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.

Fluxion Biosciences signs distribution agreement with DI Biotech and Novel Science

Fluxion Biosciences announced today that it has expanded its sales and service network into Asia. The company signed a distribution agreement for its BioFlux™ line with Korea-based DI Biotech. A second agreement with Novel Science covers sales of both the BioFlux and IonFlux™ platforms in Japan. Fluxion has also sold its first BioFlux 1000 system into China.

From Fluxion Biosciences 4 Dec 2009

Santaris Pharma's LNA technology based microRNA-targeted therapy holds promise for HCV

A study published online in this week's Science shows that SPC3649, a breakthrough microRNA-targeted therapy developed by Santaris Pharma A/S using its proprietary Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) technology, holds promise as a novel treatment for patients infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

4 Dec 2009

StemCells welcomes NIH's approval of the first 13 human embryonic stem cell lines for research

StemCells, Inc. announced today that it welcomes the approval yesterday by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the first 13 human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines for use in NIH-funded research under the NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research adopted in July 2009.

4 Dec 2009

Pfizer announces a $9M cancer research collaboration in British Columbia

Pfizer is entering into a three-year, $9-million research collaboration with the BC Cancer Agency and the Vancouver Prostate Centre, a University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) Centre of Excellence, to tackle new treatment avenues for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. This is the single-largest investment by Pfizer into British Columbia's public research sector, and it recognizes the strength and world-class cancer expertise that resides in this province.

4 Dec 2009

ISIS-FXIRx and ISIS-SMNRx included in Isis Pharmaceuticals' development pipeline

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has added two new drugs to its development pipeline, ISIS-FXIRx and ISIS-SMNRx.

4 Dec 2009

Discovery of antibiotic molecule may lead to the development of potent antibacterial drugs

An antibiotic that binds to a well-established target in a novel and unexpected way could be the inspiration for designing new, more potent antibacterial drugs.

4 Dec 2009

Caliper Life Sciences releases Living Image 4.0 software for its IVIS in vivo imaging systems

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery and life sciences research, today introduced Living Image 4.0 software for IVIS® in vivo imaging systems. Living Image software drives the more than 800 Caliper IVIS systems currently installed in laboratories worldwide.

3 Dec 2009

NOXXON Pharma achieves important milestone in drug discovery

NOXXON Pharma AG (NOXXON), the biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel medicines based on its unique proprietary Spiegelmer® technology, announced today the achievement of an important milestone in its drug discovery and development partnership with Eli Lilly and Company.

3 Dec 2009

A leader in the fight against brain diseases and in drug discovery joins UF

A leader in the fight against brain diseases and in drug discovery to help Alzheimer's patients has joined the University of Florida College of Medicine, interim dean Michael Good, M.D., announced.

2 Dec 2009

Future likely to witness improved therapies and novel drugs to treat lifestyle disorders

Increasing genomic knowledge will lead to the development of improved therapies to treat lifestyle disorders. In the near future, the European lifestyle disorders therapeutics market is set to witness enhanced therapies and novel drugs to treat such conditions and reduce the risk of co-morbidities.

2 Dec 2009

FORMA Therapeutics closes Series B financing to a total of $25.5 million

FORMA Therapeutics today announced that it has closed on a Series B financing that raised a total of $25.5 million. The round was led by new investor Lilly Ventures, with participation from existing investors Novartis Option Fund and Bio*One Capital of Singapore.

1 Dec 2009

UC3M researchers developing a prototype for extracting drug interactions

A pharmacological interaction occurs when the effects of a one drug are modified by the presence of another. The consequences can be harmful if the interaction causes an increase in the toxicity of the drug or if it diminishes its effect, possibly even causing the patient's death, in the worst case scenario. At present, there are databases for checking possible interactions between drugs administered to patients, but the main problem is that many of the databases are not updated for three years.

1 Dec 2009

European Patent Office grants patent EP1392642 for 4SC AG's lead auto-immune compound

4SC AG, a drug discovery and development company, today announced that the European Patent Office has granted patent EP1392642, which covers its lead auto-immune compound 4SC-101.

1 Dec 2009

Merck to commence MK-6913 phase IIa efficacy trial for treatment of hot flashes/hot flushes

The Swedish biotech company Karo Bio today announced that Merck & Co., Inc., through an affiliate, plans to enter a clinical phase IIa trial with the collaboration's lead investigational drug candidate, MK-6913, identified as part of their joint research collaboration. No milestone payment to Karo Bio is associated with the initiation of phase II clinical development.

26 Nov 2009

Researchers uncover atomic-level action of ring-shaped protein motors

The atomic-level action of a remarkable class of ring-shaped protein motors has been uncovered by researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) using a state-of-the-art protein crystallography beamline at the Advanced Light Source (ALS).

25 Nov 2009

Oxagen completes £16 Million Series C round funding

Oxagen Limited, a drug discovery and development company specializing in inflammation, announced today the successful completion of a £16 Million ($26.7 Million) Series C round led by Novartis Venture Funds.

24 Nov 2009

DSS sets evidence-based guidelines and definitions to treat type 2 diabetes

A first-of-its-kind consensus statement on diabetes surgery is published online today in the Annals of Surgery. The report illustrates the findings of the first international consensus conference -- Diabetes Surgery Summit (DSS) -- where an international group of more than 50 scientific and medical experts agreed on a set of evidence-based guidelines and definitions that are meant to guide the use and study of gastrointestinal surgery to treat type 2 diabetes. The document is considered to be the foundation of diabetes surgery as a medical discipline of its own.

24 Nov 2009

New technology developed to rapidly identify compounds for the treatment of heart failure

Research conducted by University of Minnesota scientists, in collaboration with Celladon Corporation, has led to the invention of technology to more rapidly identify compounds for the treatment of heart failure.

24 Nov 2009

Jubilant Organosys, UAB and Southern Research Institute announce joint venture to accelerate global drug development

Jubilant Organosys, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Southern Research Institute today announced a joint venture that will focus on leveraging their collective innovation and enabling technologies in the areas of Oncology, Metabolic Disease and Infectious Diseases. It is a unique U.S.-India arbitraged and leveraged partnership that will accelerate the development of affordable therapies for patients worldwide.

24 Nov 2009

Asterand extends its collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb

Asterand plc, a leading provider of human tissue and human tissue-based services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery research, today announced that it has extended its collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) for access to Asterand's products and services for up to three years.

23 Nov 2009

Drug Discovery News and Research

Further Reading

Fluxion Biosciences signs distribution agreement with DI Biotech and Novel Science

Santaris Pharma's LNA technology based microRNA-targeted therapy holds promise for HCV

StemCells welcomes NIH's approval of the first 13 human embryonic stem cell lines for research

Pfizer announces a $9M cancer research collaboration in British Columbia

ISIS-FXIRx and ISIS-SMNRx included in Isis Pharmaceuticals' development pipeline

Discovery of antibiotic molecule may lead to the development of potent antibacterial drugs

Caliper Life Sciences releases Living Image 4.0 software for its IVIS in vivo imaging systems

NOXXON Pharma achieves important milestone in drug discovery

A leader in the fight against brain diseases and in drug discovery joins UF

Future likely to witness improved therapies and novel drugs to treat lifestyle disorders

FORMA Therapeutics closes Series B financing to a total of $25.5 million

UC3M researchers developing a prototype for extracting drug interactions

European Patent Office grants patent EP1392642 for 4SC AG's lead auto-immune compound

Merck to commence MK-6913 phase IIa efficacy trial for treatment of hot flashes/hot flushes

Researchers uncover atomic-level action of ring-shaped protein motors

Oxagen completes £16 Million Series C round funding

DSS sets evidence-based guidelines and definitions to treat type 2 diabetes

New technology developed to rapidly identify compounds for the treatment of heart failure

Jubilant Organosys, UAB and Southern Research Institute announce joint venture to accelerate global drug development

Asterand extends its collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb

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