourne, is developing...

Ablynx completes 25M [euro] series B financing for nanobody platform.
April 7, 2004... PARIS -- Ablynx NV completed a second-round financing in which it raised 25 million [euro] through the issue of preferred stock. The lead investor was Alta Partners, of San Francisco, while Abingworth Management, of London, also...

HIV research could benefit from immune system model.
April 7, 2004... LONDON -- After trying for more than 20 years, researchers have finally succeeded in creating a mouse with a human immune system. The new mouse model produces B cells, T cells and dendritic cells and is capable of switching on the immune...

Cilian, Evotec Neuroscience reel in venture funding totaling 30M [euro].
April 7, 2004... MUNICH, Germany -- Biotech venture investment in Germany continued to show signs of thawing, as two companies from disparate ends of the market drew a total of 30 million [euro] in new funding. Cilian AG, a start-up based in Muenster,...

Ardana signs new Zentaris deal, gains global rights to Teverelix.
April 7, 2004... LONDON -- Ardana Bioscience Ltd. acquired the outstanding marketing rights to Teverelix, a gonadatrophinreleasing hormone antagonist, in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and took full rights to the microcystalline suspension technology underpinning the...

EU finalizes environmental law that could leave biotech liable.
April 7, 2004... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European biotechnology officials are disappointed at the way the European Union has finalized new legislation on environmental liability. The new rules were adopted March 31, and they include measures that will impose...

Gastrotech acquires Lilly deal through purchase of IP assets.(intellectual property)(Gastrotech Pharma A/S)(Eli Lilly and Co.)
April 7, 2004... Gastrotech Pharma A/S acquired a clinical development collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co. in irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia through its purchase of intellectual property assets from an undisclosed third party. ...

Active Biotech AB, of Lund, Sweden, said it terminated arbitration proceedings with PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc, of Oxford, UK, in relation to a share-purchase agreement in 2001 for the sale of SBL Vaccin AB, wherein PowderJect raised claims valuing $20 million against Active Biotech.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Active Biotech AB, of Lund, Sweden, said it terminated arbitration proceedings with PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc, of Oxford, UK, in relation to a share-purchase agreement in 2001 for the sale of SBL Vaccin AB, wherein PowderJect raised...

Affibody AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, and Mabtech AB, also of Stockholm, entered a collaboration to develop diagnostic kits for the research market.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Affibody AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, and Mabtech AB, also of Stockholm, entered a collaboration to develop diagnostic kits for the research market. The kits will incorporate Affibody's antibody mimics--affibodies--that are generated by making...

Agendia BV.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Agendia BV, of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, closed a Series A financing round led by Gilde Investment Management, of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Global Life Science Ventures and AXA Private Equity Venture Funds also participated. The company...

Biobase GmbH.(Other News To Note)(Transpath-NetPro product)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Biobase GmbH, of Wolfenbuttel, Germany, released its Transpath-NetPro product, a database of molecular regulation mechanisms in human and mammalian cells. It combines Transpath, which is used to analyze biological networks and gene expression...

Biofrontera AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Biofrontera AG, of Leverkusen, Germany, reported positive interim Phase II results showing that BF-Derm1 reduced urticaria symptoms by 30 percent to 40 percent, on average, with no relevant side effects. The product is a histidine...

Bionomics Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Southern Cross University )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Bionomics Ltd., of Adelaide, Australia, and Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia, established a collaboration to discover new drugs targeting epilepsy and anxiety. Under the terms, SCU will provide Bionomics with extracts from its...

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd., of Petach-Tikvah, Israel, presented at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) meeting interim Phase II results that showed treatment with CF101 in 56 colorectal cancer patients resulted in stable disease...

Celltech Pharmaceuticals, a division of Celltech Group plc, of Slough, UK, and Orphan Medical Inc., of Minneapolis, received notice that the European Medicines Evaluation Agency accepted the marketing authorization application for Xyrem for review.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Celltech Pharmaceuticals, a division of Celltech Group plc, of Slough, UK, and Orphan Medical Inc., of Minneapolis, received notice that the European Medicines Evaluation Agency accepted the marketing authorization application for Xyrem for...

Cognitive Drug Research Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Cognitive Drug Research Ltd., of Goring-on-Thames, XUK, reported the availability of the CDRSystem for multiple sclerosis. The system is specific to areas of cognitive function impairment in MS, and a single-test session typically lasts about...

Cosmix Molecular Biologicals GmbH, of Braunschweig, Germany, said it acquired nonexclusive rights to an mRNA peptide display technology useful for the discovery of peptides with high affinity for selected targets.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Cosmix Molecular Biologicals GmbH, of Braunschweig, Germany, said it acquired nonexclusive rights to an mRNA peptide display technology useful for the discovery of peptides with high affinity for selected targets. The technology, sometimes...

Crucell NV.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said it would receive up to about $3.5 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., to support the development of a...

CSL Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, completed its acquisition of Aventis Behring from Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * CSL Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, completed its acquisition of Aventis Behring from Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France. CSL will combine Aventis Behring with ZLB Bioplasma to create a new business, ZLB Behring, to be headquartered in King of...

DakoCytomation A/S, of Glostrup, Denmark, and Human Genome Sciences Inc., of Rockville, Md., said at the AACR meeting last week that new assays distinguish between expression of the TRAIL Receptor-1 and TRAIL Receptor-2 proteins.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * DakoCytomation A/S, of Glostrup, Denmark, and Human Genome Sciences Inc., of Rockville, Md., said at the AACR meeting last week that new assays distinguish between expression of the TRAIL Receptor-1 and TRAIL Receptor-2 proteins, and are...

Flamel Technologies, of Lyon, France, received a $5 million milestone payment from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., of New York, as part of their August licensing agreement for Flamel's formulation of long-acting human insulin.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Flamel Technologies, of Lyon, France, received a $5 million milestone payment from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., of New York, as part of their August licensing agreement for Flamel's formulation of long-acting human insulin. The companies did not...

Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, of Mainz, Germany, named Rainer Wessel president and CEO. He succeeds James Ratigan, who had been the company's interim CEO since July 2003. Ratigan will remain a consultant to Ganymed and will join its supervisory...

GPC Biotech AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * GPC Biotech AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said it is planning an equity offering and a listing on the Nasdaq exchange. The company noted that the offering's timing and details have to be finalized and would depend on market conditions.

Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, of Munich, Germany, entered an agreement to provide genetic rat models to Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, of Munich, Germany, entered an agreement to provide genetic rat models to Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J. The models, which will have alterations in a gene specified by Merck, will be developed using...

IntegraGen SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * IntegraGen SA, of Paris, said its scientists identified a gene associated with autism. Though it has never been implicated in autism before, the gene is known to be involved in synaptic signal transmission processes. More specifically, it...

LifeCycle Pharma A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, entered a collaboration with Recordati SpA, of Milan, Italy, to develop a modified-release version of the latter's Zandip, an oral calcium channel blocker used for treatment of hypertension.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * LifeCycle Pharma A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, entered a collaboration with Recordati SpA, of Milan, Italy, to develop a modified-release version of the latter's Zandip, an oral calcium channel blocker used for treatment of hypertension....

Lonza Biologics plc, of Slough, UK, and Chromos Molecular Systems Inc., of Burnaby, British Columbia, extended their collaboration agreement.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Lonza Biologics plc, of Slough, UK, and Chromos Molecular Systems Inc., of Burnaby, British Columbia, extended their collaboration agreement. Lonza researchers gain continued nonexclusive access to Chromos' ACE System for evaluation in its...

MediGene AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * MediGene AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said a Phase III trial of Polyphenon E Ointment for genital warts produced statistically significant results as more than 500 patients showed a high and lasting efficacy of the drug with low systemic...

Medivir AB.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Medivir AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, and the Population Council in New York reported preclinical findings at the Microbicides 2004 International Congress in London on a combination of MIV-150 and Carraguard against HIV transmission. Developed by...

Merck KGaA, of Darmstadt, Germany, and Biomira Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta, reported preliminary Phase IIb.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Merck KGaA, of Darmstadt, Germany, and Biomira Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta, reported preliminary Phase IIb results indicating that the median survival of Stage IIIb and Stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with BLP25 liposomal...

MWG Biotech AG, of Ebersberg, Germany, entered a supply agreement to allow Government Scientific Source Inc., of Vienna, Va., to distribute all products from MWG's four business units to U.S. federal customers.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * MWG Biotech AG, of Ebersberg, Germany, entered a supply agreement to allow Government Scientific Source Inc., of Vienna, Va., to distribute all products from MWG's four business units to U.S. federal customers. MWG provides technologies,...

National Institute for Biotechnology.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * The National Institute for Biotechnology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, located in Beersheba, Israel, received a new executive director, Aaron Klug, professor of biological chemistry and a 1982 Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry. Klug...

Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, acknowledged an invitation by the board of Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France, to enter negotiations regarding a potential transaction.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, acknowledged an invitation by the board of Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France, to enter negotiations regarding a potential transaction. Novartis added that it expects Aventis will clarify with the French...

PharmaMar SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * PharmaMar SA, of Madrid, Spain, reported data at the AACR meeting showing a molecular fingerprint demonstrative of a Yondelis-induced inhibition of transcription. Other findings showed Aplidin to be significantly more potent than Idarubicin...

ProQinase GmbH, of Freiburg, Germany, and Cell Signaling Technology Inc., of Beverly, Mass., entered a distribution and co-marketing agreement for the full line of ProQinase purified enzymes.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * ProQinase GmbH, of Freiburg, Germany, and Cell Signaling Technology Inc., of Beverly, Mass., entered a distribution and co-marketing agreement for the full line of ProQinase purified enzymes. Cell Signaling will distribute the 70 kinases on a...

St. James' Hospital.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * St. James' Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., on a two-year clinical trial aimed at identifying genetic markers in esophageal cancer that predict response to treatment. The aim...

The Genetics Co. Inc., of Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland, entered a research collaboration to use structural biology tools belonging to Morphochem AG, of Munich, Germany, to support the [beta]-Secretase program of The Genetics Co.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * The Genetics Co. Inc., of Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland, entered a research collaboration to use structural biology tools belonging to Morphochem AG, of Munich, Germany, to support the [beta]-Secretase program of The Genetics Co. More...

ThromboGenics Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * ThromboGenics Ltd., of Dublin, Ireland, was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for use of its microplasmin compound in pediatric eye surgery to treat retinal disorders that cause visual impairment and blindness in children....

Zellera AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2004... * Zellera AG, the Berlin-based subsidiary of Aastrom Biosciences Inc., of Ann Arbor, started a bone grafting clinical trial to be conducted by the Institut de Terapia Regenerativa Tisular at Hospital General de l'Hospitalet, Hospital de...

Adprotech being acquired by Inflazyme in C$20M deal.(Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd. )
April 14, 2004... LONDON -- Last week, shareholders in privately held Adprotech Ltd. agreed to be taken over by Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd. for about C$20 million (US$14.9 million) in shares. The acquisition of Adprotech by Inflazyme, of Vancouver,...

Interfering RNA libraries might boost mammalian gene insight.
April 14, 2004... LONDON -- Those involved in drug discovery now have useful new tools at their disposal, including libraries of retroviral vectors, which instruct mammalian cells to switch off specific genes. The scientists who developed the libraries...

EuropaBio probes fairness to biotech in new EU rules.(European Union Roundup)
April 14, 2004... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- New European Union rules allowing companies to share technology with rival firms have received a cautious welcome from biotechnology companies. The easing of EU anti-trust law could help companies win access to the...

Start-up Opsona focused on toll-like receptor signaling.
April 14, 2004... DUBLIN, Ireland -- A trio of scientists at Trinity College in Dublin teamed up with an Australian biotechnology entrepreneur to establish a new start-up, Opsona Ltd., which aims to extend basic research on microbial-host interactions into the...

A unit of Akzo Nobel NV, of Arnhem, the Netherlands, Diosynth Biotechnology, was selected by NeoPharm Inc., of Lake Forest, Ill., to manufacture clinical quantities for a Phase III trial in malignant glioma.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * A unit of Akzo Nobel NV, of Arnhem, the Netherlands, Diosynth Biotechnology, was selected by NeoPharm Inc., of Lake Forest, Ill., to manufacture clinical quantities for a Phase III trial in malignant glioma. NeoPharm based its selection on...

Cobra Biomanufacturing plc, of Keele, UK, granted AstraZeneca plc, of London.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Cobra Biomanufacturing plc, of Keele, UK, granted AstraZeneca plc, of London, a license to its DNA manufacturing technology for use in AstraZeneca's programs for the identification and evaluation of conventional drug targets.

Curacyte AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Curacyte AG, of Munich, Germany, reported positive results from a Phase IIc study of its lead compound, pyridoxalated hemoglobin polyoxyethylene (PHP), in patients with distributive shock. The data, presented at the 24th International...

DeCode Genetics Inc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * DeCode Genetics Inc., of Reykjavik, Iceland, is proposing an offer of up to $100 million in senior convertible notes due 201 1. The notes will be convertible into DeCode common stock at a price to be determined. DeCode expects to grant the...

General Electric Co., of Fairfield, Conn., completed its 5.7 billion [pounds sterling] acquisition of Amersham plc, the UK's largest life sciences company.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * General Electric Co., of Fairfield, Conn., completed its 5.7 billion [pounds sterling] acquisition of Amersham plc, the UK's largest life sciences company. Amersham will be merged with GE Medical, under the banner GE Healthcare. The division...

The German Resource Center for Genome Research GmbH (RZPD), of Berlin, reached an agreement with Protagen AG, of Dortmund, Germany, to use Protagen's technology to create gene libraries for the academic market.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * The German Resource Center for Genome Research GmbH (RZPD), of Berlin, reached an agreement with Protagen AG, of Dortmund, Germany, to use Protagen's technology to create gene libraries for the academic market. The RZPD also has licensed one...

Henderson Morley plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Henderson Morley plc of Birmingham, UK, a drug discovery company that is listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London, was granted a European patent on its Ionic Contra Viral Therapy (ICVT). The technology is in a Phase II study in...

Ipsen SA, of Paris, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Norristown, Pa., entered a license and distribution agreement for the marketing of Auxilium's product Testim 1 percent testosterone gel.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Ipsen SA, of Paris, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Norristown, Pa., entered a license and distribution agreement for the marketing of Auxilium's product Testim 1 percent testosterone gel. Ipsen will hold marketing and distribution...

LION bioscience AG, of Heidelberg, Germany, said GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, renewed its license for SRS and SRS Objects.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * LION bioscience AG, of Heidelberg, Germany, said GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, renewed its license for SRS and SRS Objects. With the renewals, which were received by the company in the third quarter of fiscal year 2003/2004, GSK expanded...

Although cleared for planting, Bayer ditching UK maize plans.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... LONDON -- Bayer CropScience said it is abandoning efforts to commercialize its genetically modified forage maize, Chardon LL, in the UK because government restrictions mean it is "economically non-viable." That is despite the UK government...

MediGene AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * MediGene AG, of Martinsried, Germany, is preparing to begin a Phase II trial of Polyphenon E ointment to treat actinic keratosis. The trial is expected to start in the second quarter and will evaluate the product's efficacy and safety. The...

Mologen AG.(Other News To Note)(German Ministry of Education and Research )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Mologen AG, of Berlin, will receive support over the next two years from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for the company's project called "DNAShield." The project is intended to produce two-component vaccines against...

Nycomed Danmark ApS, of Roskilde, Denmark, and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., of San Diego, through its wholly owned subsidiary PFC Therapeutics LLC, entered a deal for Nycomed to develop and commercialize Oxygent in Europe.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Nycomed Danmark ApS, of Roskilde, Denmark, and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., of San Diego, through its wholly owned subsidiary PFC Therapeutics LLC, entered a deal for Nycomed to develop and commercialize Oxygent in Europe. Oxygent...

Phytopharm plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Phytopharm plc, of Godmanchester, UK, announced the UK launch of its lead veterinary product, Phytopica, for the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis. Phytopharm said it is looking for marketing partners in other territories.

ProQinase GmbH, of Freiburg, Germany, entered a distribution and co-marketing agreement with Cell Signaling Technology Inc., of Beverly, Mass.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * ProQinase GmbH, of Freiburg, Germany, entered a distribution and co-marketing agreement with Cell Signaling Technology Inc., of Beverly, Mass. CST will distribute the full line of ProQinase purified enzymes on a scale for high-throughput...

Sanofi-Synthelabo SA, of Paris, said the registration statement filed with the SEC for its proposed acquisition of Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France, was declared effective, allowing the U.S. offer to commence on Monday.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Sanofi-Synthelabo SA, of Paris, said the registration statement filed with the SEC for its proposed acquisition of Aventis SA, of Strasbourg, France, was declared effective, allowing the U.S. offer to commence on Monday. The offer is open to...

Y's Therapeutics, of Tokyo, and Lonza Group Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, reported an agreement in which Lonza Biologics will collaborate with Y's on cell line construction and production of a humanized monoclonal antibody for YSCMA program.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2004... * Y's Therapeutics, of Tokyo, and Lonza Group Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, reported an agreement in which Lonza Biologics will collaborate with Y's on cell line construction and production of a humanized monoclonal antibody for YSCMA program,...

Pharmexa seeks DKK209M in discounted rights issue.
April 21, 2004... Faced with a looming cash crisis, Pharmexa A/S priced a long-expected rights issue. The Horsholm, Denmark -- based immunotherapy firm said it would offer shareholders up to about 12.3 million new shares at DKK17 per share, almost 50...

EU GM labeling rules get welcome from both sides.(European Union)(genetically modified)
April 21, 2004... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- What the European biotechnology industry calls "the most comprehensive labeling and traceability system for GM products in the world" came into effect April 18--meaning all food and feed products that contain more than 0.9...

Mitochondrial protein to trigger search for Parkinson's therapies.
April 21, 2004... LONDON -- The discovery that some people with an inherited form of Parkinson's disease have mutations in a protein found in mitochondria has opened up a gateway that might lead to treatments for the disease. A multinational study carried...

Immutep closes 2.5M [euro] round for therapeutic vaccine development.
April 21, 2004... PARIS -- Immutep SA completed a first-round private financing in which it raised 2.5 million [euro]. The investors were five French venture capital funds--FCPI Poste Innovation 1, 2 and 3, which are funded by the French Post Office group, and...

GeneMedix raises 1.9M [pounds sterling], searches for more funds.
April 21, 2004... LONDON -- GeneMedix plc raised 1.9 million [pounds sterling] (US$3.4 million) in an emergency placing of 13.6 million shares. The new shares, representing about 5 percent of the issued shares capital, have been placed predominantly with...

Artus GmbH, of Hamburg, Germany, amended its agreement with Abbott Laboratories, of Abbott Park, Ill., to expand Abbott's distribution rights for all of Artus' nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests for use in Foster City, Calif.-based Applied Biosystems Group's instruments.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Artus GmbH, of Hamburg, Germany, amended its agreement with Abbott Laboratories, of Abbott Park, Ill., to expand Abbott's distribution rights for all of Artus' nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests for use in Foster City, Calif.-based Applied...

Astex Technology Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, received a second, undisclosed milestone payment from AstraZeneca plc, of London, in their $40 million collaboration in Alzheimer's disease.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Astex Technology Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, received a second, undisclosed milestone payment from AstraZeneca plc, of London, in their $40 million collaboration in Alzheimer's disease. The milestone is related to the selection and further...

CeNeS completes restructuring, claims new focus is 'low risk'.
April 21, 2004... LONDON -- CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc completed a two-year restructuring program, emerging as a virtual company with a focus on lower-risk opportunities in central nervous system disorders. The chairman of CeNeS, Alan Goodman, told BioWorld...

Australian Cancer Technology, of Perth, Australia, said it is about to begin Phase II testing of its Pentrix anti-idiotypic cancer vaccine following the arrival of the product from Prima Pharm Inc., of San Diego.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Australian Cancer Technology, of Perth, Australia, said it is about to begin Phase II testing of its Pentrix anti-idiotypic cancer vaccine following the arrival of the product from Prima Pharm Inc., of San Diego. The formulated Pentrix...

Biotica Technology Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, agreed to a two-year deal with Inpharmatica Ltd., of London, for ADME services.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Biotica Technology Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, agreed to a two-year deal with Inpharmatica Ltd., of London, for ADME services. Biotica specializes in developing versions of existing polyketide drugs and agricultural chemicals by targeting...

Cobra Biomanufacturing, of Keele, UK, said it will manufacture Reolysin for Oncolytics Biotech Inc., of Calgary, Alberta.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Cobra Biomanufacturing, of Keele, UK, said it will manufacture Reolysin for Oncolytics Biotech Inc., of Calgary, Alberta. The agreement includes GMP manufacture and supply for Phase I and Phase II trials. Reolysin is a formulation of the...

Cogan AG.(Other News To Note)(University of Muenster)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Codon AG, of Berlin, reported positive results from the animal models of its product, chondrosphere, to treat defects in joint cartilage. The study, undertaken in cooperation with the University of Muenster, evaluated Codon's method of...

DeCode Genetics Inc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * DeCode Genetics Inc., of Reykjavik, Iceland, completed its offering of 3.5 percent senior convertible notes due 201 1. In addition to the $125 million of notes offered, the company issued a further $25 million of notes pursuant to the...

Eurand International SpA.(Other News To Note)(University of Urbino Biotechnology Center )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Eurand International SpA, of Milan, Italy, signed a research agreement with the University of Urbino Biotechnology Center in Italy to evaluate a potential new cancer compound derived from indol-3-carbinol, a natural substance present in...

European Union.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * The European Union is seeking opinions on tissue-engineered products. Interested parties are invited to provide comments by the end of April on the outline for a uniform EU regulatory framework covering human tissue-engineered products. After...

Evotec OAI AG, of Hamburg, Germany, entered an integrated virtual screening and medicinal chemistry collaboration with Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Osaka, Japan.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Evotec OAI AG, of Hamburg, Germany, entered an integrated virtual screening and medicinal chemistry collaboration with Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, to identify, synthesize and optimize compounds that show biological...

Exiqon A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, and U.S. Genomics Inc., of Woburn, Mass., entered a worldwide license agreement.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Exiqon A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, and U.S. Genomics Inc., of Woburn, Mass., entered a worldwide license agreement. U.S. Genomics will incorporate Exiqon's Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) chemistries into reagent kits for the U.S. Genomics Trilogy...

Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * The Gene Therapy Advisory Committee said approval was given for 13 gene therapy trials in the UK in 2003, up from seven in 2002. Of those, nine were in cancer, three in HIV infection and one in the treatment of X-linked severe combined...

Immuno-Designed Molecules SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Immuno-Designed Molecules SA, of Paris, completed the development of its first cGMP production facility in the U.S. in Irvine, Calif. The facility will produce IDM cell drugs for clinical trials in North America. Production has already...

IT-Omics.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * IT-Omics, of Lille, France, launched LS-Graph, a decision support computer tool for the drug discovery industry that is designed, among other things, to help biologists understand how genes insert themselves in the pathological and...

Jerini AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Jerini AG, of Berlin, reported positive results from a bioavailability study of its lead compound, Icatibant, to assess the subcutaneous formulation in comparison with intravenous infusion. The study demonstrated good bioavailability, rapid...

Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp.(Other News To Note)(China Agricultural University)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp., of Zoucheng City, China, signed agreements to acquire a biofertilizer patent from the China Agricultural University, with which it also established a strategic alliance. The patent covers six different...

MorphoSys AG, of Munich, Germany, achieved a fourth milestone in its deal with Centocor Inc., of Horsham, Pa., triggering a payment from Centocor.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * MorphoSys AG, of Munich, Germany, achieved a fourth milestone in its deal with Centocor Inc., of Horsham, Pa., triggering a payment from Centocor. MorphoSys said it developed several optimized fully human IgG antibodies against a...

NicOx SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... * NicOx SA, of Sophia Antipolis, France, said preclinical results showed that HCT 1026 significantly reduced beta-amyloid deposition in the brain of a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The treatment produced a significant decrease in...