BioWorld International articles from September 2007

BioWorld International archives from September 2007

Acambis wins FDA approval for new smallpox vaccine.
September 5, 2007... LONDON -- Acambis plc has won FDA approval for its smallpox vaccine ACAM 2000, the first new biodefense vaccine to be licensed since the U.S. government launched Project Bioshield in 2001. Acambis previously supplied 192.5 million doses of...

Jerini goes solo with Icatibant in U.S. as Abbott walks out.
September 5, 2007... Jerini AG regained full control over its lead drug candidate Icatibant, following a decision by Abbott to terminate its interest in the program. Abbott is paying Jerini an undisclosed termination fee, and Jerini will pay Abbott, of Abbott...

Speedel, Novartis extending SPP100 into heart failure.
September 5, 2007... A week after gaining European Union approval for SPP100 (aliskiren) in hypertension, Speedel Holding AG and partner Novartis AG unveiled Phase II clinical data indicating potential for the same compound in heart failure. The data were...

Forest terminates interest in Paion's desmoteplase.
September 5, 2007... Forest Laboratories Inc. ended its involvement in the development of Paion AG's clot-busting stroke drug desmoteplase, prior to the completion of a detailed analysis of a recently completed Phase III clinical trial, which missed its primary...

Generic epoetin products win approval from EU.
September 5, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union has added to the growing range of generic biotechnology products available in Europe by authorizing three presentations of epoetin alfa. The products are Binocrit, from Sandoz GmbH; Abseamed, from...

ALK-Abello A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, and Catalent Pharma Solutions Inc., of Somerset, N.J., have signed an agreement that will enable a substantial increase in Zydis oral dissolving tablet production capacity dedicated to ALK-Abello's immunotherapy products.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... ALK-Abello A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, and Catalent Pharma Solutions Inc., of Somerset, N.J., have signed an agreement that will enable a substantial increase in Zydis oral dissolving tablet production capacity dedicated to ALK-Abello's...

Anesiva Inc., of South San Francisco, granted Particle Therapeutics Ltd., of Oxford, UK, a specific-use license.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 5, 2007... Anesiva Inc., of South San Francisco, granted Particle Therapeutics Ltd., of Oxford, UK, a specific-use license. Anesiva's drug-delivery technology will be incorporated into Particle's needle-free, intradermal delivery system for glucagon, a...

Immutep tests lead compound ImmuFact IMP321 in Melanoma.
September 5, 2007... PARIS -- Immutep SA initiated a Phase I trial of its lead compound, ImmuFact IMP321, in the indication of metastatic melanoma. The product is being tested in a novel protocol combining adoptive T-cell transfer after transient...

Cerep SA.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... Cerep SA, of Paris, reported a reduced consolidated net loss of 3.2 million [euro] (US$4.36 million) for the first six months of 2007, compared with 4.2 million [euro] in the same period of 2006. Its total revenues were up 7.2 percent at 24.8...

Heptares spun out of MRC to become a standalone.
September 5, 2007... LONDON -- Heptares Therapeutics Ltd. has been spun out by the UK's Medical Research Council (MRC) to capitalize on new techniques for determining the structure of G protein-couple receptors (GPCRs) without the need to crystallize them first....

Trophos raises 8.5m [euro] to move compound into Phase II trials.
September 5, 2007... PARIS -- Trophos SA raised 8.5 million [euro] (US$11.6 million) in a series C funding round, bringing to 43.5 million [euro] the total funding the Marseille, France-based company has raised since it was founded in 1999. That total includes 26.5...

Compugen Ltd., of Tel Aviv, Israel, signed a deal with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., of Petach Tikva, Israel, covering CGEN-54, a Compugen-discovered splice variant of MCP1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1).(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... Compugen Ltd., of Tel Aviv, Israel, signed a deal with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., of Petach Tikva, Israel, covering CGEN-54, a Compugen-discovered splice variant of MCP1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1). CGEN-54, one of a number...

GW Pharmaceuticals plc.(Other News To Note)(Clinical report)
September 5, 2007... GW Pharmaceuticals plc, of Porton Down, UK, said it completed patient recruitment in its pivotal Phase III trial of its cannabis-based drug Sativex in treating central neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis. The double-blind randomized...

Innate Pharma SA.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... Innate Pharma SA, of Marseille, France, posted an increased net loss of 4.8 million [euro] (US$6.5 million) for the first half of 2007, up from 3.7 million [euro] in the corresponding period of 2006, despite a sharp increase in revenue from 2.7...

Kiadis Pharma BV.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... Kiadis Pharma BV, of Groningen, the Netherlands, said data from an open-label Phase II trial showed that Reviroc improved overall survival of patients with end-stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma compared to historic controls. In the 25-patient study,...

MediGene AG.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... MediGene AG, of Martinsried, Germany, said the six-month dosage form of its prostate cancer drug Eligard was approved in Europe. One-month and three-month versions of the drug, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, were already...

Vernalis plc, of Winnersh, UK, said it reached a $1.5 million milestone in its collaboration with Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, on the oncology target Hsp90.(Other News To Note)
September 5, 2007... Vernalis plc, of Winnersh, UK, said it reached a $1.5 million milestone in its collaboration with Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, on the oncology target Hsp90. The payment was triggered by the start of Phase I clinical trials of a Vernalis...

UK opens door to work with hybrid embryos.
September 12, 2007... LONDON -- The UK regulator has agreed to the generation of human/animal hybrid embryos for stem cell research, paving the way for it to consider two applications for licenses to conduct such research. The move follows from extensive and...

MediGene gets $21m in private share placement.
September 12, 2007... MediGene AG added almost 15.6 million [euro] (US$21.5 million) to its balance sheet via a private placement with Santo Holding (Germany) GmbH, an investment vehicle representing Thomas Strungmann, one of Germany's wealthiest life-science...

Swedish study finds molecular cause for kidney infections.
September 12, 2007... LONDON -- Genetic variations that affect the workings of the innate immune system are more common among people who suffer from repeated severe urinary infections than in healthy controls, a study in Sweden has found. The study linked low...

Aptuit paying $64m for Evotec chemistry unit.
September 12, 2007... Evotec AG is adding 31.5 million [pounds sterling] (US$64 million) to its balance sheet by selling off its chemical development business to Aptuit Inc. in an all-cash deal that is expected to close within 75 days. The transaction will boost...

Antisoma's Lung Cancer Drug repeats strong phase II results.
September 12, 2007... LONDON -- Antisoma plc announced positive survival data from a second Phase II trial of ASA404 as an adjunctive treatment in lung cancer, showing median time to tumor progression of 5.5 months and median survival of 14.9 months. That supports...

Protecting biotech patents is focus of audio conference.(Conference news)
September 12, 2007... A new audio conference sponsored by BioWorld Today offers biotechnology companies tools and techniques for protecting their patent portfolios. "Building and Maintaining BioPharma Patent Portfolios After KSR v. Teleflex: Strategies Addressing...

Corrections and clarifications.(Correction notice)
September 12, 2007... The CEO of Jerini AG, of Berlin, is Jens Schneider-Mergener. The name was incorrect in the Sept. 5, 2007 issue of BioWorld International. Editor's note: The correction has been made in BioWorld Online.

Biotech fears tough restrictions from EU on use of primates.
September 12, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Parliament has urged that a deadline be set for ending the use of non-human primates in animal experimentation. The proposal comes just as the European Union prepares to tighten its 20-year old legislation on...

Nanobody alliance with BI could net 200m [euro] for Ablynx.(ThromboGenics Gets Good News)
September 12, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Continuing a run of good news for some of Belgium's biotechnology companies, Ablynx and ThromboGenics have both made optimistic announcements. Ablynx of Ghent, revealed an intensification of its links with Boehringer...

FDA OKs TopoTarget's Totect for extravasation treatment.
September 12, 2007... TopoTarget A/S is gearing up to launch Totect (dexrazoxane) in the U.S. before year-end, following FDA approval of the product for the prevention of tissue damage resulting from extravasation or accidental leakage of anthracyclines during...

Borean Pharma ApS, of Aarhus, Denmark, and Eden Biodesign Ltd., of Liverpool, UK, signed an agreement under which Eden will manufacture MBP-DC-SIGN, a therapeutic candidate in cancer, for Borean's preclinical studies.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Borean Pharma ApS, of Aarhus, Denmark, and Eden Biodesign Ltd., of Liverpool, UK, signed an agreement under which Eden will manufacture MBP-DC-SIGN, a therapeutic candidate in cancer, for Borean's preclinical studies. The project is expected to...

Celgene International Sarl.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Celgene International Sarl, of Boudry, Switzerland, said its oral cancer drug Revlimid (lenalidomide) has been approved by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products for use in combination with dexamethasone as a treatment for patients with...

CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... CeNeS Pharmaceuticals plc, of Cambridge, UK, said it started recruitment in a Phase /ila trial of CNS 5161 in the treatment of cancer pain. The dose escalating study, being conducted by CENeS' partner, Ergomed AG, of Frankfurt, Germany, is a...

Cisbio International, of Bagnols-sur-Ceze, France, and Lumiphore Inc., of Redwood City, Calif.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Cisbio International, of Bagnols-sur-Ceze, France, and Lumiphore Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., signed an agreement in which Lumiphore's Lumi4 fluorescent lanthanide detection reagent complexes will be incorporated into Cisbio's Time-Resolved...

Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J. has exercised an option for the exclusive use of Crucell's PER.C6 technology and an option for access to Crucell's AdVac vaccine technology in two infectious disease areas.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Crucell NV, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J. has exercised an option for the exclusive use of Crucell's PER.C6 technology and an option for access to Crucell's AdVac vaccine technology in two...

BioAlliance launches Loramyc; pleased with pricing directive.(BioAlliance Pharma SA )
September 12, 2007... PARIS -- BioAlliance Pharma SA has launched its first product, Loramyc, in France. Loramyc is a once-a-day topical formulation of miconazole that incorporates BioAlliance's Lauriad adhesive technology. The product received marketing...

Business and academia merge in UK-Australia partnership.(Cancer Research Technology Ltd. and Cancer Therapeutics CRC Pty Ltd.)
September 12, 2007... LONDON -- Cancer Research Technology Ltd. (CRT) said the first projects in its Australian collaboration have been approved and Cancer Therapeutics CRC Pty Ltd. (CTCRC), the company set up to manage the venture, is operational. The...

Elan Corp. plc., of Dublin, Ireland, and Biogen Idec, of Cambridge, Mass., said that the Scottish Medicines Consortium has advised the use of Tysabri (natalizumab) in people with highly active relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Elan Corp. plc., of Dublin, Ireland, and Biogen Idec, of Cambridge, Mass., said that the Scottish Medicines Consortium has advised the use of Tysabri (natalizumab) in people with highly active relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). All...

Eurand NV, of Milan, Italy, said partner GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, successfully completed a bioequivalence study of an undisclosed GSK compound, triggering a $1.5 million milestone payment to Eurand.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Eurand NV, of Milan, Italy, said partner GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, successfully completed a bioequivalence study of an undisclosed GSK compound, triggering a $1.5 million milestone payment to Eurand. The new drug formulation, using...

European ScreeningPort GmbH.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... European ScreeningPort GmbH, of Hamburg, Germany, a new drug discovery service center, has been established with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, biotech firm Evotec...

Evogene Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, licensed from Midwest Oilseeds Inc., of Adel, Iowa, gene transformation technologies that will allow Evogene to more efficiently validate candidate genes to improve commercial crops.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Evogene Ltd., of Rehovot, Israel, licensed from Midwest Oilseeds Inc., of Adel, Iowa, gene transformation technologies that will allow Evogene to more efficiently validate candidate genes to improve commercial crops. Separately, Evogene said...

Genfit.(OTHER NEWS TO NOTE)(Brief article)
September 12, 2007... Genfit, of Lille, France, has been granted four new European and U.S. patents covering proprietary drug candidates, bringing its total number of patents up to 201. Three of the new patents are European and one American, and they cover compounds...

Genmab A/S.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Genmab A/S, of Copenhagen, Denmark, said a preclinical study showed ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20) appeared more effective at inducing complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), an immune system killing mechanism, than rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech Inc....

Goldschmidt GmbH, of Germany, and Helix BioMedix, of Bothell, Wash.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Goldschmidt GmbH, of Germany, and Helix BioMedix, of Bothell, Wash., announced an agreement through which Degussa Goldschmidt Personal Care will become Helix BioMedix's exclusive marketing partner for its Combikine and Replikine class of...

JADO Technologies.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... JADO Technologies, of Dresden, Germany, appointed Charl van Zyl as CEO. Van Zyl previously served as head of European marketing and sales for Novartis AG. JADO's technology focuses on membrane subcompartments known as lipid RAFTS and is...

KeyGene NV.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 12, 2007... KeyGene NV, of Wageningen, the Netherlands, granted BCCM/LMG, a Belgium-based research consortium based at Ghent University, a five-year, nonexclusive license to its AFLP DNA marker technology for genome analysis, transcript profiling and...

Medivir AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, has entered a licensing agreement with the Hainan Noken Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd., of China, for the antiviral compound MIV-210.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Medivir AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, has entered a licensing agreement with the Hainan Noken Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd., of China, for the antiviral compound MIV-210. It is a polymerase inhibitor and belongs to the group of projects administered...

Pieris AG.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 12, 2007... Pieris AG, of Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany, said it successfully completed a series of preclinical studies validating the use of PRS-055 in ophthalmologic disease. PRS-055 is an anticalin specific for vascular endothelial growth factor, a...

Rosetta Genomics Ltd.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... Rosetta Genomics Ltd., of Rehovot, Isreal, has entered a collaboration with NYU Medical Center to use microRNA profiles to develop a diagnostic test for melanoma. Rosetta will screen more than 700 microRNAs to identify the right prognostic...

SymBio Pharmaceuticals Ltd.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... SymBio Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Tokyo, obtained exclusive global rights to poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated zinc protoporphyrin (PEG-ZnPP), a water-soluble derivative of ZnPP. The product from Sojo University in Japan has shown activity against...

ThromboGenics NV, of Leuven, Belgium, has completed the technology transfer to Bharat Biotech International Ltd., of Hyderabad, India, for the manufacture of THR-100, a variant of recombinant staphylokinase.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... ThromboGenics NV, of Leuven, Belgium, has completed the technology transfer to Bharat Biotech International Ltd., of Hyderabad, India, for the manufacture of THR-100, a variant of recombinant staphylokinase. THR-100 is a thrombolytic agent...

ValiRx plc, of London, said initial results from research conducted with Cancer Research Technology Ltd., a technology transfer and development company, also of London, showed that its GeneICE compound appears to arrest the development and terminate the existence of cancer cells.(Other News To Note)
September 12, 2007... ValiRx plc, of London, said initial results from research conducted with Cancer Research Technology Ltd., a technology transfer and development company, also of London, showed that its GeneICE compound appears to arrest the development and...

Xceleron Ltd., of York, UK, is collaborating with Organon A/S, of Oss, the Netherlands, on a three-compound human microdose study focusing on candidate selection for further clinical development.(OTHER NEWS TO NOTE)(Brief article)
September 12, 2007... Xceleron Ltd., of York, UK, is collaborating with Organon A/S, of Oss, the Netherlands, on a three-compound human microdose study focusing on candidate selection for further clinical development. All three compounds emerged from Organon's...

NeuroSearch shares boosted by tesofensine obesity data.
September 19, 2007... Shares in NeuroSearch A/S gained almost 22 percent Monday on news that its candidate obesity drug tesofensine attained an average weight reduction of about 10 ten percent in a Phase IIb clinical trial. The stock on the Copenhagen Exchange...

Ganymed adds to Series C; closes 37.2M [euro] financing round.
September 19, 2007... Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG added another 3.5 million [euro] to a Series C round, pushing the total raised to 37.2 million [euro] (US$55.6 million) and taking the company's total funding to date to 48.9 million [euro]. The additional cash...

Gene expression levels vary at higher levels than thought.
September 19, 2007... LONDON -- An unexpected number of genes vary in their level of expression between different individuals, a study has shown. While many genes produce proteins at similar rates and amounts in all individuals, others vary significantly--and...

Oxford BioMedica using Sanofi deal as catalyst for growth.
September 19, 2007... LONDON -- Oxford BioMedica plc is revamping its business strategy following the signing of a potential $690 million deal for its lead gene therapy product, TroVax, with Sanofi-Aventis SA in March. The company will seek to retain more value...

European industry seeks wider links in orphan drug programs.
September 19, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The need for more partnerships was underlined by European biopharmaceutical industry executives when they met European Union officials here last week for a discussion of orphan drugs. Their call received an encouraging...

Cellectricon AB.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Cellectricon AB, of Gothenburg, Sweden, entered a collaboration with EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) in Switzerland, which will evaluate Cellectricon's next-generation high-throughput electroporation system. The Cellaxess-HT...

Correction.(Correction notice)
September 19, 2007... The story on hybrid embryos in the UK in the Sept. 12, 2007, issue of BioWorld International was incorrect when it said research on hybrid embryos could not go ahead without changes to the draft bill on Human Tissues and Embryos. In fact, the...

Renovo reports positive data from Phase IIb trial of Juvista.
September 19, 2007... LONDON -- Renovo Group plc disclosed positive results in its fifth Phase IIb efficacy trial of Juvista for the prevention and reduction of scarring. CEO Mark Ferguson said there were "two or three major messages" coming out of the trial of...

Mutabilis, Oroxcell collaborate on preclinical antibiotic agent.
September 19, 2007... PARIS -- Mutabilis and Oroxcell, both of which are based in the Biocitech biotechnology park in the Paris suburb of Romainville, entered a second research collaboration aimed at adding value to a new anti-Staphylococcus preclinical drug...

Flamel Technologies SA, of Lyon, France, entered into an agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, of Collegeville, Pa., for development and licensing of a marketed protein to be delivered using Flamel's Medusa technology.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Flamel Technologies SA, of Lyon, France, entered into an agreement with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, of Collegeville, Pa., for development and licensing of a marketed protein to be delivered using Flamel's Medusa technology. Flamel will receive an...

EU commissioner defends rule banning GM-free zones.
September 19, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik defended genetically modified crops, in the course of a debate during the European Parliament's September plenary session. "The legislative framework for the authorization...

Genmab BV, of Utrecht, the Netherlands, extended the use of Guildford, UK-based ID Business Solutions Ltd.'s ActivityBase Xtended Edition within its Hybridoma Discovery department.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Genmab BV, of Utrecht, the Netherlands, extended the use of Guildford, UK-based ID Business Solutions Ltd.'s ActivityBase Xtended Edition within its Hybridoma Discovery department. Genmab initially purchased the program in 2006 to handle the...

Immutep SA.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Immutep SA, of Orsay, France, published data showing its lead product, IMP321, induces activation of a range of human effector cytotoxic cells. The product, ImmuFact IMP321 , is a natural human immunostimulatory factor designed to amplify the...

NicOx SA, of Sophia Antipolis, France, said Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Montreal, plans to initiate a Phase II study for the use of its TPI-1020 compound to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... NicOx SA, of Sophia Antipolis, France, said Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Montreal, plans to initiate a Phase II study for the use of its TPI-1020 compound to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study, which Topigen expects to...

Phynova Group plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 19, 2007... Phynova Group plc, of Oxford, UK, a developer of prescription pharmaceuticals derived from Chinese botanical medicines, said it completed patient enrollment in a Phase I/II clinical trial of PYN17 in five hepatology centers in the U.S. PYN17 is...

S*BIO Pte. Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 19, 2007... * S*BIO Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, said it is developing an orally administered compound, SB1518, in myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) and certain hematological malignancies. SB1518 is a small-molecule JAK2-selective kinase inhibitor that has...

Silence Therapeutics plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 19, 2007... Silence Therapeutics plc, of London, an RNAi therapeutics company, said its lead compound, Atu027, successfully completed preclinical, 28-day toxicology studies. Silence Therapeutics has identified a dose range for Atu027, a systemically...

SuppreMol GmbH.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... SuppreMol GmbH, of Martinsried, Germany, was granted orphan designation in the European Union for SM101, a recombinant human soluble Fc-gamma receptor IIb, for treating idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Phase I studies are expected to begin...

SkyePharma plc.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... SkyePharma plc, of London, said the company met with the FDA and agreed on the additional clinical work required for its combination asthma treatment Flutiform. Work will include a further study to provide more efficacy data. Discussions are...

Tissue Regenix Ltd.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Tissue Regenix Ltd., of Leeds, UK was awarded a 420,000 [pounds sterling] (US$840,000) grant by the UK Department of Health to support a three-year, 1 million [pounds sterling] project to develop small- and medium-diameter vascular grafts. The...

Vernalis plc.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 19, 2007... Vernalis plc, of Winnersh, UK, announced the results of its Phase I program for the CB1 antagonist V24343, which has completed two Phase I studies, a single and multiple ascending-dose study for up to 14 days, and a food effect study. There was...

Vivalis, of Nantes, France, and Innate Pharma SAS, of Marseille, France, launched a collaboration to evaluate Vivalis' EBx cell lines, derived from avian (duck) embryonic stem cells, for the production of monoclonal antibodies.(Other News To Note)
September 19, 2007... Vivalis, of Nantes, France, and Innate Pharma SAS, of Marseille, France, launched a collaboration to evaluate Vivalis' EBx cell lines, derived from avian (duck) embryonic stem cells, for the production of monoclonal antibodies. Innate will...

Study shows European biotech investments lagging behind U.S.
September 26, 2007... BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European biotechnology companies are being outpaced by their U.S. competitors in research investments and in the scale of their operations, according to a new study from the European Union. The figures, published by...

NIH trial of diabetes vaccine boosts shares of Diamyd.
September 26, 2007... Shares in Diamyd Medical AB gained almost 10 percent on news that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is planning to undertake a Phase IIb clinical trial of Diamyd, its therapeutic vaccine for Type I...

New selection technique signals progress toward cell therapy.
September 26, 2007... LONDON -- Researchers who want to use differentiated cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to treat disease and assess new drug treatments have overcome a major hurdle that has until now stood in their way. A team at the University...

Researches call animal models biased in stroke assessments.
September 26, 2007... LONDON -- A widespread failure to control bias in animal tests is the cause of the unprecedented attrition rates that are seen when treatments for stroke are progressed into clinical trials, according to an international group of researchers....

Biolipox gets Inflazyme pipeline for C$4 million plus milestones.
September 26, 2007... Biolipox AB enlarged its drug development portfolio by acquiring a series of anti-inflammatory molecules, plus other assets, from the troubled Canadian firm Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd., in a deal worth up to C$11 million. Solna, Sweden-based...

Polyplus-transfection enters RNAi deal with Alnylam Pharma.
September 26, 2007... PARIS -- Polyplus-transfection signed a collaboration agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals under which it is to supply its RNAi therapeutic delivery technology to the U.S. company and give it access to its know-how in the formulation of...

A-Bio Pharma Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, and Artisan Pharma Inc., of Waltham, Mass., finalized a mutually exclusive manufacturing relationship on the process development, scale-up and manufacture of ART-123, a recombinant protein for the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation in sepsis.(Other News To Note)
September 26, 2007... A-Bio Pharma Pte. Ltd., of Singapore, and Artisan Pharma Inc., of Waltham, Mass., finalized a mutually exclusive manufacturing relationship on the process development, scale-up and manufacture of ART-123, a recombinant protein for the treatment...

Amarin Corp. plc.(Other News To Note)
September 26, 2007... Amarin Corp. plc, of London, reported preclinical results demonstrating that its ultra-pure eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) attenuates the age-related and beta amyloid-induced impairment of long-term potentiation, a phenomenon considered a marker of...

Amura Holdings Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 26, 2007... Amura Holdings Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, said preclinical study results showed that oral administration of the firm's cathepsin K inhibitor compounds resulted in sustained and potent reduction of serum bone turnover biomarkers, which clinically...

Biofrontera AG.(Other News To Note)(Biofrontera AG earned money by issuing new shares)(Brief article)
September 26, 2007... Biofrontera AG, of Leverkusen, Germany, raised 3.1 million [euro] (US$4.4 million) by issuing 220,582 new shares, priced at 15 [euro] each. The transaction arose from an incompleted share option the company originally issued to investors who...

Biofusion plc, of Sheffield, UK, said it signed an agreement with Finance Wales, which funds start-up companies in Wales, to co-invest in companies spun out of Cardiff University under Biofusion's technology commercialization deal with the university.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)
September 26, 2007... Biofusion plc, of Sheffield, UK, said it signed an agreement with Finance Wales, which funds start-up companies in Wales, to co-invest in companies spun out of Cardiff University under Biofusion's technology commercialization deal with the...

BTG plc, of London, said its licensee, Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., received FDA approval to market Campath (alemtuzumab) as a first-line treatment for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).(Other News To Note)
September 26, 2007... BTG plc, of London, said its licensee, Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., received FDA approval to market Campath (alemtuzumab) as a first-line treatment for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The product previously was approved only...