Genomic services firm Expression Analysis has purchased the
first-ever commercially-available technology to allow the
sequencing of a single molecule of DNA, without amplification.
Applied Biosystems has sequenced a human genome for just $60,000 in
a project that significantly undercuts the $100,000 milestone
achieved by the industry and setting the scene for a price war
between DNA sequencing tool specialists.
Eli Lilly has again teamed up with Indian research firm Suven Life
Sciences in a deal that will focus on preclinical research of
molecules in the therapeutic area of central nervous system (CNS)
disorders.
Jubilant Organosys, India's largest custom research and
manufacturing services (CRAMS) provider, has scored new contracts
to the tune of $92m for the year thus far as its business continues
to gather momentum.
Europe's Novasecta has formed an alliance with Chinese contract
research organisations (CROs) Sundia Meditech and HD BioSciences to
provide their R&D services to European mid-sized biopharma
firms.
Pharmaceutical Products Development (PPD) has announced it is
moving into Russia, along with the news of positive trial results
for its statin, although profits dipped again during the fourth
quarter of 2007 as its R&D bill mounts.
WaferGen has launched a new subsidiary in Kedah, Malaysia, with the
express purpose of overseeing research and development of its
real-time PCR system.
AstraZeneca has announced a new collaboration with the University
of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center as it steps up its reliance on
external partners.
New UK Government proposals to scrap Capital Gains Tax (CGT) relief
will stifle life science innovation, according to a group of
biotech small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Although India 'has carved out a significant portion of the world
pharma pie', an enormous change in mindset is needed if the country
is to become a global pharmaceutical hub, according to a new report
from KPMG.
Galapagos' services arm has scored another lucrative contract from
big pharma - its first in the field of oncology - as it continues
to broaden its experience.
Sanofi-Aventis has decided to pull out of its skin cancer
collaboration with IDM Pharma, leaving the Californian biopharma
firm considering job cuts as a way to lower costs.
US-based MPI Research and China's Shanghai Medicilon have formed a
joint venture in preclinical services, as they position themselves
to cash in on what is a budding market sector in China.
Two French contract research organisations (CROs) that specialise
in ophthalmology have banded together to offer specialised services
to this niche market.
Merck Serono intends to forge ahead with severing its investment in
diabetes and either sell or partner out its existing research and
development (R&D) activities in this field, which it no longer
feels able to compete in effectively.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the latest drug firm to involve Galapagos
in a new development partnership, in a deal worth up to €218m for
the Belgian biotech.
Morphosys has landed in the money after scoring a lucrative 10 year
antibody development deal with Novartis and as a result, will now
place all its eggs in one basket and cut ties with its
fee-for-service customers.
GVK Bio has reinforced its claim to be India's top contract
research organisation with a 100-crore ($25m) push from a private
investment company. The funds will be used to expand its drug
discovery services and push further into...
China's second largest contract research organisation (CRO)
ShangPharma has attracted $30m (€21m) from US private
investment firm TPG as the Asian pharma market continues to simmer.
Tripos Discovery Research (TDR) has risen from the ashes
surrounding the liquidation of its previous owners Tripos, Inc. to
land a 'library enrichment' deal with Schering-Plough.
NanoImaging Services has opened what it claims is a first of its
kind fee-for-service imaging business to enable structural
characterisation and validation of biological drugs throughout the
development pipeline.
Summit (formerly VASTox) has signed a $450,000 (€312,000) deal with
one of the world's top five pharma firms to enable it to use
Summit's zebrafish-platform in its drug safety programme.
As the fires in California continue to rage, Pfizer and other
pharma and biotech companies all over Southern California are
bracing themselves for closures and even evacuations of their
facilities.
In this week's review of activity within the preclinical research
services arena, new deals have emerged involving Cato Research,
Genoway, Caliper Life Sciences and Rules-Based Medicine.
A team of US scientists have used typically discarded body parts to
create a 'joint in a test tube', which can be used to test
arthritis drugs instead of using animals.
New research has shown that even if laboratory rats are genetically
identical they can still develop distinct metabolic profiles that
could skew drug toxicity and metabolism studies.
A US start-up firm is gearing up to launch an online database where
researchers can access a variety of drug discovery service
providers across the globe.
The activity of local and international firms establishing
preclinical testing services to good laboratory practice (GLP)
standards in Asia continues to gain momentum.
Kinaxo Biotechnologies is now offering a new proteomics service to
help drug developers decide which drug candidates to move through
the preclinical process.
German pharma firm Bayer is currently discussing with Indian
company Biocon about a potential deal that would include the
co-development of new biologics with an outsourcing element,
according to Biocon.
Three of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies have signed a
landmark deal with the UK government that will see them use stem
cell technology to road-test the safety of new compounds.
Eighty-year-old Italian pharma company Recordati believes its
future lies in rare diseases and has put its money where its mouth
is by spending €135m on speciality firm Orphan Europe.
The burgeoning US contract assay services arena has witnessed the
arrival of a brand new player with the launch of ReachBio, which is
opening its business operations this week.
Bioreliance has signed a deal with Gentronix to provide the UK
firm's novel DNA damage testing tool as a service for biopharma
companies for the first time.
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