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.

Isis Pharmaceuticals CEO's letter to shareholders

I would like to start by thanking you for your continuing support of Isis. We believe we are at one of the most successful moments in our history. We are truly at the end of the beginning of creating a unique company with a novel drug discovery platform, which we believe addresses many of the issues haunting the pharmaceutical industry.

23 Nov 2009

Positive interim results from Nereus Pharmaceuticals' plinabulin VDA study for advanced NSCLC

Nereus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pioneer in drug discovery from marine microbial sources, today announced positive interim results from a randomized Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the vascular disrupting agent (VDA) plinabulin (NPI-2358) in combination with standard chemotherapy (docetaxel) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

23 Nov 2009

Receptos raises $25 million through Series A financing

Receptos, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, announced the closing of a two-tranche $25 million Series A financing. The company is focused on identifying and developing best- and first-in-class GPCR therapeutic candidates through information-driven drug discovery, including GPCR structure. Investors include ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, Lilly Ventures and Venrock.

23 Nov 2009

Bio-Quant to be acquired by NexMed

NexMed, Inc., a developer of products based on the NexACT® technology, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bio-Quant, Inc., a revenue generating privately-held leading research organization for in vitro and in vivo contract drug discovery and pre-clinical development services, headquartered in San Diego, CA.

23 Nov 2009

ASTMH symposium illustrates the need to generate new medicines for infectious diseases

An urgent need for new medicines to treat neglected infectious diseases in the developing world has prompted a growing number of collaborations among academic researchers, non-profit product development partnerships (PDPs), and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

23 Nov 2009

Alzheimer Research Forum reports on the highlights of the Society of Neuroscience conference

Between 17-21 October 2009, the 39th annual conference of the Society of Neuroscience drew some 30,500 people to the great city of Chicago, which was more balmy than windy for the occasion. Your Alzforum reporters have been busy roaming the halls, buttonholing scientists for their comments on the presentations, and putting together reports on the most significant advances.

20 Nov 2009

CDAS, Prestwick Chemical sign drug discovery research agreement

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALP), a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery and life sciences research, today announced a strategic partnership between the company's contract research organization, Caliper Discovery Alliances & Services (CDAS), and Prestwick Chemical (Strasbourg, France) to provide customized outsourced medicinal chemistry and in vitro and in vivo preclinical biology programs for drug discovery research.

19 Nov 2009

Ligand Pharmaceuticals receives $2 million in milestone payments from N. V. Organon

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that it has received $2 million in milestone payments from N. V. Organon, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., stemming from its research collaboration that is due to expire at the end of December.

19 Nov 2009

Ligon Discovery raises $1 million

Ligon Discovery, Inc., which uses proprietary small molecule microarray technology to find drugs against high-value targets, today announced that it has raised $1M in seed financing led by incTANK Ventures. The company will use the capital to complete its initial discovery campaign that will screen over 100 high-value disease protein targets. With this investment, incTANK Ventures General Partner Christian Bailey joins the board.

19 Nov 2009

Halifax researcher wins Prix Galien Research Award

Dr. Donald Weaver, a Halifax researcher with unmatched credentials, received the Prix Galien Research Award at a ceremony in Ottawa last night. Known as the Nobel Prize of pharmaceutical research, this award is the highest distinction worldwide for biopharmaceutical work, and the most prestigious in the field of Canadian pharmaceutical research and innovation.

19 Nov 2009

Pfizer and DNDi to battle against HAT, VL and Chagas disease

Pfizer Inc and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) have signed an agreement that is designed to facilitate advancements in the battle against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and Chagas disease, which afflict vulnerable populations in the developing world.

19 Nov 2009

Asterand to acquire BioSeek

Asterand plc (LSE: ATD), a leading provider of human tissue and human tissue-based services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery research, today announces it has signed an agreement to acquire BioSeek Inc.

18 Nov 2009

AACR-NCI-EORTC conference highlights major expansion in cancer drug pipeline

To highlight results of more recent research, the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics International Conference will host a press briefing on "Drugs in the Pipeline." Sara A. Courtneidge, Ph.D., D.Sc., professor and director of the Tumor Microenvironment Program, and director of academic affairs at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, will moderate this press briefing.

17 Nov 2009

LEAD Therapeutics discovers orally available PARP inhibitor

LEAD Therapeutics, a privately held drug discovery company, today announced the discovery of a novel, orally available, PARP inhibitor with potent anti-tumor activity both as single-agent treatment and in combination with chemotherapy drugs.

17 Nov 2009

deCODE genetics files voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code

deCODE genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCGN) today announced that it has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to facilitate the sale of substantially all of its assets. deCODE is continuing to operate its business and manage its properties as a debtor-in-possession pursuant to Sections 1107 and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code.

17 Nov 2009

PPD, Janssen Pharmaceutica to develop therapeutic compounds for IBS and bacterial infections

PPD, Inc. today announced it has entered an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. to develop and commercialize two Phase II-ready therapeutic compounds, one to treat diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-d) and the other to treat complicated skin and skin structure and respiratory infections.

17 Nov 2009

4SC raises funds for further development of its current product pipeline

4SC AG, a drug discovery and development company, today announced the successful completion of a capital increase, after the Management Board, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, passed a resolution to authorise an increase of share capital on 23 October, 2009.

16 Nov 2009

Fate Therapeutics announces the completion of $30 million Series B financing

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has completed a $30 million Series B financing led by OVP Venture Partners. Joining OVP Venture Partners in the financing is a syndicate of corporate investors, including Astellas Venture Management, Genzyme Ventures and a third undisclosed corporate investor.

16 Nov 2009

Potential of the European Biomarker Analysis Market to be the focus at upcoming Analyst Briefing

The "omics" revolution of the last decade has ensured that the field of biomarker research will test the frontiers of biomedical research in the coming years. New biomarkers are discovered each day and this rapid development promises excellent growth potential for the biomarker analysis market. However, due to various challenges faced in biomarker validation and assay development, there is a huge lag between the time that a biomarker is discovered in the laboratory and the time it is actually commercialized.

16 Nov 2009

Amorfix Life Sciences reports operating results for the three months ended September 30, 2009

Amorfix Life Sciences, a company focused on misfolded protein diseases, today reported its second quarter operating results and provided an update on the Company's diagnostic and therapeutic programs.

13 Nov 2009

Drug Discovery News and Research

Further Reading

Isis Pharmaceuticals CEO's letter to shareholders

Positive interim results from Nereus Pharmaceuticals' plinabulin VDA study for advanced NSCLC

Receptos raises $25 million through Series A financing

Bio-Quant to be acquired by NexMed

ASTMH symposium illustrates the need to generate new medicines for infectious diseases

Alzheimer Research Forum reports on the highlights of the Society of Neuroscience conference

CDAS, Prestwick Chemical sign drug discovery research agreement

Ligand Pharmaceuticals receives $2 million in milestone payments from N. V. Organon

Ligon Discovery raises $1 million

Halifax researcher wins Prix Galien Research Award

Pfizer and DNDi to battle against HAT, VL and Chagas disease

Asterand to acquire BioSeek

AACR-NCI-EORTC conference highlights major expansion in cancer drug pipeline

LEAD Therapeutics discovers orally available PARP inhibitor

deCODE genetics files voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code

PPD, Janssen Pharmaceutica to develop therapeutic compounds for IBS and bacterial infections

4SC raises funds for further development of its current product pipeline

Fate Therapeutics announces the completion of $30 million Series B financing

Potential of the European Biomarker Analysis Market to be the focus at upcoming Analyst Briefing

Amorfix Life Sciences reports operating results for the three months ended September 30, 2009

Drug Discovery - Second Edition eBook

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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