Breaking News on Contract Research, Manufacturing & Clinical Trials

News in brief

VenturiOne v3 launched for batch analysis

02-Dec-2008 - Applied Cytometry (AC) hopes its VenturiOne v3 software, which is capable of processing 400 files in under 10 seconds, will win over drug developers looking to expedite large-scale laboratory analysis.

Quintiles gets bigger in cancer with TMD purchase

02-Dec-2008 - Quintiles Transnational has boosted its array of services for companies developing cancer drugs via the purchase of Illinois, US-based firm Targeted Molecular Diagnostics.

US has plenty to CRO about

27-Nov-2008 - The US CRO market is predicted to have a healthy future, with the greatest potential for growth in the preclinical sector, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.

ProImmune service spikes immunogenic biologics

24-Nov-2008 - UK company ProImmune has launched a suite of services to help drugmakers determine at an early stage whether a biologic drug will elicit an immune response in humans.

Smithers sets up formulation unit

17-Nov-2008 - US company Smithers Group has launched a formulation services company to tap into the emerging trend towards outsourcing of drug development among pharmaceutical companies.

Pfizer taps WuXi for preclinical services

13-Nov-2008 - Chinese contract research organisation WuXi PharmaTech has won a three-year contract with Pfizer to provide in vitro testing services.

Covance plans for preclinical in China

27-Oct-2008 - Covance has given more details of its plans for China, with CEO Joe Herring suggesting there will not be a big shift in work from the US and Europe to the nation.

AgilityBio and Advinus focus on preclinical imaging

23-Oct-2008 - AgilityBio, a division of BioImagene, and Advinus Therapeutics, have teamed up to bolt on imaging services to the latter’s existing preclinical development offering.

J&J gets tighter with WuXi PharmaTech

20-Oct-2008 - Johnson & Johnson has tapped Chinese WuXi PharmaTech for additional R&D services, following the trend towards high-level, strategic collaborations between drugmakers and contract research organisations.

Tepnel expands genetic services portfolio

16-Oct-2008 - Tepnel Life Sciences has expanded its pharmaceutical services offering by becoming the UK’s first genetic analysis services provider to use Illumina’s next-generation iScan system.

Charles River opens preclinical centre in Shanghai

16-Oct-2008 - Charles River Laboratories has opened a new preclinical development facility in Shanghai, China which, the firm says, will act as a centre of excellence and help strengthen its position in the global outsourcing market.

Bio-Quant expands animal diagnostic services

09-Oct-2008 - San Diego-based biotechnology contract research organisation (CRO) Bio-Quant has expanded its animal diagnostic services offering to cover all nine species used in medical research.

Tripos to work with AZ on drug design software

09-Oct-2008 - Drug discovery informatics and services provider Tripos International has continued to flourish under the ownership of Vector Capital and is collaborating with AstraZeneca (AZ) to improve drug discovery workflows.

WuXi, Covance split before deal is consummated

06-Oct-2008 - The much-trumpeted partnership between China’s WuXi PharmaTech and Covance to provide ‘world class preclinical research services’ has been called off.

Astech REACTS to pharma’s automation needs

28-Sep-2008 - UK-based automation expert, Astech Projects, has been signed up to assist a ‘top 5 pharmaceutical company’ just months after launching its new automation maintenance service.

India’s biotech industry a “sunrise sector”

27-Sep-2008 - Indian pharmaceutical companies are making their first forays in the biotechnology arena, helping the market expand from a standing start at the beginning of the decade to reach a value of $2bn in 2006-7, according to a recent report from KPMG.

Phylogeny launches first in situ miRNA detection service

23-Sep-2008 - Phylogeny has launched the first microRNA (miRNA) in situ hybridisation detection service to help scientists delve deeper into the mechanisms controlling key biological processes.

ChanTest to increase range of ion channel services

23-Sep-2008 - Ion channel expert ChanTest is expanding its range of ion channel services and cell lines that help identify promising target compounds and those that could cause harmful side effects.

Pharmaceutical Profiles the effects of diabetes drug

18-Sep-2008 - UK-based Pharmaceutical Profiles has used an imaging technique known as scintigraphy to quantify the effects of Amylin / Eli Lilly’s latest diabetes drug on the stomach.

Charles River expands Discovery Services

17-Sep-2008 - Charles River Laboratories has agreed to buy US-based drug discovery imaging expert Molecular Imaging Research, Inc. (MIR) for approximately $12.5m (€8.8m) in cash.

Assay Depot: ‘Ebay’ for drug discovery services debuts

16-Sep-2008 - Assay Depot, a new online marketplace which allows bench researchers around the world to choose and buy a broad range of drug discovery services, went live yesterday.

BioReliance expands to keep pace with GeneTox demand

11-Sep-2008 - BioReliance has had to significantly expand its Rockville, US, facility and hire new staff in order to accommodate the growing demand for its genetic toxicology (GeneTox) testing services.

Tripos looks to the future with Pharsight acquisition

11-Sep-2008 - Drug discovery informatics and services provider, Tripos International, has agreed to buy Pharsight Corporation, a provider of software and strategic services for clinical drug development.

New investment to help Quotient grow even faster

08-Sep-2008 - UK analytical services expert, Quotient Bioscience has received a significant equity investment from TA Associates to help further the firm’s acquisition-led and organic growth strategy.