R&D Trends

Qiagen acquires AmniSure International

Friday, May 4, 2012 02:59 PM

Netherlands holding company Qiagen has acquired AmniSure International, a privately owned Boston company that markets the AmniSure assay for determining whether a pregnant woman is suffering rupture of fetal membranes (ROM), a condition in which fluid leaks from the amniotic sac prematurely. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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NIH launches collaborative program to spur therapeutic development

Friday, May 4, 2012 08:02 AM

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has unveiled a collaborative program, Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules, that will match researchers with a selection of pharmaceutical industry compounds to help scientists explore new treatments for patients.

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Abbott, Syngene to open first nutrition R&D center in India

Friday, May 4, 2012 08:01 AM

Abbott, one of India's largest health care companies, is collaborating with Syngene, an Indian CRO and subsidiary of Biocon, to establish its first nutrition R&D center in the country.

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UH Harrington launches grant program to accelerate drug discovery

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 04:28 PM

UH Harrington Discovery Institute has launched the Harrington Scholar-Innovator grant competition that serves as a nationwide search for physician-scientists seeking support to accelerate their promising drug discoveries into novel treatments for patients.

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Axerion, AZ collaborate on biologic treatment approach for Alzheimer's

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 10:06 AM

Axerion Therapeutics, a private Connecticut-based biotech, and MedImmune, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca, have entered into a research collaboration and sublicense arrangement to develop and commercialize a biologic approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

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Haemonetics to acquire Hemerus Medical

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 09:38 AM

Haemonetics, global healthcare company focused on blood management solutions, has decided to acquire the business assets of Hemerus Medical, a Minn.-based company that develops innovative technologies for the collection of whole blood and the processing and storage of blood components. 

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Life Sciences venture capital investing falls in first quarter

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:21 PM

Venture capitalists invested $5.8 billion in 758 deals in the first quarter of 2012, according to the MoneyTree Report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), based on data provided by Thomson Reuters. Quarterly venture capital (VC) investment activity fell 19% in terms of dollars and 15% in the number of deals compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, when $7.1 billion was invested in 889 deals.

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OrbiMed launches $222 million fund in Israel life sciences

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:18 PM

OrbiMed, a global investment management firm focused on the healthcare sector, has closed its first investment fund dedicated to life sciences venture capital opportunities based in Israel. The Fund, OrbiMed Israel Partners Limited Partnership, includes an anchor investment provided by the government of Israel, which also provided special economic terms through the initial tender process for the Fund.

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Thiel Foundation funds six visionary teams in innovation program

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 02:30 PM

The Thiel Foundation has awarded its first six Breakout Labs grants, the company’s revolutionary revolving fund to promote innovation in science and technology.

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Eclipse wins exclusive worldwide antibody license from Dytax

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 09:58 AM

Burlington, Mass.-based biopharmaceutical company Dyax has granted Eclipse Therapeutics, a privately held oncology company of San Diego, exclusive worldwide license for the development and commercialization of preclinical fully-human antibodies discovered using Dyax's gold-standard phage display technology for use in oncology indications.

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