Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and PerSeptive Biosystems Inc. are forming a strategic alliance, dubbed PerIsis, to develop novel tools for manufacturing oligonucleotide therapeutics. The collaboration will focus on PerSeptive's (NASDAQ:PBIO) proprietary chromatography to purify, analyze and synthesize the molecules that can be designed to inhibit gene products. Isis' (NASDAQ:ISIP) oligonucleotide 2105, a treatment for human papillomavirus, is the first oligonucleotide to be tested in humans, and is
Boston University has granted Ivax Corp.'s wholly owned subsidiary, Baker Norton Pharmaceuticals Inc., a worldwide license to use opiate antagonists, such as the alkaloid nalmefene, to treat involuntary movement disorders, including tardive dyskinesia and Huntington's disease. Characterized by involuntary movements, tardive dyskinesia may be caused by long-term use of anti-psychotic or neuroleptic drugs, such as haloperidol. Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder marked by involuntary
United Biomedical Inc. announced that its hepatitis C diagnostic test kit in the enzyme immunoassay format has been approved in Japan. The kit, which incorporates a new hepatitis marker from the NS-5 region, will be distributed in Japan by Kyokuto Pharmaceutical Industrial Co. Inc. under the trade name Synpep, according to UBI of Hauppauge, N.Y. (c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.
Amgen Inc. said it will vigorously defend itself against lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California that accuse the company and two of its officers of violating securities laws. The lawsuits allege that Amgen failed to disclose fully information concerning its sales of Neupogen from Jan. 12 to Feb. 24, the Thousand Oaks, Calif., company said. The suit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of a class of investors who purchased Amgen shares during that period
Disagreements over the implementation of Belmac Corp.'s strategic plans led to the resignation of three of the Tampa, Fla., company's executive officers on Friday. Jean-Francois Rossignol has resigned as chairman and chief executive officer. Also resigning were Max Huguet, chief financial officer, and Vittorio Ferraris, senior vice president for international operations, both based in France, the company said. Ron Stewart was elected chairman of the board, and Michael Harshbarger, president
Preclinical data published in the February issue of Neurology showed that the neuroprotective compound Cerestat has therapeutic potential for reducing the amount of brain damage suffered following a stroke. Cerestat, an NMDA-ion channel blocker, is being developed by Cambridge NeuroScience Inc. (NASDAQ:CNSI) for treating stroke and traumatic brain injury. In the animal studies, the researchers, from the Medical Center of Massachusetts, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
Published Feb. 3 and 10 (EPO), Feb. 4 (WO), Feb. 3 (GB) AKZO NV Quantifying Arnhem, Netherlands nucleic acid To quantify a target nucleic acid, by differential detection, add a known number of mutant-sequence molecules, amplify competitively. AKZO NV Non-A, non-B EPO 525 910 Arnhem, Netherlands peptides Invention concerns peptides that react with antibodies against NANB; detection of NANB or anti-NANB in test-fluid immunochemical reagent, test kit. American Cyanamid Co. Herbicide- EPO 525 384
What ever happened to recombinant indigo and designer blue genes? Exactly a decade ago, Amgen Inc. scientist Burt D. Ensley stumbled upon a method to genetically engineer indigo from host microorganisms. His paper in Science for Oct. 14, 1983, "Expression of Naphthalene Oxidation Genes in Escherichia coli Results in the Biosynthesis of Indigo," led to much media coverage at the time about "designer genes." Ensley's U.S. patent, more cryptically titled "Microbial Production of Indigo" and
EcoScience Corp. announced Friday that it has received $105,000 from the state of Minnesota for research on developing a biological control agent for the aquatic weed Eurasian watermilfoil. Scientists at the Worcester, Mass., company (NASDAQ:ECSC) have identified a naturally occurring fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with milfoil, one of the most problematic aquatic weeds in North America. If they concentrate this fungus, encapsulate it in small beads and disperse those beads onto the
The Clinton administration's latest plan to provide tax breaks for investors in small businesses would bypass most of the biotechnology industry. The plan, described in a 71-page booklet released last week, by the Treasury Department, would exclude from the incentive companies that have raised more than $25 million from debt and equity, rather than using the $100 million limit provided for in legislation proposed by Sen. Dale Bumpers, D-Ark. Also, non-taxable capital gains would be capped at 10
Calgene Inc. said Friday it was granted a U.S. patent, No. 5,188,958, for a method for making oils, strengthening the company's stake in a field that could surpass the importance of genetically engineered tomatoes. The patent covers genetically engineered cells of Brassica, a botanical genus that includes oil-producing rapeseed, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts. "This is the most efficient transformation method for Brassica species in the industry," said Vic Knauf, vice
Robert Hennessey was named president and chief executive officer of Collaborative Research Inc. of Waltham, Mass. He was president of Hennessey & Associates Ltd., a private consulting firm specializing in strategy development and deal structuring in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Cortech Inc. of Denver named Kenneth Lynn vice president of business development and general counsel and Bernard Daina vice president of human resources. Lynn was vice president, general counsel and
Icos Corp. is beginning a research collaboration with Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) on novel localization proteins for certain enzymes believed responsible for triggering disease. Icos will have exclusive rights to the technology, which it declined to discuss in more detail. The university, in return, may receive future royalties on certain products, and the principle investigators will receive laboratory support. "The agreement allows Icos to extend its efforts in the areas of
Bio-Technology General Corp. (BTG) announced that it has initiated its clinical study on the intratracheal delivery of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in premature neonates. The New York company received the go-ahead from FDA on Monday to assess the therapeutic utility of recombinant human SOD in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. Excess oxygen free-radicals in the neonate lung have been implicated as a cause of acute injury leading to permanent tissue damage, which
The stock of another high-profile biotechnology company plummetted on Thursday after Amgen Inc. told analysts Wednesday afternoon that earnings for its first quarter would be 10 percent to 15 percent below Wall Street expectations. Amgen's stock (NASDAQ:AMGN) dropped $9.25, closing at $37. About 22 million of the company's 147 million shares outstanding traded hands -- more than the 21 million shares traded Monday on news of disappointing results for Synergen Inc.'s anti-infective, Antril
Hyal Pharmaceutical Corp. (NASDAQ/NMS:HYALP) of Mississauga, Ontario, has received approval under a Canadian investigational new drug application to begin a Phase III clinical trial on its topical analgesia, AT2101, for relief of pain associated with acute osteoarthritis of the knee. The Phase III trial at the University Hospital in London, Ontario, will compare the pain relief capability of this hyaluronic acid-based gel containing a non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug with a placebo. The
Shareholders willing, Britain's Imperial Chemical Industries plc (ICI) will "demerge" this spring into two separate companies. The split would sever ICI's burgeoning bioscience activities from the more traditional paints, explosives and commodity chemicals for which the company was founded in 1926. In making the announcement on Thursday, Denys Henderson, company chairman, said, "The board of directors has unanimously recommended that ICI should now proceed to put to its shareholders formal
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has ordered a hearing for March 11 to find out why The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has been reluctant to hand over documents he requested regarding TSRI's contract with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Sandoz. Sandoz last year agreed to give TSRI, which is funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health, $300 million over 10 years in return for the first right of refusal to commercialize developments that arise during the agreement. NIH Director
Miles Inc. announced late Thursday that FDA has given its pharmaceutical division marketing clearance for its recombinant Factor VIII product Kogenate (anti-hemophilic factor recombinant) to treat hemophilia A, a chronic bleeding disorder. Genentech Inc. (NYSE:GNE) of South San Francisco, Calif., originally cloned the Factor VIII gene and licensed it to Miles in 1984 as part of a collaborative agreement. "Miles acquired the rights to use the gene and develop a manufacturing process to produce
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Public outrage last year over the humongous pay, perks, bonuses and stock options showered on top company executives in corporate America stirred the Security and Exchange Commission last October to issue tougher "Revised Executive Compensation Proxy Rules" for 1993. At a two-hour breakfast roundtable here on Wednesday for some 190 regional biotechnology executives and financiers, Larry S. Schumer, human resource advisory manager of Coopers & Lybrand's Boston office, took
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and PerSeptive Biosystems Inc. are forming a strategic alliance, dubbed PerIsis, to develop novel tools for manufacturing oligonucleotide therapeutics. The collaboration will focus on PerSeptive's (NASDAQ:PBIO) proprietary chromatography to purify, analyze and synthesize the molecules that can be designed to inhibit gene products. Isis' (NASDAQ:ISIP) oligonucleotide 2105, a treatment for human papillomavirus, is the first oligonucleotide to be tested in humans, and is