R&D Trends

Focused Ultrasound Foundation to launch research initiative

Friday, September 6, 2013 02:45 PM

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Royal Philips have entered into a public-private collaboration with The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The partnership will create a focal point for ultrasound therapy research at ICR and The Royal Marsden in London under the international Focused Ultrasound Foundation Centers of Excellence Program.

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Almac partners for cancer research in Northern Ireland

Friday, September 6, 2013 02:42 PM

Almac Discovery has announced a $20.2million partnership with the Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) to accelerate cancer-focused drug discovery in Northern Ireland.

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Heidelberg Pharma, Roche ink license agreement

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 03:57 PM

Germany-based Heidelberg Pharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilex, has signed a license agreement with Roche covering the development of a novel class of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) based on Heidelberg Pharma’s patented technology to couple α-Amanitin to antibodies. The license agreement covers initial joint research to apply this technology to multiple Roche antibodies towards the identification of development candidates with favorable efficacy/safety profiles.

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Enanta receives additional $9.2m funding from NIAID

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 03:54 PM

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the NIH, has agreed to provide additional funding of $9.2 million to its existing contract with Enanta Pharmaceuticals, an R&D-focused biotechnology company dedicated to creating small molecule drugs in the infectious disease field, to fund preclinical and early clinical development for a new class of bridged bicyclic antibiotics known as Bicyclolides.

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NICE responds to article in The Times

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 03:45 PM

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has called on pharmaceutical companies to question the development costs of new medicines.

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MRC Technology, Parkinson’s U.K. launch “call for targets”

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:27 PM

MRC Technology, a technology transfer organization, and Parkinson’s U.K., a support and research charity, have announced a joint “call for targets.” The call aims to identify and fund either one or two projects focused on potential small molecule or antibody targets to slow, stop or reverse the progression of Parkinson’s. The call to academic researchers seeks to fund target validation and proof-of-concept studies prior to initiating a full-scale drug discovery project.

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Brisk pace of drug outsourcing deals continues in first half of 2013

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:26 PM

Crosstree Capital Partners, an investment banking company specializing in advising middle market companies in the drug and device outsourcing industry, has released its second quarter 2013 Drug and Device Outsourcing Industry Monitor.

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VelaLabs, Evercyte collaborate for biosimilar characterization

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:25 PM

VelaLabs, a provider of analytical services to the global biopharmaceutical industry, and Evercyte, a producer of standardized, relevant cell systems, are cooperating to commercialize immortalized target cells for the characterization of biosimilars in a GMP environment.

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SLAS expands global operations with Brussels office

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:21 PM

The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS), an international community of more than 15,000 individual scientists, engineers, researchers and technologists from academic, government and commercial laboratories, has opened a European office in Brussels, Belgium. The SLAS Europe office becomes the Society’s third on three different continents, joining operations in Shanghai, China, and SLAS global headquarters in Chicago.

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Baxter, Coherus Biosciences collaborate

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:09 PM

Baxter International and Coherus Biosciences, a San Francisco Bay area-based clinical stage, pure-play biosimilar company, have entered into an exclusive collaboration to develop and commercialize a biosimilar to etanercept for Europe, Canada and Brazil. Biosimilars are intended to be used in place of existing, branded biologics to treat a range of chronic and often life-threatening diseases and have the potential to reduce costs and expand patient access.

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