Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/pharma_industry/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170161.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170161.php Scientists at Michigan State University are receiving nearly $3 million from the National Institutes of Health to uncover how several popular plants make medicinal compounds. Biology / Biochemistry Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170191.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170191.php Novexel, a speciality pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel antibiotics designed to overcome the significant global problem of microbial resistance, announces that its most advanced oral antibacterial NXL103 (flopristin/linopristin), has started a Phase II clinical trial in adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). Dermatology Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170192.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170192.php Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX:ONC, NASDAQ:ONCY) ("Oncolytics" or the "Company") announced updated results from a Phase II study of intravenous REOLYSIN(R) in patients with sarcomas metastatic to the lung in a poster presentation at the 15th Annual Connective Tissue Oncology Society Meeting held in Miami Beach, Florida, from November 5th to 7th. Lung Cancer Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170198.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170198.php Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170202.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170202.php Novartis announced that it received approval from the German regulatory authorities for its adjuvanted cell culture-based Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, Celtura®. Novartis continues to pursue registration in other major countries, including Japan and Switzerland. Swine Flu Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170203.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170203.php H. Lundbeck A/S strengthens its pipeline of pharmaceuticals in clinical development by initiating phase IIa clinical studies with the innovative project Lu AA24493 in order to evaluate safety and tolerability and to explore theoretical efficacy parameters of the drug in humans. Lundbeck expects to enrol 35-40 people suffering from Friedreich's ataxia in this study. Neurology / Neuroscience Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170128.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170128.php The agricultural biotechnology industry maintains that the Insect Resistance Management (IRM) Plan has been one of the most successful industry stewardship programs implemented since pest-tolerant biotech crops were introduced more than a decade ago. A report released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) alleges that farmer compliance with the insect-resistance management requirement has declined somewhat in recent years. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170084.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170084.php News outlets focus on alleged fraud in the drug and insurance industries. "A $112 million settlement involving alleged drug kickbacks that the Justice Dept. announced with the nation's largest nursing home pharmacy and a generic drug manufacturer on Nov. 3 is part of a wide-ranging investigation of suspected Medicaid fraud by the pharmaceutical industry," Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170093.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170093.php The Wall Street Journal examines "big pharma's growing interest in a corner of healthcare - emerging-market inoculations," in light of a recent move by Novartis to purchase an 85 percent stake in the Chinese vaccine maker Zhejiang Tianyuan Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170038.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170038.php Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX, FSE: "HBP" / OTCQX: HXBPF) announced that its Phase II trial of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b for the treatment of ano-genital warts (AGW) has completed patient enrollment, with the required 120th patient randomized to enter the trial. The double-blind and placebo-controlled Phase II trial is underway at multiple centers in Germany and Sweden. Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170039.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170039.php Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) announced the journal Cancer has published a pivotal study demonstrating that TREANDA® (bendamustine HCl) for Injection induced durable responses in patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) whose disease had progressed during or within six months of treatment with rituximab. Lymphoma / Leukemia / Myeloma Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170041.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170041.php Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) announced that the Phase 3 PRIME "203" trial evaluating Vectibix® (panitumumab) administered in combination with FOLFOX (an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy) as a first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) failed to meet a secondary endpoint of overall survival. Colorectal Cancer Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170046.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170046.php Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNSS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted voreloxin orphan drug designation for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Lymphoma / Leukemia / Myeloma Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169934.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169934.php A 41-year-old man, Mr Harish Gami, received an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years at Aylesbury Crown Court today for the illicit sale and supply of controlled drugs as well as counterfeit and unlicensed medicines. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) discovered more than 86,000 Valium tablets and a further 11,500 medicinal products in an undercover investigation into Gami's illegal online dealing. Litigation / Medical Malpractice Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169936.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169936.php Biovitrum and Swedish Orphan will be combined forming Swedish Orphan Biovitrum with pro forma revenues 2009 of approximately SEK 2 billion and an EBITDA margin of 15 percent. Biovitrum will pay an upfront consideration of SEK 3.5 billion (on a cash and debt free basis), to be financed by a fully guaranteed rights issue, an issue in kind and bank financing. The Transaction will be instantly accretive to earnings per share for Biovitrum's shareholders. Shared mission. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169911.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169911.php Health care reform bills include provisions to examine the financial relationships between doctors and the medical industry while some are questioning the AARP's role in reform. Primary Care / General Practice Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169880.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169880.php Scientists from ViraCor-IBT Laboratories have been selected to provide four oral presentations and one poster presentation at this year's American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami, Florida. Michelle Altrich, PhD, HCLD (ABB), and Michael Ling, PhD, will present data on a wide range of topics including Filaggrin, Pneumococcal Antibody Avidity, Chronic Urticaria, Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions and T-Cell Excision Circles. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169888.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169888.php The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the Safe Use Initiative, a program aimed at reducing the likelihood of preventable harm from medication use. "Too many people suffer unnecessary injuries from avoidable medication misuse, errors and other problems. The FDA is launching the Safe Use Initiative to develop targeted solutions for reducing these injuries," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169863.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169863.php Australian reporting standards for disclosing the ties between pharmaceutical companies and health professionals are not comprehensive enough, according to an analysis in this weeks PLoS Medicine. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169849.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169849.php Absorption Systems LP announced that it has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue development of the company's CellPort Technologies™ testing platform. This unique assay platform enables more specific prediction of potential drug-drug interactions mediated by human drug transport proteins. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169811.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169811.php Pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer on Tuesday formally launched ViiV Healthcare, a company focused on the development of new HIV treatments, Dow Jones Newswires/SmartMoney.com reports (11/3). HIV / AIDS Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169749.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169749.php Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco have developed and experimentally tested a technique to predict new target diseases for existing drugs. The researchers developed a computational method that compares how similar the structures of all known drugs are to the naturally occurring binding partners -- known as ligands -- of disease targets within the cell. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169746.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169746.php Aerovance Inc. announced it has completed patient enrollment in a Phase 2b clinical trial of the inhaled dry powder formulation of Aerovant for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma. Top-line results are expected by the second quarter of 2010. Named AeroTrial(TM), the study enrolled approximately 540 patients at 75 sites in the United States and Europe. Respiratory / Asthma Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169697.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169697.php Research firms in developing countries have a medicine cabinet full of affordable and innovative drugs, diagnostics and vaccines on shelves or in development to address "neglected tropical diseases" but need help to get such products to more potential users. Tropical Diseases Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169672.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169672.php European policymakers and the pharmaceutical industry need to work collaboratively to ensure the current financial crisis does not stand in the way of delivering healthcare systems fit for the 21st century. Representatives of EFPIA, the voice of the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe, and MEPs involved in healthcare issues discussed a common agenda to shape the future of healthcare in Europe. Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry