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Astellas Pharma, OSI Pharmaceuticals sign definitive merger agreement

Astellas Pharma Inc., a global pharmaceutical company, and OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company primarily focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of molecular targeted therapies addressing medical needs in oncology, diabetes and obesity, today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Astellas will acquire OSI.

17 May 2010

Genes living in the outskirts of chromosomes more prone to duplication: Study

The ability of yeast cells to convert sugar to alcohol, the key process in the production of beer and wine, can be attributed to a remarkable evolutionary process. The genes that allow yeast to digest sugars in fruits and grains have been duplicated several times over the course of time - allowing for optimal conversion of different types of sugars (such as sucrose and maltose) into alcohol.

17 May 2010

3SBio's first-quarter 2010 total net revenues up 40.5%

3SBio Inc., a leading China-based biotechnology company focused on researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing biopharmaceutical products, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

17 May 2010

Cell Therapeutics' Special Meeting of Shareholders adjourned to June 4, 2010

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the Company has adjourned today's Special Meeting of Shareholders to 10:00 am Pacific Daylight Time, Friday, June 4, 2010.

15 May 2010

NASDAQ Biotechnology Index semi-annual re-ranking to become effective May 24, 2010

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. announced today the results of the semi-annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index®, which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, May 24, 2010.

15 May 2010

Athersys presents data supporting MultiStem programs

Athersys, Inc. today presented data supporting its MultiStem® programs in cardiovascular disease, neurological disease and immune system modulation, and highlighted advancements in other areas, including progress in its drug development program in the area of obesity.

15 May 2010

Exelixis granted stock option to purchase shares of common stock, restricted stock units

Exelixis, Inc. announced that today it granted a nonstatutory stock option to purchase 32,500 shares of Exelixis common stock and restricted stock units representing an aggregate of 37,750 shares of Exelixis common stock to nine new employees.

15 May 2010

Omnicare extends Early Tender Deadline of tender offer for 6.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013

Omnicare, Inc., announced today that is has extended the Early Tender Deadline of the tender offer and consent solicitation for its outstanding 6.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 18, 2010, unless further extended.

15 May 2010

Biovest International announces filing of proposed Plan of Reorganization

Biovest International, Inc. today announced that the Company filed its proposed Plan of Reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division. With this filing, Biovest is positioned to emerge from Chapter 11 protection this summer as a fully restructured company.

15 May 2010

US Oncology Specialty passes VAWD accreditation program

US Oncology, Inc.'s Fort Worth, Texas distribution facility, US Oncology Specialty, LP, has once again successfully passed the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors program's comprehensive criteria review and on-site inspection.

15 May 2010

Merck, Cardiome Pharma show superiority of BRINAVESS to amiodarone injection

In a new Phase III study, BRINAVESSTM (vernakalant) intravenous, an investigational compound being developed in the European Union by Merck (known as MSD outside the USA and Canada) and Cardiome Pharma Corp. to treat atrial fibrillation, showed that BRINAVESS was superior to amiodarone injection, in converting patients' heart rate from atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm (SR) within 90 minutes of the start of administration.

15 May 2010

AutoImmune stockholders vote in favor of voluntary dissolution

AutoImmune Inc. today announced that its stockholders have voted in favor of the company's voluntary dissolution pursuant to a Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution at a special meeting of stockholders held on May 11, 2010. Stockholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the dissolution of the company pursuant to the Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution, with the proposal receiving an affirmative vote from approximately 99% of the votes cast at the special meeting of stockholders.

15 May 2010

Neogenix awarded Emerging Company of the Year by TCM

Neogenix Oncology, Inc., announced today that they were awarded "Emerging Company of the Year" by The Tech Council of Maryland, the state's largest technology trade association at its 22nd Annual Tech Awards including more than 800 technology and business leaders from around the region.

15 May 2010

Dyadic International reports $1.1 million net loss for first-quarter 2010

Dyadic International, Inc., a leading-edge biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of specialty enzyme products and solutions for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme and biopharmaceutical industries, today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

15 May 2010

Amgen submits BLA for denosumab subcutaneous RANK Ligand inhibitor

Amgen Inc. today announced the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for denosumab, a subcutaneous RANK Ligand inhibitor. The BLA submission summarizes clinical experience from nearly 6,900 patients across 18 clinical studies, including approximately 5,700 patients with advanced cancer in the three, pivotal, Phase 3, head-to-head trials versus Zometa® (zoledronic acid).

15 May 2010

U.S. healthcare practitioners can resume use of Rotarix, says FDA

GlaxoSmithKline announced that the Food and Drug Administration has determined that U.S. healthcare practitioners can resume the use of Rotarix (Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral), effective immediately. This action supersedes the FDA's recommendation from March 22, 2010 and reflects the agency's assessment that the presence of porcine circovirus type 1 in the vaccine poses no safety risk.

15 May 2010

FDA assigns Cadence Pharmaceuticals' OFIRMEV NDA new PDUFA action date

Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the OFIRMEV™ (acetaminophen) injection New Drug Application (NDA) resubmission as a complete Class 2 response to the FDA's February 10, 2010 action letter and assigned a new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of November 4, 2010.

15 May 2010

FDA grants tentative approval for Teva's Cinacalcet HCl Tablets ANDA

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted tentative approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Cinacalcet HCl Tablets 30, 60 & 90 mg.

15 May 2010

BioMS reports consolidated net income of $6.5M for first-quarter 2010 compared to net loss of $3.8M in 2009

BioMS Medical Corp., today announced financial and operational results for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

15 May 2010

Nymox attributes increase in first-quarter net losses to higher clinical trial expenditures

Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation announced today its financial results for the first quarter of 2010. Nymox reported a net loss of $1,269,550, or $0.04 per share for the quarter ending March 31, 2010, compared to $1,004,259, or $0.03 per share for same period in 2009. Net losses include stock compensation charges of $195,220 in 2010 and $309,650 in 2009.

14 May 2010