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IDC secures $32 million in Series B financing

Immune Design Corp. (IDC), a privately held biotechnology company focused on developing novel vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious disease and cancer, announced today that it has secured $32 million in Series B financing. The round was led by ProQuest Investments and was joined by current investors: The Column Group, Versant Ventures, and Alta Partners. The Series B financing brings the total amount of equity capital raised by IDC to $50 million since its inception in 2008.

26 Jul 2010

Nano-patch to replace needles for vaccination soon: Study

Those who fear needles have good news awaiting them. Australian researchers have developed a new method of vaccine delivery using needle-free nano-patches. These could also be mailed to people during pandemics. This breakthrough is published in the latest edition of the journal Small.

26 Jul 2010

Sartorius reports substantial gain in first half for 2010

Today Sartorius, a leading international process and laboratory technology provider, published its first-half results for 2010. Both the Biotechnology Division and the Mechatronics Division reported substantial gains in order intake and sales revenue. The two divisions expanded their business in all regions. Besides the continued strong development in the Biotechnology Division, the positive earnings contributed by the Mechatronics Division are especially encouraging, given that this division faced an exceptionally adverse business climate last year as a result of the global economic crisis.

From Sartorius 26 Jul 2010

NovImmune, Genentech sign exclusive licensing agreement for anti-IL-17 antibody

NovImmune, an antibody-focused research and development biotech company, announced today that it successfully entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Genentech Inc. a member of the Roche Group for a proprietary anti-IL-17 fully human monoclonal antibody, and access to back-up antibodies.

26 Jul 2010

Teva comments on FDA's approval of generic Lovenox injection

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. commented today on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's response to a citizen petition questioning the approval criteria for a generic Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium) injection and its subsequent approval of another generic filer's Abbreviated New Drug Application.

26 Jul 2010

MedNet announces significant improvements to EMPOWER system

MedNet Solutions, a global life sciences technology solutions company specializing in clinical study management systems, is pleased to announce significant enhancements to EMPOWER, the company's comprehensive investigator initiated - sponsored research management solution. The EMPOWER system is currently being utilized on a world-wide basis by numerous pharmaceutical and medical device companies to automate and streamline investigator research submissions, management and reporting.

26 Jul 2010

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a kind of sugar molecule common to chimpanzees, gorillas and other mammals but not found in humans provokes a strong immune response in some people, likely worsening conditions in which chronic inflammation is a major issue.

26 Jul 2010

FDA grants marketing approval of ANDA for enoxaparin sodium for injection

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex drugs, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted marketing approval of the Abbreviated New Drug Application for enoxaparin sodium for injection filed by Sandoz. Developed under a collaboration agreement between Momenta and Sandoz, this product has been designated therapeutically equivalent to the reference-listed drug, Lovenox, which is marketed by Sanofi-Aventis.

26 Jul 2010

Taiho Pharmaceutical receives approval to market ABRAXANE IV Infusion 100 mg in Japan

Abraxis BioScience, Inc., a fully integrated, global biotechnology company, today announced that Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has received approval from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to market ABRAXANE IV Infusion 100 mg, Paclitaxel Injection (Suspension with Albumin), for use in the treatment of breast cancer. The New Drug Application (J-NDA) for ABRAXANE was filed with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2008.

23 Jul 2010

Applications accepted for September 2010 CMPP examination

Applications are now being accepted for the September 2010 Certified Medical Publication Professional examination. Qualified candidates can take the three-hour exam during the September 1-30, 2010 testing window at approved locations around the globe.

23 Jul 2010

Choice between late-term abortion or keeping an unhealthy foetus

Most pregnant women whose foetus is proven to have a genetic abnormality choose to have an abortion, but reaching that decision is a painful, exhausting process for most of them. "The women's doubt, pain and sorrow make abortion more moral - in the eyes of society as well as her own," says Sølvi Marie Risøy, a researcher at the Stein Rokkan Centre for Social Studies, University of Bergen.

23 Jul 2010

Young women more likely to die in hospitals following heart attacks: Study

A new study by researchers at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has found that women between the ages of 35 and 54 were more likely to die in hospitals following heart attacks than men of a similar age. This finding from a sample of more than 423,000 patients can be seen as surprising, given that women, on average, develop their first acute myocardial infarction -- or heart attack -- about 10 years later than men, and are overall less likely to develop myocardial infarction than are men.

23 Jul 2010

ISCO to create new European subsidiary with $10 million capital funding

International Stem Cell Corporation, announced today that it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ARG Vermogensverwaltung AG, a German Investment Fund, to create a new European subsidiary ("ISCO Europe") to be funded with up to $10 million of capital derived from ARG and other independent sources in Europe. Shares of ISCO Europe are expected to trade on the Deutsche Bourse independently of the company's shares in the US. ISCO Europe's shares will not be convertible into ISCO shares on any US exchange.

23 Jul 2010

Funding for new medical ventures improving

The Dallas Morning News reports on the funding climate for health care technology startups.

23 Jul 2010

Sigma-Aldrich second-quarter sales increase 6% to $554 million

Commenting on second quarter 2010 performance, Chairman, President and CEO Jai Nagarkatti said: "Our earnings for the second quarter of 2010 continued the strong performance achieved in this year's first quarter. We are very pleased with this performance that drove our increase in diluted EPS for the first half of 2010 to 18%. Consistent with our first quarter 2010 experience, conditions were favorable in several of our markets.

22 Jul 2010

Baxter second-quarter global sales increase 2% to $3.2 billion

Baxter International Inc. today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2010, reporting earnings in line with the company's previously issued guidance of $0.90 to $0.93 per diluted share.

From Baxter International Inc. 22 Jul 2010

BioTime announces 21 new stem cell products for sale

BioTime, Inc. announced today that on August 1, 2010 the Company will be offering for sale 21 new stem cell products for research use only. These products will include the novel stem cell lines: E120 expressing the gene LGR5 useful in colon cancer drug discovery, EN16, T43, RAD20.5, RA-SKEL8, SM22, and Z1, full properties of which will be disclosed on product launch, along with differentiation kits and media for the culture of each line.

22 Jul 2010

Alexion second-quarter non-GAAP net income increases 56% to $36.9 million

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

22 Jul 2010

Affymetrix launches QuantiGene ViewRNA Assay formats

Affymetrix, Inc. today announced the launch of QuantiGene® ViewRNA Assay formats, which enable a new era of "in situ multiplex gene expression analysis" by allowing drug screening of native cells and advancing the pace of biomarker disease research and stem cell studies. These in situ assays enable researchers to visualize gene expression in individual cells at an unprecedented level of sensitivity and speed.

22 Jul 2010