Breaking News on Drug Discovery

Euroscreen awarded HTS method patent

Euroscreen has announced it has been issued with a US patent, which relates to a high-throughput screening method of modulators for any GPCR, calcium-coupled channel or protein.

REPLICor discloses unique antiviral drug results

REPLICor is developing a broad spectrum antiviral drug, which has the broadest spectrum of activity in vitro ever reported for a single chemical entity and has proved to have a devastating action on the herpes viruses, influenza and hemorrhagic viruses including Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever.

SupplyScape raises $7m for drug pedigree tech

SupplyScape, a US company specialising in developing track and trace technologies for the pharmaceutical industry, has raised $7m in a private financing, writes Phil Taylor.

Jasco launches V-7000 series spectrophotometers

Jasco unveils its latest series of spectrophotometers, which offers improved spectral resolution, resolving peaks of less than 0.5 nm. The advance in clarity makes this technology suitable for applications from 175-3300nm.

Roche's patent expiration opens US market

Swiss pharmaceutical firm, Hoffman-La Roche has announced its core PCR patents have expired in an event that is expected to save laboratories, which rely on this technology, millions of dollars a year in royalties. It is also expected to generate a challenging environment for companies developing rival platforms.

Europe faces cancer 'brain drain'

Europe is set to fall further behind in the development of novel anti-cancer agents unless it doubles the amount spent on academic clinical trials. New and more effective non-drug interventions and prognostic markers depend on these trials for their development.

FDA accepts IND for cancer mAbs

Morphotek has announced the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted its New Drug Application for a humanised monoclonal antibody, intended for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.

Thermo expands LC/MS product range

Thermo Electron has introduced a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system - the Finnigan Surveyor Plus - for high-throughput sample processing.

Research heralds new treatments for liver damage

Researchers have, for the first time, identified two separate populations of immune cells in the liver, which will help doctors understand the mechanisms by which the liver is damaged and repaired and may lead to future drug therapies.

Genomic cancer therapy to become reality

The wealth of new targets identified from genomics and the discoveries made in the molecular pathology of cancer will give rise to a new generation of cancer treatment, moving one step closer to individualised, target therapy.

Mutation on trio of leukemias signals drug target

US researchers have found that three types of leukaemias are all caused by acquired mutations that alter a specific enzyme controlling blood cell proliferation. Identifying the genetic malfunction may give rise to a targeted therapy, similar to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), which is treated with Gleevec.

FDA questions 'innovative industry' tag

The decreasing number of truly original drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration is becoming such a serious issue that the pharmaceutical market's tag as the 'innovator industry' is being called into question, reports Wai Lang Chu.

New diabetic drug class shows promise

Canadian biopharmaceutical company, Theratechnologies, has announced positive results for its latest drug candidate for the treatment of type II diabetes. The GLP-1 analogue takes its position in the market for this rapidly evolving new class of drugs, reports Wai Lang Chu.

Serono identifies 80 multiple sclerosis genes

Researchers at the Serono Genetics Institute have announced the identification of 80 genes involved in the inflammatory and neuro-degenerative pathways of multiple sclerosis (MS) forming a library of potential targets for future treatments of the disease.

GlaxoSmithKline licenses Theravance respiratory program

Theravance has announced that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has exercised its option to license Theravance's inhaled bifunctional, muscarinic antagonist/beta2 agonist (MABA) program under the terms of their 2004 agreement. The compounds offer great potential in treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and possibly asthma.

FDA gives guidance to pharmacogenomics

As part of an initiative to speed development of new medical products through the science of pharmacogenomics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final guidance that aims to clarify how pharmacogenomic data will be evaluated.

DrugResearcher two-part special feature

Drug Discovery in profile: Dr. Tim Jaeger (part II)

In the second of a two-part interview, DrugResearcher.com spoke to Dr. Tim Jaeger, director of business development at iAS interactive Systems, Germany. Here, Jaeger spoke about the future of knowledge management and commented on the broadening role it would have on drug discovery.

Inhibiting B-Raf reduces melanoma development

A study suggesting combination therapy could stop the spread and halt the growth of skin melanomas could pave the way for a better understanding of the disease, and thus, the development of more effective long-term treatment options for patients.

Improved data dealing drives drug discovery

Drug research and development is facing a major problem with the sheer influx of data generated, which threatens to further slow down productivity, if its management and interpretation is not efficiently dealt with.

Genomic analysis tool improves treatment?

The prospect of using genomic analysis as a tool for studying trauma patients is a realistic prospect according to a new study, which says the tool can be used to predict whether or not a given patient will respond to a specific course of drug treatment.

DrugResearcher two-part special feature

Drug Discovery in profile: Dr Tim Jaeger

In the first of a two-part interview, DrugResearcher.com took time out to talk to Dr. Tim Jaeger, director of business development at iAS interactive Systems, Germany. Speaking at the recent Drug Discovery Technology Europe conference in London, Jaeger spoke about his thoughts and concerns knowledge management would have on the future of drug discovery.

Novartis/Schering cancer drug fails

Drug giants Novartis and Schering have announced a central review of study data failed to prove the results of its experimental cancer drug was "statistically significant" and was unable to exclude the possibility that the positive effect was accidental.

New brain tumour treatment raises hopes

With the absence of any truly effective drug treatment for brain tumours, news of researchers working on innovative treatments for one of the deadliest tumour types raises the possibility of readdressing the current situation and brings hope for the 17,500 patients diagnosed each year in the US

Drug Discovery Tech: new product round-up

While the Drug Discovery Technology Europe show placed an emphasis on issues surrounding drug research, companies serving the pharma and biotech industries took the opportunity to showcase the latest technologies that are set to prove useful in future drug discovery.

FDA pharmacogenomics guidance 'imminent'

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is gearing up to publish its final guidance on the submission of pharmacogenomic data alongside drug marketing applications, first disseminated in draft form in 2003, reports Phil Taylor.

Researchers develop new tool for leptin study

A technique for neutralising the action of the leptin - providing a means for controlling and better understanding of the function of this protein, including its role in unwanted cell growth - has been developed by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

New approach tops PCR in toxicology testing

Measuring RNA levels in tissues and cells using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) forms the basis of pharmacogenomic and toxicogenomic studies, but US firm Genpathway claims to have come up with a better alternative.

Renin inhibitor shows promise in trial

Swiss drugmaker Novartis says that its renin inhibitor drug aliskiren (SPP100), which potentially represents the first in a new class of orally-active drugs for high blood pressure, has shown promising data in a clinical trial.

Discovery and development impacts on pharma R&D

R&D productivity is currently in a period of decline, with the number of new medicines being introduced to the market declining in the face of increasing R&D budgets. However, the emergence of genomics-derived drugs is expected to enter the marketplace on a more consistent basis towards the latter half of this decade.

Roche's Avastin launched in Europe

Roche has started the roll-out its colorectal cancer treatment Avastin (bevacizumab) - the first drug to reach the market that works by inhibiting blood vessel formation in tumours - in Europe.

Discovery could improve transdermal drug delivery

A group of US researchers claim to have identified a fundamental mechanism that may facilitate the design of safer and more efficacious topical drug delivery systems, reports Phil Taylor.

New clients for HTMS firm Biotrove

US company Biotrove says its mass spectrometry-based high-throughput screening (HTS) system, RapidFire Lead Discovery, has been used to screen more than a million individual samples over the last 12 months.

GPC shores up kinase portfolio with Axxima buy

German cancer drug company GPC Biotech has agreed to buy the material assets of Munich-based kinase specialist Axxima Pharmaceuticals in a cash-neutral transaction for €13.7m.

Biocentre revolutionises medicine production

A new £6 million (€9m) biocentre is set to revolutionise the way future medicines are produced making them safer and more effective. The centre, based in the UK, will not only help pharmaceutical companies to develop better drugs, but potentially reduce the time it takes to develop them.

Computational tool predicts how drugs work

A mathematical algorithm that predicts the effects a compound will have on a cell's molecular components, will prove significant to drug developers, who can design compounds that will act on desired targets, eliciting therapeutic responses free of unwanted side effects.

Genetic testing patent granted to Genaissance

Genaissance Pharmaceuticals has been granted a patent for a unique method of testing individuals for genetic predisposition to reduced metabolism of drugs. The ability to metabolise certain drugs linked to genetic variant is present in over 10 per cent of Americans.

Discovery leads to improved candidiasis drug?

Biologists have shown for the first time how histatin, the naturally occurring antifungal agent in saliva, kills the oral pathogen Candida albicans, a yeast responsible for most HIV-related oral infections.

Quark Biotech links gene to AMD development

A study has suggested the hypoxia inducible gene RTP801 may serve an important mechanistic role in the development of experimental chordial neovascularisation (CNV), the principal cause of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Study shows pramipexole relieves RLS

Boehringer Ingelheim's latest clinical study investigating pramipexole on Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) reveals a marked improvement over dopamine, which is the current preferred treatment for the millions that suffer from this debilitating disease.

J&J to buy TransForm for $230m

Johnson & Johnson is planning to acquire TransForm Pharmaceuticals, a privately held company that specialises in the discovery of improved formulations and novel crystalline forms of drug molecules, in a cash-for-stock deal valued at around $230m (€171m), reports Phil Taylor.

deCODE trials unique atherosclerosis compound

Biopharmaceutical company deCODE genetics, announced the initiation of trials for a first-in-class compound used to treat atherosclerosis for which there is currently no effective drug treatment. The disease strikes almost 20 per cent of people over the age of 70 in the industrialised world.

World pharma markets still slowing down

The growth in the global pharmaceutical continued to slow in 2004, with a 7 per cent hike to $550 billion, as the sector felt the effects of increased pricing pressure and the expanding market for lower-cost generic drugs, reports Phil Taylor.

Gene therapy reverses nervous system damage

The first genetic disease that affects the central nervous system has been successfully treated in an animal model, which if successfully applied to humans, could treat an entire class of diseases called lysosomal storage disorders. The disorder causes severe, sometimes fatal, disabilities in about one in 5000 births.

Revolutionary technique "cures" diabetic

Drug therapies for sufferers of diabetes may become a thing of the past as UK doctors performed a groundbreaking cell transplant technique on a patient making him the first person to be "cured" of the illness.

Report finds CSOs paid the lowest

A recent report into salaries within the pharmaceutical industry reveals that the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) is paid amongst the lowest for all executives when compared to salaries paid to chief executive officers (CEOs).

BioAlliance shows styrylquinoline synergy with HIV drugs

BioAlliance Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the field of drug resistance may have discovered a novel way to overcome growing HIV resistance. They have developed a new family of integrase binding inhibitors, which show synergy with current HIV drug treatments.

Computational tool predicts drugs action in cells

Biomedical engineers and chemists have collaborated on a novel method that predicts how drugs work in cells. The tool will allow drug developers to design compounds that will act on a desired gene and protein targets, eliciting therapeutic responses without the side effects.

Human microdosing proves its value in drug R&D

Xceleron has announced the long-awaited results of the CREAM trial into human microdosing in drug development, which demonstrates that microdosing provides a valuable insight into the human pharmacokinetics (PK) of new drug candidates.

Metabolex reports positive results type 2 diabetes

Metabolex has announced positive clinical trial results for its oral insulin sensitiser for type 2 diabetes, which is primarily designed to eliminate the dose-limiting side effects of the currently marketed sensitisers.

Singapore 2005 pharma output to level off

Singapore's pharmaceutical output is likely to be flat this year, a casualty of increasing pressure from generic drug firms. The prediction, made by a Singapore official comes after the country experienced a 40 per cent growth in the biomedical sector in 2004.

Researchers discover cholesterol controls cell signals

US researchers have discovered that cholesterol plays a key role in anchoring a signalling pathway, which has been linked to cell division and cancer. The findings could identify cholesterol as an unlikely drug target.

MabSelect family grows to meet MAbs demand

GE Healthcare announced the launch of two new purification tools designed to meet growing industry needs for the advancement of monoclonal antibody (MAbs) research and development. The tools become the latest offering in the chromatography media market for the industrial purification of MAbs.

Eastern opportunities for EU Pharma and Biotech

China and India are forecasted as the most exciting prospects for European pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Despite having over a third of the world's population, Asia accounts for only one fifth of global pharmaceutical drug consumption.

Research inhibits cancer's ability to resist treatments

A team of researchers have discovered how a key enzyme involved in repairing DNA is put together and how it works, a development that opens up new drug therapies for making cancer cells more vulnerable to attack.

Varian launches improved throughput software

Varian has announced the availability of new software that enables automated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method development and validation. This increase in sample throughput makes it suitable for pharma and biotech applications.

Theranostics key in driving drug development

According to a new report, the growth in molecular diagnostic technologies is a driving factor leading major pharmaceutical companies to incorporate a new category of medicine, theranostics, into their drug development.

IT vendors lead the way in genomics market

According to a recent survey, Apple, Cisco Systems, Dell, IBM and Microsoft are best qualified to implement new technologies that will advance genomics research.

Avidex yields immunotherapeutic protein platform

Avidex has announced the publication of data that demonstrates the potential of new immunotherapeutics based on the T cell immune response, which has so far been largely unexplored.

Neurocrine announces positive GnRH receptor antagonist trials.

Neurocrine Biosciences has announced positive Phase I clinical trial results with its proprietary, orally active small molecule Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist that could diminish bone demineralisation.

JRH acquisition strengthens Sigma's strategy

Sigma-Aldrich has completed the acquisition of JRH Biosciences division (JRH) for $370 million (€282 million) in cash, extending its presence in the cell culture product sector and consolidating its position in the burgeoning functional genomics market.

Novel HIV therapy yields encouraging results

VIRxSYS report the results of its latest clinical trial, testing VRX496, a HIV-derived lentiviral vector that could represent a novel HIV gene therapy. The trial results also showed patients with multiple-drug resistant HIV responding well to the therapy.

UK buys anti-flu drugs for 14 million people

The UK government intends to purchase a stockpile of anti-flu drugs to treat 14.6 million people over the next two years as part of the UK's preparedness for an influenza pandemic.

Discovery aids membrane protein studies

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences have discovered a way of making membrane proteins in bacterial cells, opening the door to new and improved treatments for a host of human diseases.