BioWorld International articles from January 2005

BioWorld International archives from January 2005

Neuro3d's third round: 31.5m [euro] for development of lead drugs.
January 5, 2005... PARIS -- Neuro3d closed a third round of financing in which it raised 31.5 million [euro] (US$41.6 million) from eight European venture capital funds. The funding was led by the biotechnology fund of Gilde Investment Management in Utrecht,...

Arrow spins out immunoprime to focus on infectious disease.(Arrow Therapeutics Ltd)
January 5, 2005... LONDON -- Arrow Therapeutics Ltd. spun out a new company, Immunoprime Ltd., which will use Arrow's core technology platform to develop vaccines and monoclonal antibodies against infectious diseases. Ian Charles, the company's CEO, told...

New study highlights cell cycle regulation intricacy.
January 5, 2005... LONDON -- A new understanding of the signaling pathways that tell cells whether to divide or die could lead to new strategies for developing drugs to treat cancer. The latest study in that field suggests that kinases--known to play a role...

BioAlliance Pharma to file in EU for miconazole Lauriad approval.
January 5, 2005... PARIS -- BioAlliance Pharma SA plans to file its miconazole Lauriad for regulatory approval in Europe early this year as a first-line local treatment for oropharyngeal candidiasis, an oral fungus found in immuno-compromised patients suffering...

Stem cell foundation planned to help bridge UK funding gap.
January 5, 2005... LONDON -- UK biotech leaders have put together a plan to raise 100 million [pounds sterling] (US$189.3 million) of public money for a Stem Cell Foundation that will plug the funding gap that has emerged between early stage research and clinical...

AdnaGen AG, of Hanover, Germany, licensed its technology for detecting circulating tumor cells to Gen-Probe Inc., of San Diego.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * AdnaGen AG, of Hanover, Germany, licensed its technology for detecting circulating tumor cells to Gen-Probe Inc., of San Diego. AdnaGen's techniques involve isolating cancerous cells from healthy cells with monoclonal antibodies linked to...

Faustus Forschung Translational Drug Development AG, of Vienna, Austria, and Bioaccelerate Inc., of London, will jointly develop several new cancer drugs.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Faustus Forschung Translational Drug Development AG, of Vienna, Austria, and Bioaccelerate Inc., of London, will jointly develop several new cancer drugs. Bioaccelerate will fund the development of eight projects from Faustus' portfolio in...

German Ministry of Education and Research.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * The German Ministry of Education and Research awarded about 30 million [euro] (US$40 million) to 60 research projects in biotechnology companies. The BioChancePLUS program aims to support research-intensive projects in young biotech firms and...

Medivir AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, said it will continue development of the HIV compound MIV-210, though London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc terminated their research agreement.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Medivir AB, of Huddinge, Sweden, said it will continue development of the HIV compound MIV-210, though London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc terminated their research agreement. Medivir plans to initiate a Phase IIa study in HIV drug-experienced...

Micromet AG, of Munich, Germany, licensed some of the patents in single-chain antibodies it holds jointly with Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. to EvoGenix Pty. Ltd., of Sydney, Australia.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Micromet AG, of Munich, Germany, licensed some of the patents in single-chain antibodies it holds jointly with Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. to EvoGenix Pty. Ltd., of Sydney, Australia. EvoGenix will use single-chain antibodies together with its...

Mologen AG.(Other News to Note)(Guido Sandler)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Mologen AG, of Berlin, reduced its board from three people to two. Guido Sandler, who had been a member since the beginning 2002, left at the end of his term on Dec. 31. This year the company plans to add a chief operating officer who also...

Pharming Group NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said it will acquire ProBio International Holdings Pte. Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, to expand Pharming's commercial opportunities with recombinant human lactoferrin and to enhance its protein product technology platform.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Pharming Group NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said it will acquire ProBio International Holdings Pte. Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, to expand Pharming's commercial opportunities with recombinant human lactoferrin and to enhance its protein...

Synt:em SA, of Nimes, France, and Sonus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bothell, Wash., revised the terms for a proposed acquisition of Synt:em originally announced in November.(Other News to Note)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2005... * Synt:em SA, of Nimes, France, and Sonus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bothell, Wash., revised the terms for a proposed acquisition of Synt:em originally announced in November. Under the new agreement, Sonus will issue a maximum of 5.4 million...

Biolipox raises $41m to advance preclinical inflammation programs.
January 12, 2005... Biolipox AB, a firm developing anti-inflammatory drugs based on its knowledge of arachidonic acid metabolic pathways, disclosed Monday that it raised $41 million in a Series C round led by Scandinavian Life Science Venture. The fund...

Antisoma buying Aptamera in 11.5m [pounds sterling] all-share merger.
January 12, 2005... LONDON -- Antisoma plc is acquiring the private company Aptamera Inc. in an all-share deal that values the U.S. cancer specialist at 1 1.5 million [pounds sterling] (US$21.5 million). The deal gives Antisoma access to AGRO100, an aptamer...

Mediterranean diet might help Herceptin fight breast cancer.
January 12, 2005... LONDON -- Oleic acid, the main component of olive oil, can directly reduce the expression of an oncogene that plays an important role in about a fifth of all breast cancers, a new study suggested. The oncogene concerned, which encodes the...

Paradigm buys Amedis, brings in 5.5m [pounds sterling] from existing investors.
January 12, 2005... LONDON -- Mouse genetics specialist Paradigm Therapeutics Ltd. acquired Amedis Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in an all-share deal. It also received new funding of 5.5 million [pounds sterling] (US$10.3 million) from existing investors to add to the 5.5...

Immutep closes 2.5m [euro] second round to finance clinical trials.
January 12, 2005... PARIS -- Immutep SA closed a second round of funding in which it raised 2.5 million [euro] from two Paris-based venture capital funds. The financing was led by Innoven Partenaires SA using one of its own funds, Innoven FCPI 6, as well as...

Serono to eventually construct Ness Ziona biotech R&D center.(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... ZICHRON YAAKOV, Israel -- Hope springs eternal. Early reports of Serono SA setting up a biotechnology research and development center in Ness Ziona seem to be premature, but not incorrect. Just before New Year's Eve, local Israeli press...

Acambis plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Acambis plc, of Cambridge, UK, said the FDA designated its smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000, a fast-track product. The company has delivered 182.5 million doses of ACAM2000 to the U.S. government's strategic national stockpile. It is close to...

Allergy Therapeutics, of Worthing, UK, agreed to a Canadian marketing deal for its four-shot allergy vaccine Pollinex Quattro with Allerpharma Inc., of Toronto.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Allergy Therapeutics, of Worthing, UK, agreed to a Canadian marketing deal for its four-shot allergy vaccine Pollinex Quattro with Allerpharma Inc., of Toronto. The companies will collaborate on development of the vaccines, with Allerpharma...

AstraZeneca plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... AstraZeneca plc, of London, withdrew its marketing authorization application in Europe for Iressa (gefitinib) to treat non-small-cell lung cancer following a meeting with the European Medicines Agency. The withdrawal was made because the...

Aventis Pasteur, of Paris, has changed its name to Sanofi Pasteur.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Aventis Pasteur, of Paris, has changed its name to Sanofi Pasteur. Aventis Pasteur is the vaccine division of the Sanofi-Aventis Group. The Aventis Pasteur MDS joint venture, equally owned by Aventis Pasteur and Whitehouse Station N.J.-based...

Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc.(Other News To Note)(Patrick Round)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc, of Cambridge, UK, said David Glover, chief medical officer, is to take early retirement in February after 10 years with the company. He will be succeeded by Patrick Round, who joined CAT from Celltech...

CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc.(Other News To Note)(Neil Clark )(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc, of Cambridge, UK, promoted Neil Clark from finance director to CEO.

Cerus Corp., of Concord, Calif., received $3 million after signing a letter of intent with BioOne Corp., of Tokyo, for Asian commercialization of the Intercept blood system developed by Cerus and subsidiaries of Deerfield, Ill.-based Baxter International Inc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Cerus Corp., of Concord, Calif., received $3 million after signing a letter of intent with BioOne Corp., of Tokyo, for Asian commercialization of the Intercept blood system developed by Cerus and subsidiaries of Deerfield, Ill.-based Baxter...

Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, and Xencor Inc., of Monrovia, Calif., entered an agreement to create monoclonal antibodies.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, and Xencor Inc., of Monrovia, Calif., entered an agreement to create monoclonal antibodies. Chugai will use Xencor's XmAb technology on Chugai's antibodies against a cancer target. Xencor will receive...

Co.don AG, of Berlin, which once had shares trading at more than 20 [euro] on Germany's Neuer Markt, has staved off insolvency, and the company's leaders are evaluating options for the firm's future.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Co.don AG, of Berlin, which once had shares trading at more than 20 [euro] on Germany's Neuer Markt, has staved off insolvency, and the company's leaders are evaluating options for the firm's future. Olivera Josimovic-Alasevic, who became...

Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said its STAR technology is being evaluated by Genentech Inc., of South San Francisco, for the production of antibodies and other proteins.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said its STAR technology is being evaluated by Genentech Inc., of South San Francisco, for the production of antibodies and other proteins. In a joint evaluation program that is funded by Genentech, the...

Cytos Biotechnology AG, of Zurich, Switzerland, signed an agreement with Pfizer Inc., of New York, for the testing of Cytos' Immunodrugs for animal health applications.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Cytos Biotechnology AG, of Zurich, Switzerland, signed an agreement with Pfizer Inc., of New York, for the testing of Cytos' Immunodrugs for animal health applications. Terms of the deal gave Pfizer exclusive access to test two Immunodrug...

DFB Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas, acquired the wound-management activities of EpiSource SA, a subsidiary of Lausanne, Switzerland-based IsoTis OrthoBiologics Co.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... DFB Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas, acquired the wound-management activities of EpiSource SA, a subsidiary of Lausanne, Switzerland-based IsoTis OrthoBiologics Co. Financial details were not disclosed. DFB said initial focus will be...

Elan Corp. plc, of Dublin, Ireland, and Generex Biotechnology Corp., of Toronto, completed their agreement with Generex converting $14.3 million of its preferred stock into common stock at about $25.27 per share.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Elan Corp. plc, of Dublin, Ireland, and Generex Biotechnology Corp., of Toronto, completed their agreement with Generex converting $14.3 million of its preferred stock into common stock at about $25.27 per share. The preferred stock was issued...

Erasmus Medical Center.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, said The Lancet published results from a large international study showing that peginterferon alfa-2b produced sustained responses in patients with chronic hepatitis B. The study showed that...

GeneCare Research Institute Co. Ltd., of Kamakura, Japan, received an exclusive license from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., to InterfeRx to discover, develop and commercialize RNAi therapeutics directed against two DNA helicase genes associated with cancer.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... GeneCare Research Institute Co. Ltd., of Kamakura, Japan, received an exclusive license from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., to InterfeRx to discover, develop and commercialize RNAi therapeutics directed against two DNA...

Genfit SA, of Lille, France, reported a three-year partnership deal with the Pierre Fabre Group, of Paris.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Genfit SA, of Lille, France, reported a three-year partnership deal with the Pierre Fabre Group, of Paris. The companies have been collaborating since October 2001 on the pharmacological characterization of several products and their mechanisms...

Genomatica Inc., of San Diego, entered a license agreement with the biochemicals business unit of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, for Genomatica's model of Escherichia coli and its modeling and simulation platform SimPheny.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Genomatica Inc., of San Diego, entered a license agreement with the biochemicals business unit of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, for Genomatica's model of Escherichia coli and its modeling and simulation platform SimPheny. Kyowa Hakko...

GenOway SA, of Lyon, France, merged with the transgenic company, Murinus, of Hamburg, Germany, which specializes in the design, production and housing of genetically modified animal models.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... GenOway SA, of Lyon, France, merged with the transgenic company, Murinus, of Hamburg, Germany, which specializes in the design, production and housing of genetically modified animal models. The new operation in Hamburg, GenOway Germany GmbH, is...

Hadassah University Medical Center.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem developed a vaccine that arrests autoimmune system destruction following HIV/AIDS infection. The vaccine would be used as a complement to the antiviral (HAART) "AIDS cocktail" that can leave the...

Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., of Philadelphia, said its partner, Esteve Laboratorios SA, of Barcelona, Spain.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., of Philadelphia, said its partner, Esteve Laboratorios SA, of Barcelona, Spain, initiated a clinical program to evaluate the antiretroviral effect of Ampligen in the treatment of patients infected by HIV-1 (with or...

Intercell AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Intercell AG, of Vienna, Austria, said the FDA approved the company's development plan for its Phase III trials of a prophylactic vaccine against Japanese encephalitis. Intercell plans to launch the vaccine in the U.S. market in 2007. The...

Kamada Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Kamada Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, was granted orphan drug status by the FDA and the EMEA for the aerosolized version of its in-development alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) product. The product is designed to be taken by inhalation to treat...

LEO Pharma A/S, of Ballerup, Denmark, and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., of San Diego, through its wholly owned subsidiary, PFC Therapeutics LLC, said that an agreement was reached between PFC and LEO.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... LEO Pharma A/S, of Ballerup, Denmark, and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., of San Diego, through its wholly owned subsidiary, PFC Therapeutics LLC, said that an agreement was reached between PFC and LEO to enter a license agreement, subject to...

MacroMed Inc., of Sandy, Utah, granted exclusive rights to Diatos SA, of Paris, to develop and commercialize OncoGel (injectable paclitaxel formulation for local, intratumoral administration) worldwide except for North America and Korea.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... MacroMed Inc., of Sandy, Utah, granted exclusive rights to Diatos SA, of Paris, to develop and commercialize OncoGel (injectable paclitaxel formulation for local, intratumoral administration) worldwide except for North America and Korea. Diatos...

Morphochem AG, of Munich, Germany, and Alcon Research Ltd., of Fort Worth, Texas, began a research alliance to develop small-molecule drugs that function against ophthalmic targets.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Morphochem AG, of Munich, Germany, and Alcon Research Ltd., of Fort Worth, Texas, began a research alliance to develop small-molecule drugs that function against ophthalmic targets. Morphochem will make focused libraries for certain Alcon...

Neuro3d.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Neuro3d, of Mulhouse, France, raised 31.5 million [euro] (US$42.9 million) in a third round of financing from a consortium of international investors led by Gilde Investment Management's Biotech fund and co-led by AXA Private Equity. New...

Nitto Denko, of Ibaraki, Japan, developed a cross-linked polystyrene bead designed to support synthesis of oligonucleotides needed for DNA- and RNA-based gene therapies.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Nitto Denko, of Ibaraki, Japan, developed a cross-linked polystyrene bead designed to support synthesis of oligonucleotides needed for DNA- and RNA-based gene therapies. The development was achieved in a joint venture with Carlsbad,...

Oxford BioMedica plc, of Oxford, UK, licensed its LentiVector gene delivery technology to Biogen Idec Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., for use in research.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Oxford BioMedica plc, of Oxford, UK, licensed its LentiVector gene delivery technology to Biogen Idec Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., for use in research. Oxford BioMedica will receive an up-front license payment and an annual maintenance fee.

Peplin Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Peplin Ltd., of Brisbane, Australia, reported positive safety and efficacy results from its U.S.-based Phase I trial and confirmed it was on track to start Australian-based Phase I trials this quarter for its product, PEP005, a topical...

Prana Biotechnology Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Prana Biotechnology Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, received a clinical trials authorization from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to initiate a Phase II/III trial of PBT-1 (clioquinol) in Alzheimer's disease. The...

ProMetic Life Sciences Inc., of Montreal, signed a C$1.4 million (US$1.1 million) development agreement with Octapharma AG, of Lachen, Switzerland.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... ProMetic Life Sciences Inc., of Montreal, signed a C$1.4 million (US$1.1 million) development agreement with Octapharma AG, of Lachen, Switzerland. The agreement provides Octapharma with access to ProMetic's Mimetic Ligand affinity technology...

ProStrakan Group Ltd., of Galashiels, UK, announced that Peter Allen, long-time Celltech Group plc chief financial officer is to become a nonexecutive director.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... ProStrakan Group Ltd., of Galashiels, UK, announced that Peter Allen, long-time Celltech Group plc chief financial officer is to become a nonexecutive director. Allen joined Celltech in 1992, and left at the end of 2004, following the company's...

Sankyo Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, and Metabasis Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said a Phase IIb trial of CS-917 in Type II diabetics is under way.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Sankyo Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, and Metabasis Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said a Phase IIb trial of CS-917 in Type II diabetics is under way. The study is designed to evaluate the product's effectiveness in lowering blood glucose levels in such...

Schering AG, of Berlin, said the FDA issued an approvable letter for Bonefos (clodronate), an oral non-amino bisphosphonate intended to reduce the occurrence of bone metastases in the post-surgical treatment of breast cancer patients.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Schering AG, of Berlin, said the FDA issued an approvable letter for Bonefos (clodronate), an oral non-amino bisphosphonate intended to reduce the occurrence of bone metastases in the post-surgical treatment of breast cancer patients....

Serono SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Serono SA, of Geneva, completed patient enrollment in a multinational trial comparing Rebif (interferon beta-1a) to Copaxone (glatiramer acetate, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.) in relapsing or remitting multiple sclerosis. More than 700...

Sinovac Biotech Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Sinovac Biotech Ltd., of Beijing, entered a securities purchase agreement for a private placement worth about $1.5 million with institutional investors for units in the capital of the company for $3 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one share...

TaiGen Biotechnology Co. Ltd., of Taipei, Taiwan, entered an alliance to further the development and commercialization of a non-flourinated quinolone antibiotic invented by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, a unit of Procter & Gamble Co., of Cincinnati.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... TaiGen Biotechnology Co. Ltd., of Taipei, Taiwan, entered an alliance to further the development and commercialization of a non-flourinated quinolone antibiotic invented by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, a unit of Procter & Gamble Co., of...

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Department professor Timor Baasov, along with professor Chi-Huey Wong, of the Scripps Research Institute, developed an antibiotic agent that attacks anthrax bacteria and also neutralizes the toxic proteins that the bacteria release into the bloodstream of an infected person.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Department professor Timor Baasov, along with professor Chi-Huey Wong, of the Scripps Research Institute, developed an antibiotic agent that attacks anthrax bacteria and also neutralizes the toxic...

Xenova Group plc, of Slough, UK, licensed its TA-CIN vaccine to Cancer Research Technology Ltd., of London, which will facilitate a further Phase II study to evaluate the vaccine in combination with an immune modulator in subjects with vulval intra-epithelial neoplasia.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2005... Xenova Group plc, of Slough, UK, licensed its TACIN vaccine to Cancer Research Technology Ltd., of London, which will facilitate a further Phase II study to evaluate the vaccine in combination with an immune modulator in subjects with vulval...

Degussa spinout Elbion AG draws 25m [euro] Series A round.
January 19, 2005... Elbion AG reeled in 25 million [euro] in Germany's first significant biotech financing of 2005. The company, which was formed through a management buyout of some of Degussa AG's pharmaceutical assets in 2002, concentrates on the discovery and...

New allergy understanding paves way for novel drugs.(MIP-1a protein)
January 19, 2005... LONDON -- The discovery of a protein that plays a role in the development of allergic response in the eye could lead to new treatments for allergies that affect the eye, such as hay fever, as well as asthma and eczema. The protein, called...

Zealand Pharmaceuticals raises 13.3m [euro] for aquaretic compound.(aquaretic compound ZP120)
January 19, 2005... Zealand Pharmaceuticals A/S raised 13.3 million [euro] (US$17.3 million) in a new financing round that will enable it to continue Phase II development of its aquaretic compound ZP120, which is designed to relieve fluid overload in the lungs of...

Sheffield University spinout Biofusion seeks 10m [pounds sterling] on AIM.(Biofusion Ltd. looking for money on the Alternative Investment Market)
January 19, 2005... LONDON -- Technology management company Biofusion Ltd. will be the first to test the market in 2005, floating on the Alternative Investment Market in London to raise 10 million [pounds sterling] (US$18.7 million) to develop nine existing...

UK needs money, coordination to remain in stem cell game.
January 19, 2005... LONDON -- The UK government stepped up its support for stem cell research, announcing funding of 4.9 million [pounds sterling] (US$9.1 million) for three multi-partner bioprocessing projects that aim to speed the translation of early stage...

Addex licenses CNS disorder program to J&J subsidiary.(central nervous system drug discovery program funding)
January 19, 2005... Addex Pharmaceuticals SA out-licensed one of its preclinical drug discovery projects to Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Inc., a subsidiary of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson, in a deal that will garner it an undisclosed up-front payment...

BioTie gets TNF-alpha drug from Biokine Therapeutics.
January 19, 2005... BioTie Therapies Oyj licensed an orally available tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor from Biokine Therapeutics Ltd. in a deal it said will have no "material impact" on its financial position. "We were able to strike deal...

Amarin Corp. plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Amarin Corp. plc, of London, reported positive data analysis from two exploratory Phase IIa studies using Miraxion to treat depression. In a recent exploratory Phase II study, Miraxion was used as monotherapy in 77 patients with a new episode...

Antisense Therapeutics Ltd.(Other News To Note)(securities to trade in US)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Antisense Therapeutics Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said its American depository receipt program has been declared effective by the SEC. The Bank of New York was appointed as the depository bank for the ADR program, which facilitates the...

Ark Therapeutics plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Ark Therapeutics plc, of London, said it will submit an application for marketing approval on a named-patient basis for Cerepro, its gene-delivered therapy for glioma, during the first half of 2005, and also is on track to begin a Phase III...

BioLineRx Ltd., of Jerusalem, signed in-license agreements to develop and commercialize three therapeutic candidates.(Other News To Note)(Rimonyx Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)(Bar Ilan & Development Company Ltd.)(Yissum )(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * BioLineRx Ltd., of Jerusalem, signed in-license agreements to develop and commercialize three therapeutic candidates. The company signed exclusive agreements with Rimonyx Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Nes Ziona, Israel, for developing BL-1030, a...

BioMena SA.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * BioMena SA, of Tunis, Tunisia, is a new company that has resulted from a technology alliance between Tunisia and Canada. With a $48 million initial investment by North African and European banks and private investors from Tunisia and...

CMC Biopharmaceuticals A/S.(Other News To Note)(funding round successful)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * CMC Biopharmaceuticals A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, raised 14 million [euro] in a funding round led by Innoven Partenaires, of Paris. CatPen joined as a new investor, while existing investors BankInvest and European Equity also participated....

ComGenex Inc., of Budapest, Hungary, completed an agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, in high-throughput medicinal chemistry.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * ComGenex Inc., of Budapest, Hungary, completed an agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, in high-throughput medicinal chemistry. Roche used ComGenex platform technologies to support internal lead generation for drug...

Crucell NV.(Other News To Note)(influenza vaccine supply international task force member)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said it was accepted as a member of the influenza vaccine supply international task force. The task force was created in February 2002 to assist business leaders in ensuring adequate flu vaccine...

DeCode Genetics Inc.(Other News To Note)(seeking approval for DG041)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * DeCode Genetics Inc., of Reykjavik, Iceland, submitted an investigational new drug application to the FDA for DG041, a first-in-class, orally administered small molecule for the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. In...

Researchers from Hadassah University Hospital and Medical Center in Jerusalem and Volcani Institute for Agricultural Research in Bet Dagan, Israel, demonstrated that a frozen and thawed whole ovary removed from a sheep could be used for in vitro fertilization.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Researchers from Hadassah University Hospital and Medical Center in Jerusalem and Volcani Institute for Agricultural Research in Bet Dagan, Israel, demonstrated that a frozen and thawed whole ovary removed from a sheep could be used for in...

Helsinn Healthcare SA, of Lugano, Switzerland, and PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, of Jakarta, Indonesia, signed an agreement granting Kalbe the exclusive license and distribution rights for Aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) in Indonesia.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Helsinn Healthcare SA, of Lugano, Switzerland, and PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, of Jakarta, Indonesia, signed an agreement granting Kalbe the exclusive license and distribution rights for Aloxi (palonosetron hydrochloride) in Indonesia. Aloxi is a new...

Intercell AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Intercell AG, of Vienna, Austria, appointed Emilio Emini and James Sulat to the company's supervisory board. Emini is currently chief of vaccine development at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Sulat previously worked as chief...

Juvantia Pharma Oy, of Turku, Finland, entered a research agreement with Alcon Research Ltd., of Fort Worth, Texas, under which the companies will develop treatments for ophthalmic disorders and diseases.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Juvantia Pharma Oy, of Turku, Finland, entered a research agreement with Alcon Research Ltd., of Fort Worth, Texas, under which the companies will develop treatments for ophthalmic disorders and diseases. The agreement will provide Alcon with...

LifeCycle Pharma A/S.(Other News To Note)(LCP-Feno fenofibrate)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * LifeCycle Pharma A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, plans to file next month for market registration of its modified version of the lipid-lowering drug fenofibrate, LCP-Feno, which can be taken without a meal and still be absorbed optimally in the...

Microsens Biotechnologies Ltd., of London, said its Seprion technology for detecting abnormal prion proteins received European approval for postmortem testing of cattle.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Microsens Biotechnologies Ltd., of London, said its Seprion technology for detecting abnormal prion proteins received European approval for postmortem testing of cattle. Seprion is used in HerdChek, a bovine spongiform encephalopathy test...

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in Denmark and the Greater Copenhagen Authority issued a call for tenders to construct and operate a biotechnology science park in Copenhagen.(Other News To Note)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in Denmark and the Greater Copenhagen Authority issued a call for tenders to construct and operate a biotechnology science park in Copenhagen. The park will be adjacent to existing research...

Narhex Life Sciences.(Other News To Note)(protease inhibitor Nar DG 35 Prodrug)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Narhex Life Sciences, of Sydney, Australia, will partner with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to evaluate its protease inhibitor Nar DG 35 Prodrug aimed at hepatitis C and severe acute respiratory syndrome. The...

NeoMed Management.(Other News To Note)(NeoMed Innovation IV Fund)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * NeoMed Management, of Oslo, Norway, raised 38 million [euro] in the first closing of its NeoMed Innovation IV Fund, which has a 100 million [euro] target. NeoMed, which also has offices in Geneva and New York, acts as a lead investor in deals...

Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA.(Other News To Note)(clinical trials for safinamide)(Brief Article)
January 19, 2005... * Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA, of Milan, Italy, said treatment with its investigational new drug, safinamide, resulted in a significant improvement in all efficacy parameters studied when it was administered to patients with restless legs...