Drug Discovery News and Research

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The drug discovery process begins with recognizing a disease or clinical condition in which there is a lack of adequate medical treatment. Once a potential drug has been identified, pre-clinical research can begin. This process includes several stages; the first of which involves identifying and validating the prospective drug’s target through assay development, high throughput screening, hit identification and finally, lead optimization. Once the pre-clinical process is complete, the newly synthesized drug candidate is selected for future clinical development.

GENFIT's GFT505 exhibits potential to address unmet needs in prediabetic and diabetic patients

GENFIT, a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of drug discovery and development, focusing on the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, today announces positive results from a recently completed clinical trial demonstrating the activity of GFT505 on glucose homeostasis. Results from the clinical trial (GFT505-2094) clearly demonstrate the potential of the drug candidate to reduce global cardiovascular risk in prediabetic patients who suffer from impaired fasting plasma glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and abdominal obesity.

28 Jan 2010

New technology could aid in developing novel drugs and future gene therapies

Researchers in Manchester have successfully carried out the first rewire of genetic switches, creating what could be a vital tool for the development of new drugs and even future gene therapies.

From The University of Manchester 27 Jan 2010

USAN approves generic name "ulimorelin" for Tranzyme Pharma's TZP-101

Tranzyme Pharma today announced that the United States Adopted Name Council (USAN) has approved the generic name “ulimorelin” for Tranzyme’s novel, late-stage, prokinetic agent TZP-101. Ulimorelin, if approved, is expected to be a first-in-class drug for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility indications in acute care (hospital-based) settings.

27 Jan 2010

Study sheds light on cellular communication systems involved in neurodegenerative, cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Cells rely on a range of signaling systems to communicate with each other and to control their own internal workings. Scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hamburg, Germany, have now found a way to hack into a vital communications system, raising the possibility of developing new drugs to tackle disorders like neurodegeneration, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

27 Jan 2010

Jubilant Biosys, Endo Pharmaceuticals expand their drug discovery partnership in oncology

Jubilant Biosys Ltd., a subsidiary of Jubilant Organosys Ltd., and Endo Pharmaceuticals ( ENDP)., of Chadds Ford, Pa., U.S.A., announced today that they have expanded their drug discovery partnership in oncology, following the successful delivery of an early stage milestone.

27 Jan 2010

Asan Medical Center, Chemizon enter into multi-year research collaboration agreement

Asan Medical Center and Chemizon, the drug discovery division of Optomagic, Co. Ltd., announced today that they have entered into a multi-year research collaboration to discover and develop novel, small molecule oncology therapeutics.

27 Jan 2010

MDRNA granted Chinese patent for use of nucleic acids in cancer treatment

MDRNA, Inc., a leading RNAi-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has issued a Notification of Granting Patent Rights for PRC 200480018784 which includes the use of nucleic acids, e.g., an siRNA, for the treatment of cancer. The patent describes modulation of claudins, which are proteins implicated in tumor progression and metastasis.

27 Jan 2010

Pfizer becomes the latest customer of Benchware Discovery 360

Tripos®, a leading provider of drug discovery informatics products and services, today announced that Pfizer has become the latest customer of Benchware® Discovery 360 (D360). The novel license agreement allows Pfizer to deploy the capabilities of D360 to all scientists within its worldwide research sites.

27 Jan 2010

GSK announces new initiatives for addressing healthcare challenges in the world's poorest countries

Andrew Witty, Chief Executive of GlaxoSmithKline, today announced a series of new initiatives targeted at further transforming the company's approach to diseases that disproportionately affect the world's poorest countries. His announcements build on commitments made in 2009 to work in partnership, expand access to medicines and encourage new research into neglected tropical diseases.

22 Jan 2010

ACS Chemical Biology report supports zebrafish for drug development

By combining the tools of medicinal chemistry and zebrafish biology, a team of Vanderbilt investigators has identified compounds that may offer therapeutic leads for bone-related diseases and cancer.

22 Jan 2010

deCODE genetics completes sale of its Iceland-based subsidiary to Saga Investments

deCODE genetics, Inc. today announced that it has completed the previously-announced sale of its Iceland-based subsidiary deCODE genetics ehf (also known as Islensk erfdagreining) and its drug discovery and development programs to Saga Investments LLC, a private company. The sale followed approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in deCODE genetics Inc.'s ongoing proceeding under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

22 Jan 2010

MDRNA to receive European patent for its intranasal insulin formulation

MDRNA, Inc., a leading RNAi-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that the European Patent Office intends to grant a patent for application EP06826368 covering formulations for the intranasal delivery of rapid acting insulin, and its use for the treatment of diabetes.

21 Jan 2010

Growth of OMI equipment sales to reach $400M in 2014

In vivo optical molecular imaging (OMI) is poised to move into clinical use as one of the key tools in personalized medicine, complementing more established imaging tools such as CT and MRI. Growth of equipment sales is on track to reach $400 million in 2014 and nearly $1 billion by the end of the decade.

21 Jan 2010

Dosing in First-in-Man Phase I study of 4SC AG's 4SC-203 commenced

4SC AG, a drug discovery and development company, today announced the start of dosing in a First-in-Man Phase I study in healthy volunteers evaluating 4SC-203, a novel multi-target kinase inhibitor, with particular specificity against selected kinases, including FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), FLT3 mutants and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGF-R).

21 Jan 2010

GSK to offer scientists access to compounds, lab space to fight malaria

Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)'s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Witty on Tuesday unveiled the company's plans to allow "free access to its library of 13,500 potential malaria treatments and devote the profits from its experimental [RTS,S] vaccine to battling tropical illnesses that beset poor countries," Bloomberg reports (Randall, 1/20).

21 Jan 2010

Xbrane Bioscience signs licensing arrangement with Vaxiion Therapeutics

The Swedish biotech company Xbrane Bioscience and the San Diego based biotech company Vaxiion Therapeutics, Inc. have announced that they have reached a licensing arrangement granting Xbrane Bioscience rights to Vaxiion’s proprietary protein production system – the Rhamex System™.

21 Jan 2010

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals reports positive results from its LX4211 Phase 2 trial in type 2 diabetic patients

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, obtained positive results from a recently completed Phase 2 study of LX4211 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. LX4211 is a once-per-day, orally-delivered, small molecule drug candidate that inhibits the sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2), lowering the accumulation of glucose in the body and reducing caloric load.

20 Jan 2010

Varian announces the release of significant additions to its family of Pursuit LC columns

Varian, Inc. announced today the release of significant additions to its family of Pursuit™ LC (liquid chromatography) columns for pharmaceutical applications. New materials address needs from drug discovery to bioanalysis, saving time on analysis and method development.

20 Jan 2010

Fast Forward, JDRF announce collaborative partnership with Axxam SpA

Fast Forward, LLC, the commercial drug development arm of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leader in research leading to a cure for type 1 diabetes in the world today announced a collaborative partnership with Axxam SpA -- a leading company in conducting early-stage discovery research programs for the life science industry -- to develop new treatments for two autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D).

20 Jan 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents data on multiple therapeutic programs at RNAi Symposium

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced that it presented data from multiple pre-clinical and clinical programs at the “RNA Silencing: Mechanism, Biology, and Application” Keystone Symposium held January 14-19, 2010 in Keystone, Colorado. Alnylam and its collaborators presented data from Alnylam’s therapeutic programs including transthyretin (TTR)-mediated amyloidosis and Huntington’s disease, as well as new data on delivery approaches for the systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

20 Jan 2010

Drug Discovery News and Research

Further Reading

GENFIT's GFT505 exhibits potential to address unmet needs in prediabetic and diabetic patients

New technology could aid in developing novel drugs and future gene therapies

USAN approves generic name "ulimorelin" for Tranzyme Pharma's TZP-101

Study sheds light on cellular communication systems involved in neurodegenerative, cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Jubilant Biosys, Endo Pharmaceuticals expand their drug discovery partnership in oncology

Asan Medical Center, Chemizon enter into multi-year research collaboration agreement

MDRNA granted Chinese patent for use of nucleic acids in cancer treatment

Pfizer becomes the latest customer of Benchware Discovery 360

GSK announces new initiatives for addressing healthcare challenges in the world's poorest countries

ACS Chemical Biology report supports zebrafish for drug development

deCODE genetics completes sale of its Iceland-based subsidiary to Saga Investments

MDRNA to receive European patent for its intranasal insulin formulation

Growth of OMI equipment sales to reach $400M in 2014

Dosing in First-in-Man Phase I study of 4SC AG's 4SC-203 commenced

GSK to offer scientists access to compounds, lab space to fight malaria

Xbrane Bioscience signs licensing arrangement with Vaxiion Therapeutics

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals reports positive results from its LX4211 Phase 2 trial in type 2 diabetic patients

Varian announces the release of significant additions to its family of Pursuit LC columns

Fast Forward, JDRF announce collaborative partnership with Axxam SpA

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents data on multiple therapeutic programs at RNAi Symposium

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