R&D Trends

Michael J. Fox Foundation launches new study arm to investigate risk factors for PD

Friday, April 26, 2013 11:09 AM

The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a landmark biomarker clinical study, has completed enrollment of its initial 600-member cohort of Parkinson's patients and controls, and will launch additional study cohorts to leverage the existing PPMI infrastructure and evaluate multiple potential biomarkers for Parkinson's disease (PD). The first of these new cohorts has launched and will investigate risk factors for PD that may enable diagnosis before the onset of motor symptoms.

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BIND Therapeutics, AstraZeneca ink cancer nanomedicine agreement

Monday, April 22, 2013 03:17 PM

BIND Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and AstraZeneca have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize an Accurin, a targeted and programmable cancer nanomedicine from BIND's medicinal nanoengineering platform, based on a molecularly targeted kinase inhibitor developed and owned by AstraZeneca.

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Merck, BMS to conduct phase II trial of MK-5172, daclatasvir for hep C

Monday, April 22, 2013 02:20 PM

Global healthcare company Merck has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb to conduct a phase II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a once-daily oral combination regimen consisting of BMS’s investigational NS5A replication complex inhibitor, daclatasvir, and Merck's investigational NS3/4A protease inhibitor, MK-5172, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, genotype 1.

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Horizon Discovery, AstraZeneca collaborate on oncology drug discovery

Monday, April 22, 2013 01:54 PM

Horizon Discovery, a provider of research tools to support translational genomics research, and AstraZeneca have entered into an exclusive collaboration and license agreement to explore Horizon's first-in-class kinase target program, HD-001, as a means of developing novel therapies for multiple cancer types.

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Shasun, Debiopharm Group ink licensing agreement for Huperzine-A

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:46 AM

Shasun Pharmaceuticals, a global pharmaceutical contracting organization, and Debiopharm Group, a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group focused on unmet medical needs, entered into a licensing agreement for the manufacturing and commercialization of Huperzine-A.

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Santaris Pharma, BMS form discovery alliance for RNA-targeted medicines

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 09:44 AM

Santaris Pharma, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on disease-related mRNAs and microRNAs, has formed a worldwide strategic alliance with Bristol-Myers Squibb to discover and develop novel medicines using Santaris Pharma's proprietary Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) Drug Platform.

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Sony, Olympus launch medical device joint venture

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 02:49 PM

Sony and Olympus have launched Sony Olympus Medical Solutions, a medical business venture that aims to align Sony's cutting-edge electronics technologies in areas such as digital imaging with Olympus' manufacturing and R&D expertise in the area of medical products including lenses and optical technologies in order to bring high-quality medical care to as many people as possible, and contribute to medical advancement worldwide.

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Catalent Biologics expands into ADCs through license with Redwood Bioscience

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 10:34 AM

Catalent Pharma Solutions has acquired an exclusive license to market Redwood Bioscience's proprietary SMARTag precision protein-chemical engineering technology for the development of advanced antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

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Inovio, U.S. Army receive $3.5M biodefense grant for mass vaccination device

Friday, April 12, 2013 11:22 AM

Inovio Pharmaceuticals has been selected to receive a $3.5 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to advance the development of its next generation DNA vaccine delivery device capable of simultaneously administering multiple synthetic vaccines via skin surface electroporation.

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Cleave Biosciences raises $10M in Series A Financing extension

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 11:13 AM

Cleave Biosciences has raised $10 million in an extension of its Series A financing from new investor New Enterprise Associates (NEA), bringing its Series A total to $54 million. In conjunction with the financing, NEA partner Robert Garland, M.D., has joined Cleave's board of directors.

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