Flu drug boost for Biota Feb 6, 2010
BIOTECHNOLOGY company Biota Holdings said it had received written notification from its international pharmaceutical partner GlaxoSmithKline that sales of its flu drug Relenza were $462 million in the December quarter, generating an indicative royalty of $32. 6 million. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
State of the State: Gov. backs new Excelsior Jobs Program Feb 6, 2010
Paterson wants to target tax credits to biotechnology, clean energy, financial and manufacturing companies a much narrower scope than the state s current signature tax incentives, called Empire Zones. The Empire Zone program, which awarded tax credits in exchange for pledges to create jobs, expires June 30. (Albany Business Review, NY)
Why farmers cottoned on to Bt Feb 6, 2010
On the face of it, such a dramatic transformation in the cotton segment (and its resultant boost to the textile industry) should have settled the debate in favour of biotechnology. Especially since Bt cotton was sold mainly as an alternative to pesticide sprays and its performance seems to have resulted in greater marketable yield. (India Times, India -- Community News)
CEO Collar leaves bioscience group Feb 6, 2010
A veteran of medical device and biotechnology manufacturing, Collar joined the association in December 2008 ... Most recently, Brown served as a consultant, advising the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association, the Colorado Initiative for Molecular Biotechnology and other groups. (Denver Business Journal, CO)
Allon Therapeutics Presenting at BIO CEO Conference Feb 6, 2010
The conference is sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the world's largest biotechnology organization with more than 1,200 members ... Allon Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for major neurodegenerative conditions. (CCNMatthews Press Releases)
Readers Respond on "Squeezing More Oil from the Ground" Feb 6, 2010
Feed the World The agricultural industry may see biotechnology as an important part of farming s future, as four biotech executives say in. But the evidence is not very strong for this very biased viewpoint. (Scientific American)
Tech.view: Patent nonsense Feb 6, 2010
But what if patents actually discourage the combining and recombining of inventions to yield new products and processes as has happened in biotechnology, genetics and other disciplines. Or what about those ludicrous business-process patents, like Amazon. (The Economist)
Exclusive Subscriber Content Feb 6, 2010
Focus on: Biotechnology. Short Takes: Judith Britz. (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Federal regulators post safety update on Tysabri Feb 6, 2010
The drug is made and comarketed by Cambridge biotechnology company. The label now includes a warning that the risk of a rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy increases with longer use of Tysabri, according to the posting by the Food and Drug Administration. (Boston Globe)
Durham firm with LabCorp ties seeks $10.5M Feb 5, 2010
The company is also providing diagnostic development services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to help them develop their cancer therapy pipelines. Reporter e-mail: fvinluan@bizjournals. (Raleigh Triangle Business Journal, NC)
Slow-growing biomedical sector in Bay Area needs to be nurtured Feb 5, 2010
File photo Paul Hastings, CEO of OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, planned to head north to join Assemblyman Jerry Hill in calling for the creation of a state director of biotechnology ... Paul Hastings, CEO of , the Redwood City developer of stem cell therapies for cancer treatment, planned to travel to Sacramento on Feb. 4 to join state Assemblyman Jerry Hill in calling for the creation of a state director of biotechnology. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Neurocrine shares plunge on FDA rejection Feb 5, 2010
Shares in plummeted to their lowest level in more than five years, illustrating the peril faced by small companies -- including dozens of Boston area biotechnology firms -- whose value rests on a single product that has not yet reached the market. The FDA turned down an application by the 14-year-old San Diego company and , the world's largest drug maker, to sell a 15 milligram extended-release version of the insomnia drug Indiplon. (Yahoo News -- Sleep and Sleep Disorders)
Biota's Relenza royalties surge Feb 5, 2010
Biotechnology company Biota Holdings said this morning that it had received written notification from its international pharmaceutical partner GlaxoSmithKline that sales of its flu drug Relenza were $462 million in the December quarter, generating an indicative royalty of $32. 6 million. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
AstraZeneca still waiting for the upside to MedImmune acquisition Feb 5, 2010
Focus on: Biotechnology. AstraZeneca still waiting for the upside to MedImmune acquisition. (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Laboratory 'Gunfights' Show That Movement Is Swiftest in Response to Events in the Environment Feb 5, 2010
4, 2010) Scientists at the University of Birmingham have carried out "laboratory gunfights" to show that we move faster when we react to something in our environment than we do when we initiate the action ourselves -- an idea inspired by cowboy movies but in reality more useful for avoiding oncoming traffic. The research is published February 3, 2010 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.. (Science Daily)
Mouse cloned to cure Parkinson's Feb 5, 2010
The embryonic "stem cells", reports the journal Nature Biotechnology, were grown into new tissue which was implanted into the mouse brain. However, many obstacles stand in the way of human treatments, say experts. (Yahoo News -- Parkinson's Disease)
Profits soar for Boston law partners Feb 5, 2010
However, the 90-partner outfit, which carries out corporate and litigation work for commercial clients such as biotechnology company Inverness Medical Innovations, did experience an uptick in workflow during the last few months of 2009. Foley Hoag laid off 32 workers, or 6 percent of its staff, last year. (Boston Globe)
The business of biotech Feb 5, 2010
Can increased market demands that translate into higher prices prompt enough wheat to be grown in the future to feed a growing global population, or is biotechnology needed to enhance yields. United States Wheat Associates director of policy Rebecca Bratter took her best shot at building a case for biotechnology Wednesday morning before a somewhat skeptical audience of producers at the 57th annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show in Williston. (Williston Daily Herald, ND)
Tecan and Enigma Diagnostics Sign Global Manufacturing and Supply Agreement for Point-of-Care Molecular Diagnostics Instruments Feb 5, 2010
Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer, Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies. (Canada Newswire)
ACC closing in on Leander campus Feb 5, 2010
With Joule biotechnology on the way as well, an ACC campus is another step in the right direction. Reader Comments. (Cedar Park Hill Country News Weekender, TX)
Tekmira Pharmaceuticals to Present at 12th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference Feb 5, 2010
Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the 12th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference will take place February 8-9, 2010 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City ... Now in its twelfth year, the BIO CEO & Investor Conference 2010 is the largest investor conference focused on the biotechnology industry ... The conference provides a forum for public and private equity investors, research analysts, investment bankers and senior-level industry executives to learn about and... (CCNMatthews Press Releases)
Judge Hears Arguments Over Rights To Genes Patents Feb 4, 2010
He said to disallow the patents would weaken the foundation of the entire biotechnology industry and said court precedent is on their side. U.S. government attorneys defended the patents, saying the groups do not have the right to even challenge them. (KWTX.com, TX)
A modest debut for Ironwood’s new stock Feb 4, 2010
It was one of the most anticipated debuts of a biotechnology stock in years ... Two other privately held Massachusetts biotechnology companies are waiting to go public. (Boston Globe)
Acetaminophen Protects Kidneys After Muscle Injury Feb 4, 2010
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK), and the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust (UK). Oates, Boutaud and Roberts have filed a patent for this use of acetaminophen. (Science Daily)
Genetically modified rice set for shelves Feb 4, 2010
"The issuing of bio-safety certificates has great implications as it is the first time a major grain producer is endorsing the use of GM technology in a food staple," said Xue Dayuan, professor of biotechnology at Minzu University of China ... "Once GM technology is used for mass production, it would definitely help China achieve that target and feed its 1.3 billion people," said Huang, also a researcher with the Biotechnology Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. (People's Daily Online, China)
buzz walther Feb 4, 2010
USDA-APHIS, which regulates biotechnology traits, has completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), available at. This was required by a legal decision in March of 2007 due to a lawsuit brought by Center for Food Safety. (Agri-View, WI)
Less funding for technopreneurs this year Feb 4, 2010
Mosti has several funding programmes for various fields of research, development and commercialisation, including biotechnology, industrial, information and communications technology (ICT), sea to space technology, and science technology. Another source of funding for technopreneurs is the Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC), which oversees the nations ICT initiatives. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Five-step check for nano safety Feb 3, 2010
The group of experts says that if the global research community can take advantage of the safety infrastructure already in place for biotechnology and computing, then nanotechnology has a rosy future. But Dr Maynard, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, and colleagues say that the way science is carried out means it is ill-equipped to address novel risks from emerging technologies. (Yahoo News -- Nanotechnology)
Roche annual net profit down over Genentech buyout Feb 3, 2010
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China to hold 3rd int'l advanced materials conference Feb 3, 2010
It will be co-organized by ChemChina, Chengdu city government, Germany's Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (Dechema) and Deutsche Bank. The previous two such conferences were held in south China's Hainan Province in 2007 and Tianjin Municipality in 2008 respectively. (People's Daily Online, China)
BioMimetic nears European patent Feb 3, 2010
BioMimetic CEO Samuel Lynch said the notice from the European Patent Office is important for the biotechnology company, which seeks to become a leader in the field of orthopedic regenerative medicine. Granting this patent will provide us with meaningful, long-term protection for our platform technology in Europe, complementing the patent that was issued in the U.S. in 2009, Lynch said in a news release. (Nashville Business Journal, TN)
Study finds use of food pantries soaring in Mass. Feb 3, 2010
The recently laid-off employee of a biotechnology firm said she stopped seeking food from pantries in Sudbury and Stowe because she felt people questioned why she was there. We just got looked down upon, she said. (Boston Globe)
Groundbreaking Videourology journal launched by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Feb 3, 2010
Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering chnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 60 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on our website (). (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Wheat show under way in Williston Feb 3, 2010
Crop biotechnology and wind energy development also will be topics. Copyright. (Wahpeton Daily News, ND)
Arcion Therapeutics raises $5M to pay debt Feb 3, 2010
Arcion Therapeutics, a budding biotechnology company in Baltimore, has raised $5 million to help finance debt, according to a Jan. 29 Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company, which has developed a gel to topically treat chronic pain, said in the SEC document that it plans to use the money to pay its executives and other employees. (Baltimore Business Journal, MD)
Clayton has his eyes on data (5) Feb 3, 2010
The computer is being marketed to biotechnology, bioprocessing, process-manufacturing, energy-production, agriculture and research-science companies, helping those target companies turn random data into useful information, Clayton said ... Clayton said his early investors include professionals and business people in the Beaufort County-Pitt County region and representatives of biotechnology and process-industry companies. (Washington Daily News, NC)
Possible New Heritable Marker for Retinoblastoma Feb 3, 2010
D., director of the Sbarro Institute and the Center for Biotechnology at Temple, the lead author of the study. Researchers chose to investigate the 16INK4A gene because of its suspected role in the development of retinoblastoma, as well as its involvement in a predisposition to familial cancer. (Science Daily)
Fibrocell makes Pernock its new CEO Feb 3, 2010
Skin therapy biotechnology company said Tuesday that company Chairman David Pernock has been named CEO.. Pernock had been senior vice president, pharmaceuticals, vaccines (biologics), oncology, acute care and HIV at , where he gained extensive leadership experience in health-care sales and commercialization, building business units, partnerships, and brands, Fibrocell Science said. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
Roche annual net profit down 22% Feb 3, 2010
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche says its net profit fell 22 per cent last year due to its buyout of US biotechnology unit Genentech. The Basel-based group said on Wednesday however, that sales rose eight per cent for the full year to 49. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Wheat show reviews succession, communication Feb 2, 2010
Crop biotechnology takes center stage Wednesday morning, as does wind energy development in the state. Bratter returns at 9:30 a.m. to discusses the world view of biotech crops, followed at 10:15 by Dan Biggerstaff of Barkley Ag Enterprises, who is to talk about the future of wheat biotechnology. (Williston Daily Herald, ND)
New Insight Into Reprogramming of Cell Fate Feb 2, 2010
This research at Babraham, an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), reveals that AID plays an intriguing role in erasing the chemical marks that appear on the genome as an embryo develops and determine what a cell's identity will be. AID appears to be involved in removing the epigenetic tags from DNA by a process called demethylation, which has long been known to be a critical component of cellular reprogramming. (Science Daily)
Beckman Coulter to shutter Webster plant Feb 2, 2010
Beckman Coulter s customers include hospital laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, medical schools and research institutions. Most Read Stories. (Houston Business Journal, TX)
Labs' cruelty-law exemption advances Feb 2, 2010
Jeff Morhet, chairman and CEO of InNexus Biotechnology in Scottsdale, said the bioscience industry is already the most regulated in the world. By "harmonizing" state and federal laws, companies would be able to lower the cost and speed up development of new medicines, he said. (AZCentral -- News)
K&L Gates takes 2 partners from Parker Poe Feb 2, 2010
Erwin represents technology and biotechnology companies in transactions including mergers and acquisitions, strategic joint ventures, and the purchase or sale of stock and assets. Brown focuses on corporate, tax, estate planning and health care matters, K&L Gates said in its statement. (Raleigh Triangle Business Journal, NC)
Volatile stock market weighing on IPOs Feb 2, 2010
Biotechnology company Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. only has one drug in late-stage development. And a holdover from this week, Penthouse magazine publisher FriendFinder Networks Inc., is swimming in debt. (KGW Northwest NewsChannel 8, OR -- Business)
Monsanto is back in the wheat breeding business Feb 1, 2010
Biotechnology in wheat won't be the first results from a renewed and expanded research effort ... "When asked if Monsanto and others have thought about the export ramifications that might happen with the adaptation of biotechnology in wheat, Gardner answered that factor is very much on the minds of those working on biotech wheat."Everyone's nervous, but there is a real willingness to accept that," he said. "If we do nothing, by the time we decide that it is the right time to do something, we... (Sioux Falls Tri-State Neighbor, SD)
Dash for diet drug For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has chased an elusive target, a drug that will make you lose weight without putting your health at risk. Feb 1, 2010
Now, three California biotechnology companies are trying to convince the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that theyve found drugs that are effective and safe. Not only that, they say the drugs can help with conditions that often accompany obesity, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Scientists Find Survival Factor for Keeping Nerve Cells Healthy Feb 1, 2010
This breakthrough by Drs Jon Gilley and Michael Coleman at Babraham, an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), furthers our understanding of the basic biology of our nerves and provides new insight into the factors causing neurodegenerative diseases like Motor Neurone Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by a loss of viable nerve cells, which in many cases has been shown to be preceded by degeneration of the axon. (Science Daily)
Gene function discovery: Guilt by association Feb 1, 2010
" ### The research is published in the January 31st, advanced on-line Nature Biotechnology and was supported by the Carnegie Institution for Science, the National Research Foundation of Korea, Yonsei University, The National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Packard Foundation. The Carnegie Institution for Science () has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research since 1902. It is a private, nonprofit organization with six research departments throughout... (EurekAlert!)
Gene Function Discovery: New Computation Model Predicts Gene Function Feb 1, 2010
1, 2010) Scientists have created a new computational model that can be used to predict gene function of uncharacterized plant genes with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The network, dubbed AraNet, has over 19,600 genes associated to each other by over 1 million links and can increase the discovery rate of new genes affiliated with a given trait tenfold. (Science Daily)
Ariz. needs job-growth strategy Feb 1, 2010
Private companies there include those involved in information/communications technology, biotechnology and life sciences, and environmental sciences. Some of the notables are GlaxoSmithKline, Cisco, Nortel and Fidelity Investments, as well as IBM.. (AZCentral -- News)
Lofty aspiration: UCSDs performance venue Feb 1, 2010
Many people at UCSD see The Loft as a luxury, as opposed to something thats essential, said Associated Students Council President Utsav Gupta, 21, who is majoring in bioengineering and biotechnology. They ask: Since it only has a capacity of under 300, why should 20,000 students pay for it, when The Lofts programming is not essential to everyday students struggling to pay their tuition. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Exelon says it will join Ill.'s FutureGen Alliance Jan 31, 2010
Meanwhile, a Palo Alto-based biotechnology company and two Visalia-based dairy technology companies also announced plans Monday to build a separate facility that would generate energy from dairy waste to power a new ethanol plant in the San Joaquin Valley. The news of the first operation from David Albers, who has a dairy in Fresno County, came in Tulare on the grounds of the World Ag Expo, which begins its three-day run today. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Microbes Produce Fuels Directly from Biomass Jan 31, 2010
Keasling led the collaboration, which was was made up of a team from JBEI's Fuels Synthesis Division that included Eric Steen, Yisheng Kang and Gregory Bokinsky, and a team from LS9, a privately-held industrial biotechnology firm based in South San Francisco. The LS9 team was headed by Stephen del Cardayre and included Zhihao Hu, Andreas Schirmer and Amy McClure. (Science Daily)
Kennedy Institute in Boston will feature a replica of his office Jan 31, 2010
More than two dozen donations of $1 million or more have also been collected, from donors including biotechnology firms, unions, and hospitals. The 50,000-square-foot structure, to be designed by architect Rafael Violy, will be part of the University of Massachusetts Boston. (Boston Globe)
Doraville eager for 'second chance' with GM site Jan 30, 2010
For instance, city leaders want some of the new offices to focus on health and biotechnology, to take advantage of needs of the nearby Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus. There are also plans to incorporate a school, a reaction to community concerns that Doraville does not have its own high school while neighboring Chamblee and Dunwoody have highly ranked ones. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Neurocrine shares plunge on FDA rejection Jan 30, 2010
Shares in plummeted to their lowest level in more than five years, illustrating the peril faced by small companies -- including dozens of Boston area biotechnology firms -- whose value rests on a single product that has not yet reached the market. The FDA turned down an application by the 14-year-old San Diego company and , the world's largest drug maker, to sell a 15 milligram extended-release version of the insomnia drug Indiplon. (Yahoo News -- Sleep and Sleep Disorders)
Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Appoints New Chairman and Two New Independent Directors Jan 29, 2010
He is a physician and former tenured professor with significant industry experience and a successful track record leading development-stage biotechnology companies ... He has over 20 years experience as an executive, director and investor of leading biotechnology companies such as QLT, Inc., AnorMED, Cardiome Pharma and Angiotech Pharmaceuticals ... Mr. Karbe is currently the Executive Vice President and CFO of Exelixis, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology company with an industry leading... (CCNMatthews Press Releases)
Icahn wins second Biogen board seat Icahn targets Biogen Idec board again Jan 29, 2010
Activist investor Carl Icahn, stirring up another proxy fight with Biogen Idec, is seeking support for his four nominees to the biotechnology giant s board, according to documents filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Icahn also proposes changing Biogen Idec s incorporation from Delaware to North Dakota. (Boston Business Journal, MA)
Icahn seeks more Biogen Idec seats Jan 29, 2010
biotechnology company he will seek three director posts, for a total of five, on the 12-member board. Icahn wants to fix the number of directors at 12, Biogen Idec said yesterday. (Boston Globe)
DeLeo opposes increases in taxes Jan 29, 2010
2 billion budget, which, in addition to proposing new taxes on tobacco, candy, and soft drinks, would scale back tax incentives for the film and biotechnology industries. The tax increases, administration officials said, represent only a quarter of 1 percent of the budget. (Boston Globe)
Five-step check for nano safety Jan 29, 2010
The group of experts says that if the global research community can take advantage of the safety infrastructure already in place for biotechnology and computing, then nanotechnology has a rosy future. But Dr Maynard, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, and colleagues say that the way science is carried out means it is ill-equipped to address novel risks from emerging technologies. (Yahoo News -- Nanotechnology)
From waste to biofuel: Bugs the way Jan 29, 2010
Del Cardayre of privately held industrial biotechnology firm LS9 worked in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. The work represents the next step forward in biofuel technology developed by the South San Francisco-based company. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
FDA seeks more data for Theravance drug Jan 29, 2010
Shares of Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. rose in premarket trading Tuesday as Wall Street considered the approval of a competitor's diabetes drug a good sign for the biotechnology company. On Monday, The Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk's Victoza, a once-daily, injectable diabetes treatment. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Mouse cloned to cure Parkinson's Jan 29, 2010
The embryonic "stem cells", reports the journal Nature Biotechnology, were grown into new tissue which was implanted into the mouse brain. However, many obstacles stand in the way of human treatments, say experts. (Yahoo News -- Parkinson's Disease)
