R&D Trends

GSK, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to develop muscular dystrophy therapeutics

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 10:19 AM

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have formed a partnership to develop therapeutics to treat an inherited form of muscular dystrophy.

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Isis, AstraZeneca form strategic alliance on RNA therapeutics for cancer

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 09:51 AM

Isis Pharmaceuticals of Carlsbad, Calif., and global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have formed a strategic alliance for the discovery and development of novel generation antisense therapeutics against five cancer targets, which includes a license to develop and commercialize ISIS-STAT3Rx, a drug Isis is currently evaluating in an early clinical trial in patients with advanced lymphomas.

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Biogen Idec, Isis collaborate on antisense programs for neurological disorders

Monday, December 10, 2012 11:54 AM

Weston, Mass.-based Biogen Idec and Isis Pharmaceuticals of Carlsbad, Calif., have entered into a global collaboration agreement to discover and develop antisense drugs against three undisclosed targets to treat neurological or neuromuscular disorders. Biogen Idec and Isis are already collaborating on antisense drugs to treat spinal muscular atrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1 under previously established collaborations.

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Drug discovery services market to reach $16.6B in 2015

Monday, December 10, 2012 10:09 AM

A new report by visiongain, an independent media company based in London, predicts that the world market for drug discovery outsourcing will reach $16.6 billion in 2015. That revenue forecast and others appear in “DrugDiscovery Outsourcing: World Market 2013-2023,” published in November 2012.

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UT MD Anderson, GSK collaborate on new approach to cancer immune therapy

Friday, December 7, 2012 02:06 PM

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have signed a research collaboration and license agreement to develop new therapeutic antibodies that promote an immune system attack against cancer.

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Former Merck Serono headquarters in Geneva could host a new Wyss Institute

Friday, December 7, 2012 01:43 PM

A dedicated consortium comprised of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Dr. Hansjörg Wyss and the Bertarelli family has developed a project to convert part of the former Merck Serono site in Geneva, Switzerland, into a multi-development facility.

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MRC Tech, SIBCB collaborate on drug discovery

Friday, December 7, 2012 11:14 AM

MRC Technology, a technology transfer charity and company, has entered into a strategic drug discovery collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB), Chinese Academy of Science (CAS).

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Roche, IMI launch StemBANCC partnership for stem cells as research tools

Wednesday, December 5, 2012 02:03 PM

Switzerland-based Roche and the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), Europe's largest public-private initiative aiming to speed up the development of better and safer medicines for patients, have launched StemBANCC, a new academic–industry partnership that unites 10 pharmaceutical companies and 23 academic institutions.

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ALS TDI, Gladstone Institutes to discover potential ALS treatments

Wednesday, December 5, 2012 09:44 AM

The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), aimed at developing effective therapeutics that slow or stop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the Gladstone Institutes, a nonprofit biomedical-research organization, have formed a research collaboration to speed the discovery of potential treatments for ALS through the preclinical drug development process.

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Synthetic completes acquisition of C. difficile infectious disease program

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 08:00 AM

Synthetic Biologics, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based developer of synthetic biologics and innovative medicines for serious infections and diseases, has closed the previously announced deal with Prev AbR and acquired a series of beta-lactamase compounds (P1A, P2A and P3A) and related assets targeting the prevention of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection.

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