Biogen Idec has begun testing the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri as a treatment for blood cancer. (ELN)

SARcode Corp. has started a Phase I clinical trial of a drug aimed at eye disorders, and will pay a $500,000 to its partner Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc. as a result. (SNSS)

Biogen Idec has begun testing multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri as a treatment for blood cancer. (ELN)

Phase Forward acquired Clarix LLC Friday for $40 million. (PFWD)

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. has secured a new cancer patent that will further its efforts to develop cancer treatments.

Cheap generic copies of brand name drugs took a bite out of sales at Longs Drug Stores Corp.’s pharmacies in August. (LDG)

A Sigma-Aldrich company announced details Thursday of a $30 million expansion to its Madison, Wis., facility.

Southern Research Institute has received a $14.7 million National Institutes of Health grant to become a production site for a national collaborative research network designed to expedite drug development.

A hepatitis B viral load test, developed by Roche Molecular Diagnostics in Pleasanton, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Colorado State University officials said Thursday the school spent $302.6 million on research in fiscal year 2008, surpassing CSU’s previous record.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals said its experimental autoimmune disease drug did not produce results showing any benefits of reducing psoriasis in a clinical trial.

Martin Cearnal has been appointed to a newly appointed role at Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. as senior vice president of commercial development.

San Antonio has been named one of the worst cities in America for allergy sufferers, according to a research project by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (JNJ)

The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, a world-renowned genetics research operation founded just five years ago, has received an additional $400 million endowment from founding donors Eli and Edythe Broad.

A pharmaceutical products subsidiary of Sigma-Aldrich Corp. has announced plans for a $30 million expansion of its Madison operations. (SIAL)

Pfizer Inc. will pay $225 million upfront in a development and commercialization deal for San Francisco-based Medivation Inc.’s late-stage Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease treatment. (MDVN) (PFE) (PFE)

Plexxikon Inc. started early clinical testing of a drug that could be useful in treating both pain and kidney cysts.

Innova Memphis Inc. has made its second investment, this time in Vaxent, a Memphis-based vaccine development company.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. has won a contract worth $24.3 million from the Department of Health and Human Services to research an experimental drug to fight anthrax. (EBS)

Pfizer Inc. will pay $225 million upfront in a development and commercialization for San Francisco-based Medivation Inc.’s late-stage Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease treatment. (MDVN) (PFE)

Plexxikon Inc. started early clinical testing of a drug that could be useful in treating both pain and kidney cysts.

WellSpring Pharmaceutical Corp. said it has bought several over-the-counter consumer drug products from the consumer health care division of McNeil PPC Inc.

After receiving a letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market saying it is in danger of losing its listing, OrthoLogic Corp. has a bit of good news.

For dog owners, a diagnosis of lymphoma in their pet has been a death sentence. North Carolina State University hopes to change that.

San Francisco’s Osprey Pharmaceuticals U.S.A. raised $11 million in its first round of venture funding.

Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc. borrowed $27.6 million from GE Healthcare Financial Services and Silicon Valley Bank. (PARD)

Azaya Therapeutics Inc. has licensed a technology that could be beneficial in treating head and neck cancers, the company said Wednesday.

The University of Pittsburgh has received a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to support the Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders.

Cephalon Inc. has provided written notice to Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc. that as of Nov. 1 Cephalon is ending its co-promotion agreement covering its sleep disorder drug Provigil. (CEPH)

ViroPharma Inc. and Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc. have received clearance for their planned merger from the Federal Trade Commission. (VPHM)

Opexa Therapeutics Inc. has established a research partnership with the Myelin Repair Foundation Inc. to identify biomarkers in multiple sclerosis that could help in treating the disease. (OPXA)

Aeris Therapeutics Inc. is gearing up for late-stage human clinical trials after two mid-stage tests generated promising results for a new emphysema treatment.

Ivax Diagnostics announced Tuesday that a group, controlled by entrepreneurs Paul Kennedy and Patrice Debregeas, purchased all of the nearly 72 percent of the outstanding shares of Ivax Diagnostics from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for $14 million, or 70 cents a share.

Scientists at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute and Louisville bioservices company SCR Inc. have received a $1.4 million federal grant to help develop and bring to market a new device to treat congestive heart failure.

Novacea Inc. of South San Francisco and privately held Transcept Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Richmond will merge, blending a company with a recently failed Big Pharma collaboration with one on the verge of seeking FDA approval for its first drug. (NOVC) (SGP) (SNY) (HTGC) (DNA)

The University of New Mexico has been selected by the National Institutes of Health as one of only nine national molecular discovery centers in the U.S., and awarded a six-year, $15.5 million grant.

Oncothyroen Inc. said it plans to sell 5.1 million shares of its stock in an effort to raise approximately $12 million. (ONTY)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center diabetes researchers have launched a study examining whether a commonly prescribed blood pressure medication for treating high might help prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

The Burnham Institute for Medical Research has been awarded a six-year, $97.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Cartilage regeneration company Histogenics Corp. has raised $9 million in a second round of venture financing that will help fuel clinical trials for its signature products.

Introgen Therapeutics Inc.’s stock plummeted Tuesday after the company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has refused to accept its application to begin marketing its flagship cancer drug.

GlaxoSmithKline has scaled back its development agreement for the gastrointestinal drug Entereg. (GSK)

GlaxoSmithKline has returned to Adolor Corp. the worldwide rights related to the development of the Entereg drug for chronic opioid bowel dysfunction. (ADLR) (GSK)

GlaxoSmithKline has returned to Adolor Corp. the worldwide rights related to the development of the Entereg drug for chronic opioid bowel dysfunction. (ADLR) (GSK)

Targanta Therapeutics Corp. has generated positive news from a mid-stage clinical trial for its lead antibiotic.

Shionogi & Co. Ltd. reported Monday it will buy Atlanta-based Sciele Pharma Inc. in a cash deal worth $1.4 billion. (SCRX)

An 11th-hour attempt to extend a key patent could cost companies — including a small Fremont cardiovascular catheter maker — millions in potential revenue.

With two promising products drubbed since early July, Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc. is resting its hopes on a single drug and the potential power of its delivery technology.

Despite a promotion to Bayer Corp. president and CEO, Greg Babe is keeping his day job.

Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc. has taken a 7.1 percent stake in a British firm developing a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, marking the pharmaceutical company’s first big step into expanding beyond the generic drug market.

Five years after setting out to manufacture the delicate tissue that enables the human eye to see clearly, Cellular Bioengineering Inc. has completed 10 successful cornea implants abroad.

With only 540 residents and 327 total households, Gwynedd’s 19436 ZIP code is the smallest on the list. It also has the smallest average household size, with only around 1.6 people. No other ZIP code in the Top 25 has fewer than 1,000 households.

In the world of fashion, as we all know, one size does not fit all. The same holds true in the world of medications. There are tablets, caplets, capsules, ointments and liquids to suit different needs.

Twenty-four years ago, Dr. Lon Smith opened up his medical oncology practice in San Antonio. Much has happened since, both in cancer and in his practice.

Cancer is a fact of life in the United States. We have almost all been touched by it in some way. Cancer is already the second leading cause of death in the United States, and is the primary cause of death in women between the ages of 35 and 74. Cancer does not spare children, either, being the chief cause of death between ages 1 to 14. Cancer will likely surpass cardiovascular disease to become the leading cause of death in the United States within two years, where someone already dies from cancer every 90 seconds.

Frederick H. Hausheer, M.D., is the founder, chairman and CEO of BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals,Inc. and co-founder, chairman and CEO of KI Pharma LLC., Japan. He is an adjunct associate professor at The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center and The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, as well as a business advisory board member at JP Morgan Chase Bank. He holds a bachelor’s in biology from Graceland College, a master’s from the University of Illinois in Urbana, and a medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Hausheer has co-authored more than 150 medical and scientific research publications and is the inventor or co-inventor on more than 200 U.S. and international patents and patent applications involving new pharmaceutical agents, formulations and methods of use for cancer treatment and other diseases. He talks with the Business Journal about Tavocept, a lung cancer drug BioNumerik has in late-stage clinical development.

An 11th-hour attempt to extend a key patent could cost companies — including a small East Bay cardiovascular catheter maker — millions in potential revenue.

KV Pharmaceutical Co. is awaiting an October deadline for federal approval of a drug anticipated to boost company revenue while combating a national health epidemic — preterm births.

An Emeryville company attempting to tap an Australian weed for a treatment of a precancerous skin condition has landed a new top management team and a $24 million investment after a failed IPO.

As it looks toward a marriage with Genentech Inc. and South San Francisco, Swiss drug maker Roche is filing for divorce from Palo Alto.

PolyMedix Inc. received Food and Drug Administration clearance to begin human testing of the company’s experimental anticoagulant reversing agent PMX-60056.

A quarter century ago when heavy manufacturing — then the lifeblood of Pennsylvania’s economy — was showing signs of terminal decline, state lawmakers and business leaders began searching for remedies to breathe new life into the economic base of the state. The remedy for the technology sector came in the form of the law signed by then-Gov. Richard Thornburgh, creating the Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) to bring investment capital, entrepreneurial knowledge and the infrastructure to provide the seed funding needed to support tech growth.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – The pending $3.1 billion purchase of Talecris Biotherapeutics is not a done deal, and there’s a small but real chance that the deal won’t go through.

A Georgia legislator wants to examine how the state university system governs its intellectual property — an issue prompted by The University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc.’s dealings with a giant pharmaceutical company.

Claes Wahlestedt, who heads Scripps Florida’s efforts to develop drugs for diseases of the central nervous system, has launched new company with business consultant and longtime friend Joe Collard.

A patent request from the pharmaceutical company Gilead for its antiretroviral drug tenofovir was rejected by Brazil Wednesday, Reuters reports. After announcing the decision, a

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BCRX) announced results from the completed Phase IIa trial of BCX-4208 in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Consistent with interim findings reported in May 2008, this study of BCX-4208, a potent, rationally designed, orally available purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) inhibitor, met its primary objectives of safety and tolerability.

Agile Therapeutics, Inc., announced that it successfully completed two key clinical trials in the development of the company's new, innovative low-dose, once-weekly, contraceptive patch, which the company refers to by its internal product code AG-200-15. The Phase 2b safety and efficacy study successfully met its primary endpoint of ovulation suppression, cycle control and safety.

Axentis Pharma AG has initiated a clinical phase IIa trial to assess the safety and tolerability of a new therapeutic formulation for the treatment of severe pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis patients. The new formulation allows an established therapeutic agent to be delivered directly to the site of infection. The forthcoming trial will also compare the effects of two different doses of the new drug. Initial results are expected in summer 2009.

QuatRx Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on development and commercialization of compounds to treat endocrine, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, announced that it has initiated a second Phase 3 clinical trial of Ophena(TM) (ospemifene tablets), the company's estrogen-free oral therapy in development for the treatment of vaginal symptoms associated with menopause.

As part of its commitment to providing its customers with comprehensive services that span the entire clinical supply chain, Bilcare Global Clinical Supplies, a leading single-source provider of clinical trial supplies and services, has enhanced its global Phase III capabilities.  Its latest Phase III investments include the upgrade of its Kalish large-scale bottling line at its U.S.

Medarex, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDX) announced that nine clinical abstracts for ipilimumab, an investigational anti-CTLA-4 antibody, in melanoma are scheduled to be the subject of presentations at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) being held September 12-16, 2008 in Stockholm.

UCLA scientists have succeeded in making unique nanoscale droplets that are much smaller than a human cell and can potentially be used to deliver pharmaceuticals. "What we found that was unexpected was within each oil droplet there was also a water droplet - a double emulsion," said Timothy Deming, professor and chair of the UCLA Department of Bioengineering and a member of both the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA and UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center.

Pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis (ASX: PXS; Nasdaq: PXSL) announced that it has enrolled the first subject into its second pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Bronchitol in cystic fibrosis sufferers. The Phase 3 trial is being conducted in 41 hospitals across North America, Argentina and Germany, and is the final clinical step before Pharmaxis seeks approval to market Bronchitol for cystic fibrosis in the United States.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDIX), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral and other infectious diseases, announced that it has completed the proof-of-concept study evaluating IDX899, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) being developed for the treatment of HIV-1.

United Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: UTHR) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Lung Rx, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the New Drug Application (NDA) for inhaled treprostinil for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The NDA will be subject to a standard review period of 10 months, with a targeted user fee deadline of April 30, 2009.

New drugs that receive fast track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) experience shorter clinical and approval times compared to drugs without the designation, according to a recently completed study of the first decade of the fast track program conducted by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. Total average clinical and approval time for fast track drugs was 5% faster than for all drugs -- 73.1 vs. 77.

The best place to seek novel compounds for pharmaceutical drugs, alternative energy sources, and a host of industrial applications, is within natural systems that have evolved over millions of years.

Nanotechnology and synthetic biology are two of the most exciting fields in science. They are the focus of venture capitalists, government and university laboratories, major corporations, and startup companies.

CV Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVTX) announced that the company has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 1 trial of CVT-3619, a novel oral compound for potential treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently accepted the Company's investigational new drug application for CVT-3619, a partial A1 adenosine receptor agonist.

This Analysis Showed That Multaq(R) (Dronedarone) Decreased the Risk of Stroke by 34% in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter Already Adequately Treated by Antithrombotic Therapy The results of a post-hoc analysis of the data from the ATHENA study were presented today at the clinical trial update session of the European Society of Cardiology congress 2008, in Munich, Germany.

Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: FRX) and Laboratorios Almirall, S.A. announced results from two global Phase III studies of aclidinium bromide, a novel long-acting inhaled anticholinergic for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

A sub-analysis of the TRITON-TIMI 38 clinical trial showed that treatment with prasugrel compared with clopidogrel significantly reduced the risk of new or recurrent heart attacks (7.4 percent vs. 9.7 percent, p

Whistle-blowers have helped the Department of Justice recover at least $9.3 billion from health care providers and pharmaceutical companies that allegedly defrauded states and the federal government, according to a report published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the

The AP/Boston Globe on Monday examined how the introduction of two online tools and an initiative led by FDA seek to reduce confusion caused by medications with names that appear or sound the same as the names of other treatments.

The leaders of the biotechnology industry will once again gather for BIO-Europe, the world's largest stand-alone partnering conference, in Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany, November 17-19. With biotech deal-making still the thrill in drug development markets, this year's BIO-Europe promises to set new standards for generating quality partnering meetings and providing the information required to successfully navigate opportunities in an era of significant biotech industry change.

Pharmaceutical researchers may soon have a new tool to examine where in the body a drug travels and accumulates, thanks to research at Purdue University. A team led by R. Graham Cooks, Purdue's Henry Bohn Hass Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, has developed a new analysis tool that can provide a map of the distribution of a drug within the body. The new tool requires no chemical pretreatment.

Debiopharm Group (Debiopharm), a global independent biopharmaceutical development specialist focusing on serious medical conditions and particularly oncology, announced the signature of a research project with the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), aimed at the identification of novel small molecules and peptides that interfere with pathways controlling cell fate specification.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has received a positive performance review from the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), the health professions' watchdog. The independent report, Helping regulation to improve, showed that the Society successfully met the required level of performance in its regulatory duties during the 2007 / 2008 period.

Around 1,500 professionals from the biotechnology sector, coming from 35 countries, will take part in BIOSPAIN 2008, internationally one of the most important events of the sector, which will open its doors from September 17th to 19th in Granada's Congress and Exhibition Centre (Palacio de Congresos. Avda. del Violón, s/n).

At its best liquid filtration testing is a well developed science. At its worst it is a misunderstood and often abused art form. On September 23-25, 2008 at the Charlotte Hilton University Place in Charlotte, NC, the American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS) will be holding its' fall conference on "Infrastructure, Sustainability & Testing Management." One full track, 8 sessions & 32 presentations, will be devoted to Filter Testing. The conference is preceded by a day of filtration short courses on September 22 at the same location, including a half-day course on Liquid Filtration Testing. (PRWeb Sep 4, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1276544.htm

Kickoff at Opening Game of the NFL with Halftime show featuring Steve Tisch, Jeff Zucker, and Stand Up To Cancer The New York Giants are getting into the publishing business, "with a cause," to motivate men and their families to see their doctors and be proactive about their health. Time after time, research shows that communication between physician and patient is what impacts health outcome. The combination of the New York Giants' strong fan base and Health Monitor Network's expertise in health education provides a unique communications platform. (PRWeb Sep 4, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1288534.htm

Medelis, an oncology contract research organization, has published a free abstract, "Preclinical Trials: A Nuanced Approach to Get Into the Clinic Faster." In the abstract, Dr. Mike McGarry, a preclinical research scientist with 35 years of experience, discusses how oncology preclinical studies are commonly viewed as straightforward investigations run exclusively by researchers who operate without true integration with preclinical, regulatory and clinical teams. He describes a nuanced preclinical study process that hinges on a well-defined rodent model, quality data, and ongoing integration between the preclinical, regulatory and clinical teams. (PRWeb Sep 4, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/cros/preclinicalstudies/prweb1242484.htm

LegitScript's rogue online pharmacy reporting program now has over 10,000 websites. Internet users can confirm whether an online pharmacy is legitimate or not, and report unsafe or illegal prescription drug websites, at LegitScript.com. (PRWeb Sep 4, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1280454.htm