Breaking News on Drug Discovery
All news articles > January 2007
| « Previous month | Next month » |
31-Jan-2007
Drugs moving into the clinic: 3
The thrid in a series of periodic roundups of drugs that have moved from preclinical research into clinical testing via the announcement of a Phase I trial or an application for a trial to industry regulators.
Pipeline match for possible Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis merger
Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis could join forces to become the world's largest pharmaceutical company, according to media reports this week.
New cancer target could be as important as VEGF
Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that dictates how many new blood vessels grow in the body, opening up the possibility of a new class of powerful anti-cancer drugs that could be as important as those targetting VEGF.
30-Jan-2007
Covance in good health
Covance has again reported a healthy business performance with a 6.4 per cent increase in sales of $343m (€266m) for the fourth quarter of 2006.
29-Jan-2007
Northwick trial tragedy: scientists reveal how 'cytokine storm' started
Scientists have revealed a possible reason why the Northwick Park clinical trial of a drug designed to stimulate the immune system instead led to multiple organ failure in the human volunteers.
Robotics could speed up stem cell research
Scientists hope to speed up the development of regenerative drugs for diseases such as cancer by using robotics to automate stem cell research.
Puncturing bacteria key to preventing drug resistance
Scientists have today unveiled a technique for tipping the balance in favour of antibiotics in their fight against increasingly drug-resistant 'superbugs'.
26-Jan-2007
Smokers quit after brain damage
A heavy smoker who suffered brain damage and promptly 'forgot the urge to smoke' could unravel the mysteries of addiction and provide scientists with a new strategy for designing anti-smoking drugs.
Cancer genes lost in translation
Scientists have discovered a new strategy for fighting cancer that makes the genes responsible for tumour growth get lost in translation.
Predicting the relevance of genetic mutations
Scientists have published a website that could aid the quest for personalised medicine by predicting which genetic mutations make an individual susceptible to disease.
Diabetes and obesity pills a step closer
New research highlights the use of a new small molecule drug class as oral therapies for diabetes and obesity.
Coley suspends Hepatitis C drug development
Coley Pharmaceutical has decided to suspend development of its Hepatitis C drug and will instead concentrate on other innovative drugs designed to activate the immune system.
24-Jan-2007
Animal extremist attacks drop
New legislation has helped curb the number of animal rights extremist attacks with fewer companies succumbing to extremist pressure, according to a UK pharmaceutical industry group.
Carbon monoxide: a controlled heart therapy?
Several groups of scientists are developing compounds that slowly release carbon monoxide directly into the bloodstream and that could be used to treat diseases as diverse as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Test can predict tumour sensitivity to experimental cancer drugs
A new test that predicts if cancer cells are 'primed to die' could be used to guide the development of experimental anti-cancer drugs.
Bruker brings imaging to the masses
Bruker Daltonics has launched a new technology that could accelerate the use of MALDI imaging in drug discovery labs by simplifying sample preparation procedures.
23-Jan-2007
Pfizer axes jobs and closes plants
Pfizer has announced it will axe 10,000 jobs and close facilities in a further effort to save on costs; the move comes in the face of patent expiries for their biggest drugs and the failure of a late-stage pipeline project.
22-Jan-2007
Cellartis channels Scottish expertise in stem cells
Cellartis has begun a new research programme in Scotland as part of a £9.5m (€14.5m) programme by ITI Life Sciences to develop the world's first automated process to produce high-quality human stem cells.
RNA 'switch' could turn off cancer
Scientists have discovered a piece of 'junk' genetic material that could switch off cancer tumours, preventing them from growing.
Sweet toothed bacteria combat gut disorders
Researchers at the University of Leeds have genetically modified a common gut bacterium to respond to a sugar and produce a treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
EU funding made simpler for small business
A simplified template for consortium research agreements funded by the EU should aid small business participation.
AZ invests a further $100m in Boston
AstraZeneca (AZ) has continued its pipeline consolidation by investing a further $100m (€77m) in its Boston research centre, which focuses on treatments for infectious diseases and cancer.
19-Jan-2007
No entry for malaria parasite
Researchers have discovered a new antimalarial therapy that acts by targeting the method of entry of the parasite into red blood cells.
Chemical weapons vaccine enters clinical trials
A vaccine that protects against the effects of nerve agents often used in chemical weapons is ready to be tested on human volunteers, according to developer Baxter Healthcare.
Testing for HIV drug resistance
The development of a highly sensitive assay for the detection of drug-resistant HIV strains could aid our understanding of how the virus mutates, helping new drug discovery programs.
Bayer Schering Pharma brings in cancer specialists VTT
Bayer Schering Pharma has decided to collaborate with Finnish biotechnology specialists to study the mode of action of their new cancer drug.
'Trojan Horse' vaccines for malaria, TB and AIDS
More effective and easier to administer 'Trojan horse' vaccines could provide protection for the millions of people at risk from malaria, TB and AIDS, thanks to a breakthrough from a global research team.
17-Jan-2007
Tocris Bioscience completes $40m management buy out
Tocris, a leading supplier of chemicals, peptides and antibodies to the major pharmaceutical companies, universities and research institutes has completed a $40m (€30.8m) management buy out (MBO) from its founders.
BG Medicine and Applied Biosystems collaborate on biomarker-guided drug discovery
BG Medicine will integrate Applied Biosystems' state of the art technology into its systems biology platforms to enhance its biomarker discovery and monitoring programs.
Novo Nordisk stops small molecule drug development
Novo Nordisk has decided to stop developing small-molecule drugs and instead concentrate on protein-based therapies, capitalising on the strong growth in this sector of the pharmaceutical industry.
Pfizer planning more job cuts?
In response to mounting media speculation of another major restructuring drive, sparked off by an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Pfizer has called a meeting to discuss its strategic direction, with CEO Jeffrey B. Kindler hosting the meeting.
ReNeuron 'confident' in stem cell therapy, despite delay
ReNeuron remains confident that its new stem cell therapy for stroke will be approved to start clinical trials, despite a request for further information from the industry regulator.
15-Jan-2007
Cholesterol linked with Parkinson's
Recent trial results have indicated a link between low LDL-cholesterol levels and Parkinson's disease, especially if the low levels are naturally occurring.
Pill that could protect from nuclear fallout
Humanetics have been cleared to start human clinical testing of a new drug that could provide protection from the effects of nuclear fallout.
Natural hormone inspires obesity drug
Scientists are developing a new obesity drug inspired by a natural hormone in the gut that tells our bodies when we are full.
GrapeCity join Microsoft's BioIT Alliance
GrapeCity has joined Microsoft's BioIT Alliance, a collaboration between the pharmaceutical and computer industries aimed at helping make the vision of personalised medicine a reality.
Microlaboratory unravels protein function
A high throughput microfluidic platform brings the ability to understand biological network function a step closer.
12-Jan-2007
Scientists publish 'atlas' of how proteins flex
Researchers have published an 'atlas' showing how proteins can change shape and interact with other molecules, which could prove an invaluable tool to drug developers.
Drugs moving into the clinic: 2
The second in a series of periodic roundups of drugs that have moved from preclinical research into clinical testing via the announcement of a Phase I trial or an application for a trial to industry regulators.
UK chimeric stem cell research in the balance
The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has called for a public consultation into the use of animal eggs to create cloned hybrid or chimeric human embryos for laboratory-based disease research.
AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb collaborate on diabetes candidates
In a deal worth up to $1.35bn (€1bn) AstraZeneca (AZ) have agreed to co-develop and commercialise two of Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMS) late stage diabetes compounds.
Predicting Proteomics
A new computer model could improve quantitative proteomics and speed up lead optimisation by predicting how a protein will break down during analysis.
10-Jan-2007
Virtual clinical trial technology vindicated
The use of virtual patients to simulate clinical trials on computers can forecast their results, potentially optimising drug development and saving the pharmaceutical industry billions.
Synosis Therapeutics revives Roche CNS drugs
Several discontinued drug candidates that target the central nervous system (CNS) have been given a second chance for success after Synosis Therapeutics bought them off Roche.
Bavarian Nordic enter breast cancer vaccine clinical trials
BN ImmunoTherapeutics, the US subsidiary of Denmark's Bavarian Nordic, has started clinical trials of MVA-BN-HER2, a new vaccine targeting breast cancer.
Stem cell device could have role in cancer treatment
Researchers at the University of Rochester and StemCapture have unveiled a new device technology that makes it possible to harvest stem cells from the blood, bypassing the controversial use of stem cells sourced from embryos.
Genentech puts muscle behind blood drug
Genentech has shown their faith in a blood cancer drug development programme by licensing just one compound for up $800m (€615m), highlighting the willingness of large pharmaceutical companies to pay large sums for even a single drug candidate.
08-Jan-2007
Ecopia and Caprion pool resources
Caprion and Ecopia have agreed to merge as equals to form an as yet unnamed public entity with three programs in cancer and infectious diseases in clinical development.
Ethical Stem Cell Source
Scientists have discovered stem cells in the amniotic fluid that surrounds the foetus in pregnant women, bypassing ethical concerns over the source of the versatile cells.
Janssen's Invega approved for schizophrenia
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Janssen's new drug Invega (paliperidone); the first new prescription drug for the treatment of schizophrenia since 2003.
Genentech's cancer drug 'encouraging'
There may yet be a positive outcome to Genetech's once-failing cancer drug, after the company announced "encouraging" Phase II trial results.
Tufts optimistic for drug development
Despite the many challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, drug developers should be optimistic, according to a report from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD).
05-Jan-2007
Forbes salute nanoparticle chemotherapy
Forbes has highlighted the important role of nanotechnology in driving forward the pharmaceutical industry with three of their top five nanotech breakthroughs in 2006 having biological applications.
Pfizer opts-in on MRSA antibody from Elusys
Pfizer has entered into a collaborative research and licensing agreement with Elusys worth up to $200m (€152m) for new antibody therapies, including an MRSA candidate
Drugs moving into the clinic: 1
The first in a new series of periodic roundups of drugs that have moved from preclinical research into clinical testing via the announcement of a Phase I trial or an application for a trial to industry regulators.
Genetic defect causes inability to feel pain
Thanks to a small boy who couldn't feel pain, scientists have discovered a gene mutation that opens the door to developing powerful new drugs that could elimate all pain.
04-Jan-2007
Amgen evolve Galapagos collaboration
Galapagos will continue to feed Amgen's drug discovery programmes having expanded the long-standing partnership between the two companies.
03-Jan-2007
Tripos to dissolve after Discovery Research sale
Tripos has agreed to sell its UK-based Discovery Research business to US-based drug discovery company Provid Pharmaceuticals for $2m (€1.5m).
Neural stem cells target drug delivery
Neural stem cells (NSCs) engineered to express therapeutic molecules have shown dramatic efficacy against metastatic cancers in pre-clinical trials.
Alzheimer's diagnostic could advance drug development
Researchers at UCLA in the USA have developed the first non-invasive diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease.
GAO bemoans lack of new drugs
A US government report has warned that the pharmaceutical industry is not producing enough new drugs despite spending more on research and development.
Telik share price plummets after cancer drug failure
Shares in Telik plummeted after they reported their most advanced drug candidate failed three clinical trials, leaving analysts asking why they did not find out sooner.
| « Previous month | Next month » |
All Decision News Media Sites
Food & Beverage: Food & Beverage Development - Europe | Food & Beverage Development - North America | Food Marketing and Retailing | Food Processing & Packaging | Food Safety & Quality Control | Food and Beverage in Asia Pacific | Industrial Baking & Snacks | Beverage Technology & Markets | Confectionery & Biscuit Processing | Dairy Processing & Markets | Prepared Food and Meat Processing | Retail news Nutrition: Supplements & Nutrition - Europe | Supplements & Nutrition - North America Pharmaceutical: Pharmaceutical Technology | Contract Research, Manufacturing & Clinical Trials Cosmetics: Cosmetics Formulation & Packaging - North America | Cosmetics Formulation & Packaging - Europe
About us | Site map | All sites | Recommend this Site | Advertise | Contact the Editor | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
©; 2000/2010 - Decision News Media SAS - All right reserved.
