Uncovering the Spread of Deadly Cancer

New Imaging Device Enables Scientists to See Tumor Cells Traveling in the Brain CLEVELAND, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the first time, scientists can see pathways to stop a deadly brain cancer in its tracks. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School...

Jennerex Publishes Clinical Data in Journal, Nature, Demonstrating Intravenous Delivery of Multi-Mechanistic Cancer-Targeted Oncolytic Poxvirus JX-594 to Tumors

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jennerex, Inc., a private clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of first-in-class targeted oncolytic virus products for cancer, today announced the publication of clinical data on its...

Red Cross and Partners Airlift Critical Supplies to Hard-Hit Pine Hill, New York

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Tiny U.K. Pfizer spinouts start to pop up

A small group of ex-Pfizer ($PFE) employees are launching their own little spinout from the giant R&D complex in Sandwich, which they call a kind of "dating service" for scientists. And they say they are the first of many tiny startups that will launch in the wake of Pfizer's decision to evacuate the drug development hub. "We've certainly learned a lot over the last 5 or 6 months," says Andrew McElroy, the CEO of The Research Network, which will match scientists with...

Amgen backs $30M venture round for IBS-focused Ardelyx

Amgen's venture arm has chipped in to a $30 million B round for Fremont, CA-based Ardelyx. The biotech plans to use a good deal of the cash to complete a Phase II study of a lead drug for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. NEA, CMEA and "certain individual investors" also joined in the venture funding. Ardelyx has high hopes that its lead program--RDX5791, an NHE3 sodium transport inhibitor--can go on to become a first-in-class IBS treatment. Researchers said that in Phase I the...

SynCardia Goes Social on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

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Analyst: Benlysta’s shortcomings offer blockbuster opening for new lupus drugs

Any drug developers looking to push a late-stage program for lupus may want to pay close attention to a new note from Citi analyst Yaron Werber covering some unexpected problems for Human Genome Sciences' ($HGSI) Benlysta. With no real options to replace the first new lupus drug in a half century, doctors are content to prescribe it for now, says the analyst. But they aren't very enthusiastic about the drug's benefits and will be easily persuaded to switch to a new entry from a developer who...

Shire Presents Positive Data from Fabry and Gaucher Disease Studies that Continue to Support Patient Switches to REPLAGAL® (agalsidase alfa) and VPRIV® (velaglucerase alfa)

NYON, Switzerland, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced positive data from several studies designed to evaluate the safety of switching to REPLAGAL (agalsidase alfa) from...

OrbiMed launches $600M fund for royalty, debt deals

OrbiMed, a big venture investor in the biotech industry, has assembled a $600 million fund to lure life sciences companies looking for some quick cash on royalty streams or a fresh source of debt capital. And they're styling the new deal-making group as a ready alternative to equity markets. "Life sciences companies are typically dependent on equity markets to raise new capital," said Tadd Wessel, a managing director on the "Royalty Opportunities" team. "With this fund, OrbiMed can offer a...

E&Y: India’s biotech industry hits the fast lane

India's biotech industry is small but it's growing fast as vaccines, diagnostics, devices and personalized medicine offer some new opportunities to the sector, according to Ernst & Young's local analysts in the subcontinent. The biotech industry shot up from the $3 billion registered in 2009 to $4 billion last year, but the big accounting firm notes that the large companies had the best records while smaller outfits struggled to find sufficient financing. "While the biotech industry's...