Strategies & Technologies Driving Drug Discovery to Market
Computer Models Yield Cellular Clues
March 21, 2013 1:25 pm | News | CommentsScientists have developed a computer model of a protein that helps cells interact with their surroundings. Like its biological counterpart, the virtual integrin snippet responds to changes in energy and other stimuli just as integrins do in real life. The result is a new way to explore how the protein connects a cell’s inner and outer environments.
Agilent Ion Source Now More Efficient
March 21, 2013 12:26 pm | Product Releases | CommentsThe Agilent 5977A Series GC/MSD enjoys all the benefits of the 7890B GC and features a redesigned inert MS ion source that enhances performance with highly efficient ion collection.
Software Speeds Sample Purification
March 21, 2013 12:13 pm | Product Releases | CommentsBiotage's updated version of its Isolera Spektra software uses TLC data from 2 to 10 different TLC runs to estimate where the individual sample components will elute, the percentage of strong solvent required, and which cartridge is best capable of purifying the amount of sample to be purified.
Decap 96 Tubes in 8 Seconds
March 21, 2013 12:06 pm | Product Releases | CommentsTargeting the ever-growing requirement for higher sample throughput the latest generation Univo DC480 electric decapper from Micronic enables labs tasked with opening multiple sample storage tubes to achieve significant productivity gains.
Genetically Engineered T Cells Change with Time
March 21, 2013 10:00 am | News | CommentsScientists have characterized how the functionality of genetically engineered T cells administered therapeutically to patients with melanoma changed over time. The data highlight the need for new strategies to sustain antitumor T cell functionality to increase the effectiveness of this immunotherapeutic approach.
Baxter Aquires Potential Hemophilia Drug
March 21, 2013 9:39 am | News | CommentsBaxter has closed its acquisition of a potential hemophilia treatment from Ipsen and Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals in a deal that could be worth more than $180 million. Baxter said in January it agreed to buy the drug, labeled OBI-1, and related manufacturing operations.
Enanta Goes Public for $56M
March 21, 2013 7:55 am | News | CommentsEnanta Pharmaceuticals Inc. raised $56 million in an initial public offering of 4 million shares after the drug developer priced the stock at $14 per share, which was at the low end of its expected range. Enanta is developing potential hepatitis C treatments, but it has no products on the market yet.
AstraZeneca Cutting 2,300 More Jobs
March 21, 2013 7:40 am | News | CommentsAstraZeneca says it will cut some 2,300 jobs worldwide as part of a restructuring plan. The company said the cuts are in addition to a previously announced program cutting 1,600 positions related to research and development and the elimination of 1,150 positions announced last year.
Clinical Trials Move to the Petri Dish
March 21, 2013 3:00 am | News | CommentsResearchers describe a “clinical trial in a dish” using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells to predict whether a drug will dangerously affect the heart’s function. The technique may be more accurate than the current in vitro drug-safety screening assays used by pharmaceutical companies.
Amgen Melanoma Therapy Shrinks Tumors
March 20, 2013 4:34 pm | by Linda A. Johnson | News | CommentsAmgen Inc. reported that its innovative melanoma drug, which uses a virus as a Trojan horse to infiltrate and destroy tumors, shrank far more tumors than a standard treatment in a late-stage test. The partial study results show promise for similar vaccines other companies are developing.
Chromatography Consumables for Chemical Analysis
March 20, 2013 1:07 pm | Product Releases | CommentsThermo Fisher Scientific Inc. feature new chromatography consumables during Pittcon 2013. Among them are several columns designed for improved analysis of chemical compounds. The company has added five phases to its family of Thermo Scientific Accucore solid core HPLC columns...
System Extends UHPLC to Biopharmaceutical Workflows
March 20, 2013 12:58 pm | Product Releases | CommentsThe Thermo Scientific Dionex UltiMate 3000 Biocompatible Rapid Separation (BioRS) liquid chromatography system is designed to combine the performance advantages of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with the corrosion resistant flow path demanded by the analysis of proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and biotherapeutics.
New pH Meter is Calibration-free
March 20, 2013 12:50 pm | Product Releases | CommentsSenova Systems announces the launch and availability of the pHit Scanner—a calibration-free pH meter. The pHit Scanner’s technology platform incorporates an advanced sensor and electronics into a novel product design, eliminating glass electrodes and significantly enhancing usability compared to traditional pH meters.
Valeant Buying Obagi for $360M
March 20, 2013 12:36 pm | News | CommentsValeant Pharmaceuticals is buying dermatology products maker Obagi for about $360 million to build its skin-care business. Valeant, a Canadian drugmaker, said that it will pay $19.75 per share for Obagi's stock, a 28 percent premium over the Long Beach, Calif., company's closing price Tuesday.
Merck, Cerecor Strike Inhibitor Deal
March 20, 2013 12:31 pm | News | CommentsCerecor, a development-stage biotechnology company, said it agreed to acquire potential treatments for Parkinson's disease and other central nervous system disorders from Merck & Co. Cerecor Inc. of Baltimore said it is gaining the worldwide rights to develop and market drugs called COMT inhibitors.
