BioWorld International articles from August 2005

BioWorld International archives from August 2005

Astex, AstraZeneca shape potential $275m agreement.
August 3, 2005... LONDON -- Astex Therapeutics Ltd. agreed to a deal with AstraZeneca plc for a range of early stage small-molecule kinase inhibitors, securing an up-front payment of $5 million, to be followed by research and development funding, potential...

New viral assembly knowledge highlights novel target for HIV.
August 3, 2005... LONDON -- An international team of researchers has shown that it is possible to block assembly of HIV in the test tube with a peptide, thus pinpointing a potential target for antiviral drugs. The site at which the peptide binds has been...

Nucleis planning branches in Montreal, Atlanta, Singapore.
August 3, 2005... PARIS -- Nucleis SA is in the process of establishing a research and development center in Montreal and has plans for setting up sales offices in Atlanta and Singapore to facilitate the marketing of its fee-for-service activities in North...

SR Pharma raises 10m [pounds sterling] for RNAi platform development.
August 3, 2005... LONDON -- The new-look SR Pharma plc raised 10 million [pounds sterling] (US$17.7 million) to fund development of the RNA interference technology acquired through the 6.3 million [pounds sterling] reverse takeover of Atugen AG last month. ...

Israeli Chief Scientist supports hybrid R&D biotech institutes.
August 3, 2005... ZICHRON YAAKOV, Israel -- Israel's chief scientist, Eli Opper, is promoting the establishment of R&D centers at Israeli academic institutions for biotechnology, nanotechnology, and areas determined to be national priorities, under the joint...

Acambis plc.(develops vaccine against Clostridium difficile)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Acambis plc, of Cambridge, UK, started a Phase I trial of its vaccine against Clostridium difficile. The trial is designed to test the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of Acambis' vaccine when administered at different dose levels. It is...

Biolex Therapeutics Inc., of Pittsboro, N.C., acquired LemnaGene SA, of Lyon, France, a company that provides biomanufacturing services to various markets, and one that has several research agreements in the pharmaceutical and human/animal vaccine areas.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Biolex Therapeutics Inc., of Pittsboro, N.C., acquired LemnaGene SA, of Lyon, France, a company that provides biomanufacturing services to various markets, and one that has several research agreements in the pharmaceutical and human/animal...

Biolog Inc., of Hayward, Calif., is extending its collaboration with Axiohelix, of Tokyo, and the NARA Institute in Nara, Japan, to phenotype and determine the function of each gene in the E. coli genome.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Biolog Inc., of Hayward, Calif., is extending its collaboration with Axiohelix, of Tokyo, and the NARA Institute in Nara, Japan, to phenotype and determine the function of each gene in the E. coli genome. Biolog began using its Phenotype...

PowderMed aiming for UK avian flu vaccine contract.
August 3, 2005... LONDON -- PowderMed Ltd. is lining up to bid for a UK government contract to supply 2 million doses of vaccine to protect against the avian influenza that has caused 53 deaths in Southeast Asia since the first infection was reported in December...

Biota Holdings Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, has assessed the damages caused by partner London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc's alleged neglect in supporting the influenza drug, Relenza.(Other News To Note)
August 3, 2005... Biota Holdings Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, has assessed the damages caused by partner London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc's alleged neglect in supporting the influenza drug, Relenza. It listed in its May 2004 lawsuit losses of between $234...

EvoGenix Ltd.(initial public offerings)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... EvoGenix Ltd., of Sydney, Australia, closed its initial public offering, raising A$9 million (US$6.8 million) through the issue of 36 million shares at A$0.25 cents each. The company is expected to list on the Australian Stock Exchange in early...

GammaCan International Inc.(develops drugs treat cancer)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... GammaCan International Inc., of Givat Shmuel, Israel, said it initiated a Phase II trial of GCAN 101 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, prostate and/or colon cancers. The company's drug is based on IVIg, described as a relatively...

Gentium SpA.(initial public offerings)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Gentium SpA, of Villa Guardia, Italy, said underwriters of its initial public offering exercised their overallotment option to purchase 300,000 of the company's American depository shares at $9 each, for $2.7 million more in proceeds added to...

Aptanomics, BI sign deal in Aptamer drug discovery.(Boehringer Ingelheim)
August 3, 2005... PARIS -- Aptanomics SA signed an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim in aptamer-based target validation and drug discovery. The agreement calls for Lyon-based Aptanomics to provide Boehringer, of Ingelheim, Germany, with a panel of its...

GTC Biotherapeutics Inc., of Framingham, Mass., and Scancell Ltd., of Nottingham, UK, signed an agreement to evaluate the expression of Scancell's SC101 cancer monoclonal antibody using GTC's transgenic production platform.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... GTC Biotherapeutics Inc., of Framingham, Mass., and Scancell Ltd., of Nottingham, UK, signed an agreement to evaluate the expression of Scancell's SC101 cancer monoclonal antibody using GTC's transgenic production platform. The agreement...

MAP Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., and Elan Corp. plc, of Dublin, Ireland, amended their 2004 agreement to apply Elan's NanoCrystal technology to defined inhalation therapies.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... MAP Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., and Elan Corp. plc, of Dublin, Ireland, amended their 2004 agreement to apply Elan's NanoCrystal technology to defined inhalation therapies. The companies have been collaborating to develop a...

MerLion Pharmaceuticals Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, extended its existing collaboration with Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck & Co. Inc. to discover and develop new drug candidates derived from natural products chemistry.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... MerLion Pharmaceuticals Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, extended its existing collaboration with Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck & Co. Inc. to discover and develop new drug candidates derived from natural products chemistry. The agreement extends...

Morria Biopharmaceuticals plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Morria Biopharmaceuticals plc, of London, said its leading inhaled drug candidate, MRX3, ameliorated asthma symptoms and reduced the levels of several key inflammatory mediators in preclinical trials in animals. Results of the studies appear in...

Nanogen Inc., of San Diego, made an equity investment in Jurilab Ltd., a Kuopio, Finland-based company focused on the discovery and identification of new genes and gene markers associated with common diseases and drug responses.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Nanogen Inc., of San Diego, made an equity investment in Jurilab Ltd., a Kuopio, Finland-based company focused on the discovery and identification of new genes and gene markers associated with common diseases and drug responses. Nanogen will...

Schering AG, of Berlin, and AstraZeneca plc, of London, entered a research collaboration and licensing agreement in selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists.(Other News To Note)
August 3, 2005... Schering AG, of Berlin, and AstraZeneca plc, of London, entered a research collaboration and licensing agreement in selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists. The companies will work together up to the end of Phase I trials to identify novel...

Sinovac Biotech Ltd.(develops influenza flu vaccine )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Sinovac Biotech Ltd., of Beijing, China, said the State Food and Drug Administration issued a production license for the company's influenza flu vaccine, Anflu. The company received a new drug certificate for Anflu in March, but it now can...

Transkaryotic Therapies Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, of Basingstoke, UK, said shareholders at each company approved the $1.6 billion cash acquisition of TKT by Shire.(Other News To Note)
August 3, 2005... Transkaryotic Therapies Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, of Basingstoke, UK, said shareholders at each company approved the $1.6 billion cash acquisition of TKT by Shire. The acquisition is expected to be...

UCB Pharma Inc.(research of certolizumab pegol for Crohn's disease)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... UCB Pharma Inc., of Smyrna, Georgia, the U.S. headquarters of Brussels, Belgium-based UCB, announced positive results for two pivotal Phase III trials of certolizumab pegol for Crohn's disease. The Precise 1 and 2 trials assessed the safety and...

Wilex AG.(develops oral anticancer agents)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2005... Wilex AG, of Munich, Germany, said it completed its first Phase I trial of its oral anticancer compound WX-671. The study investigated the oral bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and safety at four dose levels in 16 healthy male volunteers....

Santhera licenses European idebenone rights to Takeda.(Santhera Pharmaceuticals AG)
August 10, 2005... Santhera Pharmaceuticals AG licensed to Takeda the European rights to its Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) treatment, idebenone, in a deal which earned it an up-front payment of 5 million [euro] (US$6.2 million). Other financial details were not...

Maintaining chromosome ends influences stem cell behavior.
August 10, 2005... LONDON -- A trio of Spanish researches has identified a crucial factor that dictates how stem cells behave, and how proficient they are in their role of regenerating tissues. The work of Maria Blasco, head of the molecular oncology department...

12m [pounds sterling] for Intercytex will fund wound product Phase III trial.
August 10, 2005... LONDON -- Intercytex Ltd. raised 12 million [pounds sterling] (US$21.3 million) in its third funding round, enabling it to start a multicenter Phase III U.S. trial of the lead product ICX-PRO, a cell therapy for treating chronic wounds. At...

Stallergenes has common allergy treatment focus.
August 10, 2005... PARIS -- Stallergenes SA plans to launch a hay fever remedy in tablet form in 2007, heralding a major shift away from the mode of administration of most allergy treatments today, which is by subcutaneous injection. It also is developing a...

Oxford Immunotec gets 7m [pounds sterling] to broaden reach of TB test.
August 10, 2005... LONDON -- Oxford Immunotec Ltd. completed a 7 million [pounds sterling] (US$12.5 million) second-round funding, providing the means to move ahead with the commercialization of its T-cell diagnostic test for tuberculosis and to develop further...

Acambis plc.(Other News To Note)(influenza vaccine development)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Acambis plc, of Cambridge, UK, started development of an influenza vaccine for permanent protection against infection. The project, based on a collaboration with the Flanders Interuniversity for Biotechnology in Belgium, will produce a vaccine...

Ark Therapeutics Group plc.(Other News To Note)(gene therapy delivery technology )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Ark Therapeutics Group plc, of London, discovered a gene therapy delivery technology that selectively inserts genes into a specific therapeutic site, avoiding the risk of random gene insertion. The process uses a DNA-binding nuclease-integrase...

BioFocus plc, of Chesterford Research Park, UK, started the second phase of a collaboration on G protein-coupled receptors with Organon NV of Oss, the Netherlands.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... BioFocus plc, of Chesterford Research Park, UK, started the second phase of a collaboration on G protein-coupled receptors with Organon NV of Oss, the Netherlands. In the fee-for-service deal, BioFocus will generate leads for selected Organon...

BioVisioN AG.(Other News To Note)(research grants)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... BioVisioN AG, of Hannover, Germany, received a 560,000 [euro] (US$693,470) research grant through the German BioChancePLUS program for a project to characterize proteases and protease inhibitors. The company will apply its Peptidomics...

CellTran Ltd.(Other News To Note)(private funding raising)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... CellTran Ltd., of Sheffield, UK, raised 2.7 million [euro] (US$4.8 million) in a private funding round led by YFM Group. Other investors were Biofusion and White Rose Seedcorn Fund, along with Partnerships UK plc. Proceeds will be used to...

Cobra Biomanufacturing plc, of Keele, UK, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa., formed a $3.3 million agreement to produce and supply the protein biopharmaceutical AA4500 through 2006.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Cobra Biomanufacturing plc, of Keele, UK, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa., formed a $3.3 million agreement to produce and supply the protein biopharmaceutical AA4500 through 2006. Cobra will provide scale up and cGMP...

Cytomyx Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, signed a license agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, of Collegeville, Pa., allowing Cytomyx to create and market cell lines expressing the ion channel, Kv4.3, and four accessory subunits for use in drug discovery and screening.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Cytomyx Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, signed a license agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, of Collegeville, Pa., allowing Cytomyx to create and market cell lines expressing the ion channel, Kv4.3, and four accessory subunits for use in drug...

Inpharmatica Ltd., of London, is collaborating with Tibotec Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Belgium, on drugs against infectious diseases, including AIDs.(Other News To Note)
August 10, 2005... Inpharmatica Ltd., of London, is collaborating with Tibotec Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Belgium, on drugs against infectious diseases, including AIDs. Tibotec will use Inpharmatica's technology to elucidate the molecular activity of compounds...

Institute for the Study of Aging in New York, a public charity, created a new research award program titled "Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer's Disease" that is being made possible through a donation from Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc., part of Elan Corp plc, of Dublin, Ireland, and funds from the institute.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Institute for the Study of Aging in New York, a public charity, created a new research award program titled "Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer's Disease" that is being made possible through a donation from Elan Pharmaceuticals...

MediciNova Inc., of San Diego, said it completed enrollment of patients in a Phase II trial of MN-166 to treat multiple sclerosis.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... MediciNova Inc., of San Diego, said it completed enrollment of patients in a Phase II trial of MN-1 66 to treat multiple sclerosis. MN-1 66 is an orally administered drug that inhibits phosphodiesterase IV. MediciNova holds exclusive rights...

Meytav Technological Incubator.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Meytav Technological Incubator in Kiryat Shmona, Israel, increased the number of portfolio companies from three to 15 during two years of privatization. The anniversary was marked by the investment by a publicly traded company in any Israeli...

MorphoSys AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said its first therapeutic antibody program with partner Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, generated numerous fully human antibodies, and achieved the first milestone to MorphoSys.(Other News To Note)
August 10, 2005... MorphoSys AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said its first therapeutic antibody program with partner Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, generated numerous fully human antibodies, and achieved the first milestone to MorphoSys. The companies formed...

OriGene Technologies Inc., of Rockville, Md., licensed its FlagArray platform for high-throughput drug target discovery to Eisai London Research Laboratories.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... OriGene Technologies Inc., of Rockville, Md., licensed its FlagArray platform for high-throughput drug target discovery to Eisai London Research Laboratories. The platform consists of expression-ready arrays of full-length cDNA plasmids for use...

Osiris Therapeutics Inc., of Baltimore, expanded the terms of its license agreement with JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Ashiya, Japan, allowing JCR to sell stem cells for use in the field of drug screening and evaluation in the territory of Japan.(Other News To Note)
August 10, 2005... Osiris Therapeutics Inc., of Baltimore, expanded the terms of its license agreement with JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Ashiya, Japan, allowing JCR to sell stem cells for use in the field of drug screening and evaluation in the territory of...

Oxford Biomedica.(Other News To Note)(Phase II trial of MetXia )(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Oxford Biomedica, plc of Oxford, UK, completed the first stage of its Phase II trial of MetXia in treating pancreatic cancer. MetXia uses a retrovirus to deliver the human cytochrome P450 to tumor cells. That produces an enzyme that activates...

Phogen Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, entered a deal with Cancer Research Technology Ltd., of London, for the commercialization of Phogen's VP22 technology platform for the controlled delivery of protein drugs.(Other News To Note)
August 10, 2005... Phogen Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, entered a deal with Cancer Research Technology Ltd., of London, for the commercialization of Phogen's VP22 technology platform for the controlled delivery of protein drugs. Phogen is a subsidiary of Xenova Group...

PRB Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Irvine, Calif., and Hong Kong, and Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., of Hong Kong, said a recent study by Taiwan researchers from the National Health Research Institutes demonstrates TF2b and TF3, two components of v38 AMF-1, inhibit the 3C-like protease encoded by SARS-CoV.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... PRB Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Irvine, Calif., and Hong Kong, and Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., of Hong Kong, said a recent study by Taiwan researchers from the National Health Research Institutes demonstrates TF2b and TF3, two...

Protherics plc.(Other News To Note)(applies for approval for voraxaze)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Protherics plc, of Runcorn, UK, submitted voraxaze, a treatment for methotrexate (MTX) toxicity for European marketing approval, and stepped up preparations for the in house sales and marketing team to launch the product in 2006. In clinical...

ReNeuron Group plc.(Other News To Note)(securities)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... ReNeuron Group plc, of Guildford, UK, completed its flotation on the Alternative Investment Market in London, raising 9.5 million [pounds sterling] (US$1 6.9 million). The stem cell therapy company issued 38 million shares at 25 pence per...

Seoul National University.(Other News To Note)(Snuppy, first cloned dog)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea, said stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk and his research team introduced the first cloned dog, a 14-week Afghan hound named Snuppy. Last year, that team developed the first cloned human embryo,...

Speedel Group AG.(Other News To Note)(fund raising event for clinical development)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... Speedel Group AG, of Basel, Switzerland, privately raised CHF70 million (US$56 million) through a convertible loan, bringing its total fund raising for the year to CHF1 17.8 million. Proceeds will be used for clinical development, specifically...

TopoTarget A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, received a $4.8 million milestone payment from its partner CuraGen Corp., of New Haven, Conn., as an ongoing Phase II trial of PXD101 in multiple myeloma is extended to the U.S.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2005... TopoTarget A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, received a $4.8 million milestone payment from its partner CuraGen Corp., of New Haven, Conn., as an ongoing Phase II trial of PXD101 in multiple myeloma is extended to the U.S. The compound, a histone...

Xenova Group plc, of Slough, UK, said a majority of its shareholders approved the company's proposed acquisition by private equity business Celtic Pharma Development UK plc.(Other News To Note)
August 10, 2005... Xenova Group plc, of Slough, UK, said a majority of its shareholders approved the company's proposed acquisition by private equity business Celtic Pharma Development UK plc. Board members agreed in June to a buyout for up to 26.1 million...

NeuroSearch's shares plunge as NS2330 fails in three trials.
August 17, 2005... NeuroSearch's shares crashed more than 40 percent Aug. 10 on news that its lead drug candidate, NS2330, failed to achieve efficacy in two Phase IIb trials for Parkinson's disease and a third Phase IIb trial for Alzheimer's disease, dashing...

Research brings diagnostic breast cancer test closer.
August 17, 2005... LONDON -- Tumors in women who have the most common inherited form of breast cancer are significantly more likely to express one or more of a group of proteins called basal keratins, researchers in the UK have found. The discovery raises...

Karus spun out to focus on HDACs in cardiac diseases.(Karus Therapeutics Ltd. research on histone deacetylase inhibitors)
August 17, 2005... LONDON -- Three university scientists frustrated at waiting for grant applications to be processed have opted instead to start a company to advance their research in second-generation histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Karus...

Biosystems international aiming for drug, diagnostic biomarkers.
August 17, 2005... PARIS -- Fifteen months after its establishment in May 2004, Biosystems International is close to finalizing a collaboration in cancer with a medical research establishment in France, a license agreement with a U.S. university and two research...

With fresh validation in hand, RecombinoGen seeking funds.
August 17, 2005... LONDON -- Start-up RecombinoGen Ltd. has an initial validation of its technology platform for generating novel antibiotics against resistant bacteria, and has embarked on its first funding round to raise 5 million [pounds sterling] (US$9.1...

Agenix Ltd., of Brisbane, Australia, signed a contract with Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based Diosynth Biotechnology to begin the process of manufacturing ThromboView for Phase III trials and commercial sales.(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Agenix Ltd., of Brisbane, Australia, signed a contract with Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based Diosynth Biotechnology to begin the process of manufacturing ThromboView for Phase III trials and commercial sales. Diosynth is expected to supply...

Alizyme plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Alizyme plc, of Cambridge, UK, completed recruitment of 80 clinically obese but otherwise healthy volunteers for the U.S. Phase I trial of its lipase inhibitor, cetilistat. The randomized, double-blind parallel group trial will compare four...

Atonomics A/S.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Atonomics A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, raised 9 million [euro] (US$1 1.1 million) in a new investment round supported by Inventages, the venture capital arm of Nestle SA of Vevey, Switzerland; Murata of Kyoto, Japan; NeuroSearch, of Ballerup,...

Bone Medical Ltd.(Other News To Note)(American depository receipt (ADR) program )(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Bone Medical Ltd., of Bentley, Western Australia, said its level one American depository receipt (ADR) program is effective with receipts tradable on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol "BMEDY." The Bank of New York was chosen...

Cenix BioScience GmbH, of Dresden, Germany, delivered a collection of potential therapeutic targets to one of its partners, Bayer HealthCare AG, of Leverkusen, Germany, as part of an RNAi-based collaboration.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Cenix BioScience GmbH, of Dresden, Germany, delivered a collection of potential therapeutic targets to one of its partners, Bayer HealthCare AG, of Leverkusen, Germany, as part of an RNAi-based collaboration. The deal involved using cell-based...

Cerep SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Cerep SA, of Paris, reported a net loss of 4.1 million [euro] (US$5.1 million) for the first half of 2005, against a profit of 0.8 million [euro] in the corresponding six months of 2004. The company said this was partly due to a 2 million...

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., and XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, ended patient dosing in the second of two Phase II hepatitis B clinical trials of HepeX-B.(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., and XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, ended patient dosing in the second of two Phase II hepatitis B clinical trials of HepeX-B. Cubist plans to review data with the FDA in order...

CytoGenix Inc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... CytoGenix Inc., of Houston, entered an agreement with Imperial College London for research studies using the company's antimicrobial nucleic acid compound. The program aims at further elucidating the activity of CytoGenix's RBL-1 for potential...

Epimmune Inc., of San Diego, said its stockholders approved the merger with Paris-based Immuno-Designed Molecules SA, and the common stock of the combined company will be listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol "IDMI.".(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Epimmune Inc., of San Diego, said its stockholders approved the merger with Paris-based Immuno-Designed Molecules SA, and the common stock of the combined company will be listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol "IDMI." The...

Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, along with ZoBio BV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, and Pyxis Discovery BV, of Delft, the Netherlands, formed a four-way collaboration with Leiden University to pursue a small-molecule drug discovery program in the area of arthritis.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, along with ZoBio BV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, and Pyxis Discovery BV, of Delft, the Netherlands, formed a four-way collaboration with Leiden University to pursue a small-molecule drug discovery program in...

Gentium SpA.(Other News To Note)(antineoplastic agents)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Gentium SpA, of Villa Guardia, Italy, said data showed that its two DNA-based drugs, Defibrotide and Oligotide, appear to protect human endothelial cells from chemotherapy-induced activation, transendothelial migration and apoptotic damage. The...

IP2IPO Group plc, of London, invested 300,000 [pounds sterling] (US$542,000) in Avacta Ltd., a spinout from Leeds University.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... IP2IPO Group plc, of London, invested 300,000 [pounds sterling] (US$542,000) in Avacta Ltd., a spinout from Leeds University. Avacta's technology combines spectroscopic and biological techniques to enable the characterization of biological and...

Karo Bio AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, and Wyeth, of Madison, N.J., agreed to extend the research component of their atherosclerosis collaboration for a further year, through Aug. 31, 2006.(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Karo Bio AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, and Wyeth, of Madison, N.J., agreed to extend the research component of their atherosclerosis collaboration for a further year, through Aug. 31, 2006. The agreement, which commenced in September 2001, is...

Macogen Inc., of Seoul, South Korea, and Applied Biosystems Group, of Foster City, Calif., said that Macogen will provide gene expression analysis services using the Applied Biosystems Expression Array System.(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Macogen Inc., of Seoul, South Korea, and Applied Biosystems Group, of Foster City, Calif., said that Macogen will provide gene expression analysis services using the Applied Biosystems Expression Array System to the National Institute of...

Mesoblast Ltd.(Other News To Note)(appointed Michael Spooner as full-time executive chairman )(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Mesoblast Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, appointed Michael Spooner as full-time executive chairman until June 30, 2006. The company also reported the promotion of Donal O'Dwyer to non-executive deputy chairman. Mesoblast is an adult stem cell...

Millipore Corp., of Billerica, Mass., completed the acquisition of more than 90 percent of the shares of NovAseptic AB, of Gothenburg, Sweden, from the company's majority shareholders.(Other News To Note)
August 17, 2005... Millipore Corp., of Billerica, Mass., completed the acquisition of more than 90 percent of the shares of NovAseptic AB, of Gothenburg, Sweden, from the company's majority shareholders. Millipore said it is in the process of acquiring the...

Norwood Immunology Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Norwood Immunology Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said research findings published in Journal of Immunology show that it is possible to reverse the natural aging process in the immune system in mice and humans using the leuteinizing...

Orthogen AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Orthogen AG, of Dusseldorf, Germany, said results of a 400-patient trial of Orthokine showed the product to be safe and effective in treating osteoarthritis. Results also indicated that Orthokine was superior to hyaluronic acid injection...

Phylogica Ltd., of Subiaco, Australia, and Mimotopes Pty. Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, signed a partnership agreement to develop next-generation peptide drugs.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Phylogica Ltd., of Subiaco, Australia, and Mimotopes Pty. Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, signed a partnership agreement to develop next-generation peptide drugs. Phylogica's Phylomer technology comprises peptides that block the harmful...

Prima Biomed Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Austin Research Institute)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Prima Biomed Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, and the Austin Research Institute agreed in principle on a process enabling Prima to gain full ownership of its four subsidiary companies, Oncomab Pty. Ltd., Panvax Ltd., Cancer Vac Pty. Ltd., and...

Progen Industries Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Progen Industries Ltd., of Brisbane, Australia, reported the expansion of the Phase II trial program of its lead anticancer product, PI-88, into prostate cancer. The first patients will begin treatment this week. The new trial, where PI-88 will...

Sareum Holdings plc, of Cambridge, UK, agreed to a drug discovery deal with Almirall Prodesfarma SA, of Barcelona, Spain.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Sareum Holdings plc, of Cambridge, UK, agreed to a drug discovery deal with Almirall Prodesfarma SA, of Barcelona, Spain. Sareum will provide protein structure determination services to show how Almirall's potential anti-inflammatory drug...

Tissera Inc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Tissera Inc., of Herzlia, Israel, said its sponsored research team at the Weizmann Institute of Science showed extensive proliferation of hepatic cells after pig fetal liver fragments transplantation, without any preparative manipulation of the...

Trigen Holdings AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2005... Trigen Holdings AG, of Munich, Germany, said preliminary results of a Phase II study of its intravenous anticoagulant drug, TGN 255, indicated that the drug provided effective and convenient anticoagulant cover in 28 patients undergoing...

Biovitrum acquires Arexis, enters deal with Santhera.
August 24, 2005... Biovitrum AB completed its second acquisition of the year, agreeing to a cash and share takeover of fellow Swedish firm Arexis AB. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the transaction includes an up-front payment to Arexis shareholders...

Cerenis brings in $30.5m for HDL-enhancing drugs.
August 24, 2005... PARIS -- Cerenis Therapeutics SA completed an initial funding round in which it raised $30.5 million from an international syndicate of venture capital funds. The group was led by Sofinnova Partners, of Paris, and co-led by HealthCap, of...

Search-and-destroy cancer products fulfilling promise.
August 24, 2005... LONDON -- A new method of improving the efficiency of treating cancer cells with targeted drugs has given such encouraging results in laboratory tests that researchers are planning a trial of the treatment in cancer patients. The method,...