Biotechnology News and Research

RSS

Vertex exercises option to purchase additional $25 million notes

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that the underwriter for its offering of 3.35% convertible senior subordinated notes due 2015 has exercised in full its option to purchase an additional $25 million aggregate principal amount of notes. The exercise of the option brings the total aggregate principal amount of notes sold in the offering to $400 million

27 Sep 2010

Amgen announces voluntary recall of certain lots of EPOGEN and PROCRIT

Amgen announced today that certain lots of EPOGEN® and PROCRIT® (Epoetin alfa) vials are being voluntarily recalled from specialty distributors, wholesalers, pharmacies and healthcare providers as a precaution. The product that is being recalled may contain extremely thin glass flakes (lamellae) that are barely visible in most cases. The lamellae result from the interaction of the formulation with glass vials over the shelf life of the product.

24 Sep 2010

Oncothyreon to receive $14.9 million on close of private placement

Oncothyreon Inc., announced it has entered into a securities purchase agreement in connection with a private placement. Upon the closing of the private placement, Oncothyreon will receive gross proceeds of approximately $14.9 million resulting from the sale of approximately 4.24 million units at a purchase price of $3.50 per unit.

24 Sep 2010

Cylene commences CX-4945 Phase I trial in multiple myeloma

Cylene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial of their first-in-class, oral CK2 inhibitor CX-4945 in patients with multiple myeloma. Cylene also announced the simultaneous closing of a $12 million financing with participation from existing investors including Sanderling Ventures, HBM BioVentures (Cayman) Ltd., Novartis BioVenture Fund, BioVentures Investors, Lilly Ventures, Mitsui & Co. and Morningside Venture Investments Ltd.

24 Sep 2010

Origin Biotechnology reaches worldwide agreement with Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences for Bt-gene

Origin Biotechnology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Origin Agritech Limited announced it has reached an comprehensive, worldwide agreement with the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). CAAS jointly own the rights to the internally developed Bt-gene.

24 Sep 2010

Preclinical data of novel drug-resistant hypertension therapy presented at TCT 2010

Preclinical data of a novel therapy designed to treat drug-resistant hypertension (high blood pressure) was presented Tuesday, September 21st, at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2010 Conference in Washington, DC, by Christopher D. Owens, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor in Residence, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University of California, San Francisco.

24 Sep 2010

PAREXEL Consulting releases two new white papers on biosimilar development

PAREXEL Consulting, a business unit of PAREXEL International and leading global life sciences consultancy serving the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries, today released two new white papers from leading biosimilar experts that provide key insights into emerging areas of biosimilar development.

From Parexel 24 Sep 2010

Researchers identify mechanism that makes bacteria to resist antibiotics

A research team led by Edward Yu of Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory has discovered the crystal structures of pumps that remove heavy metal toxins from bacteria, making them resistant to antibiotics.

24 Sep 2010

CIC proposes criteria to improve endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC), the leading global initiative in advancing the emerging field of immuno-oncology, has proposed criteria for improved endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials, which were published online on September 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

24 Sep 2010

NeoStem signs merger agreement to acquire Progenitor Cell Therapy

NeoStem, Inc. an international biopharmaceutical company with operations in the U.S. and China and Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC a privately held cell therapy company that serves the cell therapy industry from licensed, state-of-the art cell therapy manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and California today jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement whereby NeoStem will acquire Progenitor Cell Therapy.

24 Sep 2010

BioSeek signs two-year agreement with Cellzome

Asterand plc, a leading provider of human tissue and human tissue-based research services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery research, today announced that its subsidiary BioSeek, LLC, a pioneer in the application of predictive human biology to drug discovery, has signed a two-year agreement with Cellzome.

24 Sep 2010

Biothera receives SBIR award to evaluate therapeutic potential of Imprime PGG drug in pancreatic cancer

Biothera has received a National Cancer Institute SBIR award to evaluate the therapeutic potential of its drug candidate Imprime PGG in pancreatic cancer, the company announced today.

24 Sep 2010

Cardialysis and Sticares InterACT announce strategic collaboration

Cardialysis and Sticares InterACT, both Contract Research Organizations (CROs) headquartered in The Netherlands, announced today that they have entered into a strategic collaboration to provide drug development consulting services in the field of cardiovascular and metabolic medicine. Both organizations have substantial experience and success in the execution of clinical research projects for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies.

23 Sep 2010

CytomX Therapeutics completes $30 million Series B financing

CytomX Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on the development of proteolytically-activated antibodies, today announced it has completed a $30 million Series B financing.

23 Sep 2010

BioCision launches CryoPrep System for cell freezing procedures

BioCision LLC, the CoolPrep company, announced today that it has expanded its line of innovative benchtop sample handling tools with the launch of the CryoPrep System, a modular complete solution for cell freezing procedures.

23 Sep 2010

Vertex Pharmaceuticals agrees to sell 3.35% convertible senior subordinated notes due 2015

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell $375.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.35% convertible senior subordinated notes due 2015.

23 Sep 2010

MDS Nordion, Isotope enter framework agreement

MDS Nordion, a leading provider of products and services to the global health science market, today announced it has entered into a framework agreement with The Open Joint Stock Company "Isotope" the authorized subsidiary of Rosatom State Corporation, to explore and define areas of collaboration in the field of supply, marketing and sale of isotopes produced in Russia.

23 Sep 2010

Athersys presents MultiStem phase I study results at TCT Conference

Athersys, Inc. announced at its presentation at the Transvascular Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference held in Washington, D.C., updated results from its phase I clinical trial of MultiStem, its allogeneic cell therapy product, administered to individuals following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

23 Sep 2010

LWW and Ovid enter collaboration with Joanna Briggs Institute

Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy, has announced an exclusive partnership with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), a recognized global leader in evidence-based healthcare resources based at the University of Adelaide, Australia, as part of an expansion of the nursing, allied health, and medical content delivered to customers of products in the Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) journals and Ovid brands.

23 Sep 2010

Scarab Genomics, Lonza enter sales agreement for Clean Genome technology

Scarab Genomics, a pioneer in the world of E. coli genomics and production strains, and Lonza, a world leader in biopharmaceutical development and production, announced today the companies have entered into a preferred marketing and sales agreement for Scarab Genomics' Clean Genome E. coli. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

23 Sep 2010