Drug Discovery & Technology News articles from May 2002

Drug Discovery & Technology News archives from May 2002

CONFERENCE REPORT: Nanotech, Biotech Converge in CT.
May 1, 2002... Engineers, physicists, and chemists consorted with their biomedical brethren in a unique conference designed to celebrate the merger of nanotechnology and biotechnology. The Nanotech and Biotech Convergence conference, hosted by BCC, was held...

DRUG TARGETS: Polymerase Errors Cause Muscle Disease.(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, led by Thomas A. Kunkel and William C. Copeland, have shown that in an inherited disease called progressive external opthalmoplegia (PEO), degenerative muscle weakening...

Manganese Blocks HIV Replication.(Johns Hopkins)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Simply increasing manganese in cells inhibits the HIV reverse transcriptase. Johns Hopkins (5601 Loch Raven Blvd., No. 507, Baltimore, MD 21239-2905; Tel: 410/532-4646) graduate student Eric Bolton determined that a defective product,...

Acid-Activated Protein Plays Role in Learning.(University of Iowa)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA 52422; Tel: 319/335-9917) research team made mice deficient in learning capacity by knocking out the gene responsible for an acid-activated protein found in brain cells. The protein appears to be...

INFORMATICS: Draft Mouse Sequence Available.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The international Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium has assembled and deposited into public databases an advanced draft sequence of the mouse genome. The mouse genome provides a key tool needed to interpret the human sequence, which was...

PROTEOMICS: Athersys Patents RAGE Technology.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Athersys, Inc. (11000 Cedar Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106; Tel: 216/231-9911, Fax: 216/231-0905; Website: www.athersys.com) has been issued a U.S. patent covering aspects of its core RAGE (Random Activation of Gene Expression) technology,...

Protein Networks in Muscle Diseases.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Researchers from MelTec GmbH (MelTec ZENIT-Building, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany; Tel: +49 (391) 6117-250, Fax: +49 (391) 6117-251; Website: www.meltec.de) have reported two scientific studies in the April 2002 issue of the...

OLD COMPOUNDS: Ayurvedic Compound Lowers Cholesterol.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Scientists at X-Ceptor Therapeutics, Inc. (4757 Nexus Center Dr., Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92121; Tel: 858/458-4500, Fax: 858/458- 4501; Website: www.xceptor.com), along with colleagues at the Baylor College of Medicine & the University of...

NEW COMPOUNDS: Clinical Trial for Cannabinoid Compound.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Atlantic Technology Ventures, Inc. (150 Broadway Ave., New York, NY 10038; Tel: 212/267-2503, Fax: 212/732-9453) has received approval from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices to initiate a phase II pilot clinical trial...

Antibiotic Acquired by Pantherix.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PanTherix, Ltd. (Todd Campus, West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow G20 0XA, Scotland, U.K.; Tel: +44 (0)141 576 5545, Fax: +44(0)141 581 6373; Website: www.pantherix.com) has signed an assignment agreement with NAEJA Pharmaceutical, Inc....

Phase III Trials of Hepatitis B Drug.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Gilead Sciences (333 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA 94404; Tel: 650/574-3000, Fax: 650/578-9264) has announced 48-wk data from a Phase III clinical trial (Study 438) of its once-daily, oral antiviral agent adefovir dipivoxil 10 mg that is...

Combrestatin Inhibits Ocular Blood Vessels.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Oxigene, Inc. (321 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472; Tel: 617/673- 7800, Fax: 617/924-9339; Website: www.oxigene.com) released findings from three preclinical studies that evaluated the company's lead vascular targeting agent, Combretastatin...

Patents Related to Myostatin Approved.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has taken positive action on three patents directed to its Myostatin technology, being developed by Metamorphix (1450 S. Rolling Rd., Fl. 2, Baltimore, MD 21227-3867; Tel: 410/455-5880). The company was...

INDUSTRY NEWS: Apoptosis Goes Commercial.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... "Apoptosis: Commercial Opportunities" was the title of a "first annual' conference held in San Diego, April 28 to May 1. Among the highlights: John Alam, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (130 Waverly St., Cambridge, MA 02139; Tel: 617/577-6000,...

Aging Institute Funds Company.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The Institute for the Study of Aging (ISOA; Website: www.aging- institute.org) awarded its first Founder's Program investment to Zapaq, Inc. (Tel: 781/839-7237; Email: jjenson@zapaq.com), a new start-up biotechnology company dedicated to...

Sulfation Pathways Focus of New Firm.(Thios Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Like any life form, biotech companies must find a specialized niche to call their own in order to survive. Thios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will focus sulfation of proteins and sugars. Disruption of this process is thought to cause abnormal...

More Autonomy for Pharma Units.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The vast majority of sales, marketing, business development, and licensing executives interviewed (79%) believe that R&D and Commercial strategies are currently not well aligned, and nearly one-half (46%) say that in-house R&D organizations...

COLLABORATIONS: Agreement Covers Proteosome Inhibitors.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A transatlantic collaborative effort has been established between Novuspharma SpA (Vial G.B. Stucchi 110, Monza, Italy; Tel: +39 039-2814-601, Fax: +39 039-2814-601; Website: www.novuspharma.com) today announced a collaboration with Cephalon,...

Drug Salvage Operation Begun.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A unique "re-profiling" effort has begun to salvage discarded developmental drugs by analyzing them in combinations to look for synergistic or potentiating effects. CombinatoRx (650 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118; Tel: 617/425-7000, Fax:...

CALENDAR.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... July 8-10, 2002. 7th International Drug Delivery Technologies & Deal-Making Conference & Exposition. Contact: Strategic Research Institute; Tel: 212/967-0095, ext. 252; Email: jni@srinstitute.com July 27-August 2, 2002. Methods in...