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.

Scientists discover additional Alzheimer's proteins in the tangles

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health in the United States have made an important discovery that should forever change the scope and direction of Alzheimer's research. Specifically, they have discovered that the protein tangles which are a hallmark of the disease involve at least three different proteins rather than just one.

2 Nov 2011

Astex to present data on direct acting antiviral agents against HCV at 62nd AASLD meeting

Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics, announced that it will present data on its novel, first-in-class direct acting antiviral agents (DAA) against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in San Francisco, November 4-8, 2011.

31 Oct 2011

Researcher's compound disables bacteria instead of killing them

After 70 years, antibiotics are still the primary treatment for halting the spread of bacterial infections. But the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is now outpacing the rate of new drug discovery and approval. A microbiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has discovered a different approach: Instead of killing the bacteria, why not disarm them, quashing disease without the worry of antibiotic resistance?

29 Oct 2011

Merck third quarter global sales increase 8% to $12.0 billion

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2011.

29 Oct 2011

UCB, Emerald BioStructures extend structure-based drug discovery collaboration

Emerald BioStructures today announced a three-year extension of its ongoing collaboration with UCB. The strategic aspects of this renewed relationship will provide Emerald with research funding over the three-year period and the opportunity to receive milestones and royalties on future drug product revenues.

27 Oct 2011

Medco, Pfizer and UBC collaborate to enhance precision medicine approach

Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has established a research collaboration with Medco Health Solutions, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, United BioSource Corporation (UBC), aimed at more effectively matching patients with treatments that will benefit them the most, thereby improving patient outcomes.

27 Oct 2011

Taconic and Oncodesign announce agreement to co-promote and co-develop solutions to advance oncology research

Taconic, a leading provider of life sciences solutions, and Oncodesign(R), an innovative leader in the discovery of novel anti-cancer therapies, announce today that they have entered into an agreement to co-develop and co-promote pre-clinical oncology in vivo solutions for researchers worldwide. The agreement provides researchers with improved access to a large, diverse portfolio of translational models for use in pre-clinical oncology studies, along with supporting scientific services.

24 Oct 2011

Tokyo Medical University enters RA research collaboration with Progenra

Progenra, Inc. announced today it has entered in to a research collaboration with Dr. Toshihiro Nakajima, Professor, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University.

24 Oct 2011

UH scientists recommend new drug strategies for chronic diseases

Researchers at the University of Houston (UH) are recommending a new strategy for developing drugs to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases.

21 Oct 2011

JHU, Eisai enter drug-discovery research collaboration for brain disorders

The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) has entered into a drug-discovery research collaboration with Eisai, a pharmaceutical company based in Tokyo, to develop proprietary small-molecule drugs for a range of brain conditions such as schizophrenia, pain, brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease.

20 Oct 2011

SomaLogic, Novartis enter multi-year research agreement

SomaLogic, Inc., announced today that it has entered into a multi-year research agreement with Novartis to use its unique proprietary proteomics technology to accelerate Novartis' drug discovery and development efforts.

19 Oct 2011

HMS launches Initiative in Systems Pharmacology

Taking aim at the alarming slowdown in the development of new and lifesaving drugs, Harvard Medical School is launching an Initiative in Systems Pharmacology, a comprehensive strategy to transform drug discovery by convening biologists, chemists, pharmacologists, physicists, computer scientists and clinicians to explore together how drugs work in complex systems.

18 Oct 2011

TPP, University of Dundee sign collaboration agreement for drug development fund

TPP Global Development Ltd announced a collaboration agreement with the University of Dundee to establish a drug development fund.

18 Oct 2011

ChemoCentryx commences CCX168 Phase II trial in ANCA-associated vasculitis

ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial for CCX168, an orally-administered small molecule for the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), a disease which can lead to renal and pulmonary failure.

18 Oct 2011

Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute organizes Drug Discovery in Academia symposium

A symposium to be hosted by the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute (BSi) on Oct. 18 at the Baltimore Convention Center will bring together the pharmaceutical industry and academic-based research institutions with the common goal of exploring how the two can best work together to enhance and facilitate the discovery of new drugs.

15 Oct 2011

WuXi PharmaTech announces acquisition of Abgent

WuXi PharmaTech Inc., a leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device research and development services company with operations in China and the United States, today announced the acquisition of Abgent, Inc., a provider of biological research reagent products and services based in Suzhou, China, and San Diego, California.

14 Oct 2011

Isis designates ISIS-AATRx candidate in collaboration with GSK

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has designated the second development candidate, ISIS-AATRx, in its collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline

12 Oct 2011

Progenra, Ono enter ubiquitin pathway research collaboration

Progenra, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Under the agreement, Progenra will collaborate with Ono to conduct assay development and high throughput screening by using Progenra's proprietary technology on multiple targets in the ubiquitin pathway.

11 Oct 2011

Vertex announces availability of INCIVEK to treat hepatitis C in Canada

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that INCIVEK (telaprevir) tablets are now available in Canada for people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis.

11 Oct 2011

Nexcelom to distribute FCS Express 4 Cytometry Software

De Novo Software, a leading provider of flow and image cytometry data analysis solutions, and Nexcelom Bioscience, a leading supplier of cell counting and analysis products for bioresearch and drug discovery, announced today a licensing agreement enabling Nexcelom to distribute De Novo Software's flagship product, FCS Express 4 Software.

11 Oct 2011