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New Technology Showcase highlighting life science technologies to be featured

LifeScience Alley announced today that eight life science organizations from around the United States and Canada will be exhibiting cutting-edge technologies at the association’s Annual Conference on Dec. 9 as part of the New Technology Showcase.

3 Sep 2009

ODAC calls for randomized study of Vion's Onrigin injection for treatment of the elderly AML patients

VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: VION) today announced the results of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) Meeting at which data for its lead oncology therapeutic Onrigin(TM)(laromustine) Injection were presented for the indication of remission induction treatment for patients sixty years of age or older with de novo poor-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

3 Sep 2009

Biosante's CEO to present an overview of the company and its impending merger with Cell Genesys

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX) today announced that Stephen M. Simes, its president and CEO will present an overview of the company and its impending merger with Cell Genesys (NASDAQ: CEGE) at two healthcare investment and partnering conferences during the month of September.

3 Sep 2009

FDA extends review period for Endo Pharmaceuticals' testosterone undecanoate

Endo Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has been informed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the agency has extended its review period for its long-acting testosterone undecanoate injection for men diagnosed with hypogonadism, from Sept. 2, 2009 to Dec. 2, 2009.

3 Sep 2009

CORD I phase III clinical trial results of XIAFLEX published

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published in its September 3rd edition, the Company's pivotal CORD I Phase III clinical trial of XIAFLEX (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) a novel, first-in-class, biologic for the nonsurgical treatment of Dupuytren's contracture.

3 Sep 2009

Merck's SAFLUTAN launched in the UK and Spain

Merck & Co., Inc. has launched SAFLUTAN® (tafluprost) in the United Kingdom and Spain, and additional launches in other countries are expected over the next several months, pending regulatory approvals, the Company said today. SAFLUTAN is a preservative free, synthetic analogue of the prostaglandin F2α for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in appropriate patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

3 Sep 2009

MIPI to sub-license the Onalta brand 90-Y edotreotide radiotherapeutic

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has completed an agreement to sub-license its Onalta™ brand 90-Y edotreotide radiotherapeutic in certain countries in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Russia and Turkey to BioMedica Life Sciences, S.A., Athens, Greece.

3 Sep 2009

Gloucester’s romidepsin recommended for approval by the FDA Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee

Gloucester Pharmaceuticals announced today that the Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC) appointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted 10 in favor with one abstention to recommend approval of romidepsin to treat patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). CTCL is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a cancer of the immune system.

3 Sep 2009

Sinovac Biotech signs marketing agreement with Boryung Pharmaceutical Company

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Boryung Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a Korean manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, to collaborate on marketing efforts and possible vaccine supply efforts to the government of South Korea for Sinovac's H1N1 vaccine.

3 Sep 2009

Millennium's sNDA to be reviewed by the FDA

The Takeda Oncology Company today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the Company’s supplemental new drug application (sNDA) based on long- term overall survival (OS) data from the landmark VISTA1 trial examining the use of VELCADE based therapy in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma (MM).

3 Sep 2009

National Cancer Institute awards grant to Receptor Logic for breast cancer research

Receptor Logic, Inc. announced today receipt of a Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant from the National Cancer Institute. The grant, entitled “Therapeutic Effectiveness of T-Cell Receptor mimic (TCRm™) Antibodies in Breast Cancer Treatment” will accelerate Investigational New Drug Application enabling studies surrounding lead candidate TCRm antibodies.

3 Sep 2009

Algeta partners with Bayer for development and commercialization of Alpharadin drug

Algeta Retains Option for Co-promotion and Profit Sharing in USA - Potential deal value of $800 million (EUR560m*) plus tiered double digit royalties - Algeta to receive $61 million (EUR42.5m) cash upfront, followed by development and sales milestones - Algeta retains option for co-promotion and profit-sharing in USA - Algeta and Bayer will jointly develop Alpharadin, with Bayer contributing a substantial majority of the costs of future development

3 Sep 2009

Interim Phase II data of Cotara reveals signs of efficacy in GBM patients

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported that clinical investigators are presenting interim Phase II data showing that its brain cancer agent Cotara(R) appeared well tolerated and demonstrated encouraging signs of efficacy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the deadliest form of brain cancer.

3 Sep 2009

Peplin announces merger agreement with LEO Pharma

Peplin, Inc. (ASX:PLI) today announced a definitive merger agreement whereby LEO Pharma A/S (LEO), a privately-held, leading global pharmaceutical company within Dermatology and Critical Care, will acquire all outstanding securities of Peplin for approximately US$287.5 million (currently A$348.4 million) in cash. This represents a purchase price of US$16.99 per common share of Peplin stock or A$1.03 per Peplin CHESS Depositary Interest (CDI).

3 Sep 2009

Pfizer to pay $2.3 billion for health care fraud settlement

American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc. (hereinafter together "Pfizer") have agreed to pay $2.3 billion, the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice, to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products, the Justice Department announced today.

3 Sep 2009

Sepracor to be acquired by Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma for $2.6 billion

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (“DSP”, TSE: 4506) and Sepracor Inc. (“Sepracor”, Nasdaq: SEPR) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which DSP will acquire Sepracor for approximately $2.6 billion through a cash tender offer of $23.00 per share, followed by a merger to acquire all remaining outstanding Sepracor shares at the same price paid in the tender offer.

3 Sep 2009

Boron-based molecules can be used as new pharmacophores

Chemists and biologists have successfully demonstrated that specially synthesized boron compounds are readily accepted in biologically active enzymes, a move that, they say, is a proof of concept that could lead to new drug design strategies.

3 Sep 2009

Obama urges Americans to take precautions to protect themselves from H1N1

After a day of meetings with senior White House officials to discuss the U.S. preparations for H1N1 (swine) flu Tuesday, President Obama urged Americans to take the proper precautions to protect themselves from infection, the Associated Press/Boston Herald reports (9/1).

3 Sep 2009

Hong Kong's healthcare workers to refuse H1N1 vaccine, says study

According to a study released August 26, 2009 by the British Medical Journal, more than half of Hong Kong's healthcare workers surveyed said they would refuse the H1N1 shot, which is not yet available, because they are afraid of side effects and doubt how safe and effective it will be. More importantly, the study suggested the trend would be repeated worldwide.

3 Sep 2009

New method for treating hand disorder discovered

Researchers in the Department of Orthopaedics at Stony Brook University Medical Center have developed an injectable form of the enzyme, collagenase, that significantly improves outcomes of Dupuytren's contracture (or disease), a debilitating disorder caused by progressive accumulation of collagen that deforms fingers and limits motion. Reported in September 3, 2009, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, the study involved treatment of 308 patients with Duputren's disease in 16 sites nationwide. The results indicate that the injections are safe and effective.

3 Sep 2009