BRUSSELS, Belgium - Even before the reports of the projected Monsanto merger with Pharmacia & Upjohn, which will certainly lead to a European Union assessment of how any such deal would affect competition in Europe, the European Commission was evaluating whether it will join a class action lawsuit launched in the United States against Monsanto over development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). EC officials have been following closely the suit, filed Dec. 15 by a group of farmers in the
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 22, 1999
HAMBURG, Germany - The Berlin-based epigenetics company Epigenomics GmbH has launched the Human Epigenome Consortium (HEC), a joint venture with several European research centers. HEC plans to engage in the analysis of DNA methylation patterns in different organisms and human tissues to elucidate the regulation of developmental processes, induced pathological processes and environmental influences on epigenetic programs. Partners of the network include the Sanger Center, of Hinxton, UK; the
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 22, 1999
LONDON - Protherics plc has agreed to a deal worth an initial US$5million with Eli Lilly and Co. for Protherics' Factor Xa inhibitor program for the treatment of thrombosis. This is the company's first deal since it was formed in September by the merger of Proteus International and Therapeutic Antibodies Inc. CEO Andrew Heath told BioWorld International, "Since the merger, we have refocused, and this concentration of effort has lead to the deal with Lilly. This is our first deal with a top-10
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 22, 1999
NANTES and NnMES, France - A number of French biotech companies are using the unseen resources of nature to provide them with new chemical entities for therapeutic and industrial applications. Both Aquaartis in Nan tes and Proteus in Nnmes use microorganisms as the raw material for extracting potentially valuable compounds. Aquaartis, which was established in September and boasts a work force of just three research scientists, is specialized in extractive chemistry and aims to discover and
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 22, 1999
LONDON - Gemini Holdings plc, a privately held genomics company, plans to take over Eurona Medical AB, of Uppsala, Sweden, in an all-share deal that values Eurona at US$4.6 million. At the same time, Gemini is raising #4 million (US$6.4 million) in a private placement. Paul Kelly, CEO of Gemini, told BioWorld International, "All parties are agreed to the deal, and we will be issuing new shares for the acquisition." Before the agreement, Gemini, based in Cambridge, had enough money to last
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 22, 1999
Company (Symbol) University/Non-Profit [Scientist] Type of Agreement Product Area Details (Month) Affymetrix Inc. (AFFX) University of Wisconsin, University of Colorado, the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Academic access agreement Affymetrix's GeneChip technology Affymetrix announced the addition of the four listed entities to its list of AcademicAccess customers; the agreements with each include standard terms and conditions and volume pricing
By Randall Osborne Editor The uproar in Europe over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food seemed, at first, to be an isolated and somewhat mysterious, to Americans tempest, apparently fueled by that culture's emphasis on cuisine. Because Europeans value food so highly and take such care in its preparation and handling, they are particularly prone to agitation over any tampering with the "raw ingredients" of their often-elaborate dishes. So the argument went. In any case, the
ZICHRON YAAKOV, Israel The Israel Biotechnology Organi zation (IBO) and the California Governors Com mission on Bioscience signed a memorandum of Under stand ing (MOU) to foster cooperation between the regions. The intention of this agreement is to facilitate ties among private industry, governmental organizations and academic institutions from both regions and to encourage alliances for mutual benefits to broaden their impact for a faster and more substantive linkage through mutual
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
LONDON Shares in Cantab Pharmaceuticals plc of Cambridge rose 22 percent to #2.21 last Wednesday when it disclosed a license agreement with GenVec Inc. to strengthen its position in herpes simplex virus (HSV) vector technology. The deal provides Cantab with a platform to develop its gene therapy technologies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Cantabs spokeswoman, Melissa Hellberg, told BioWorld International, We have an ongoing CNS research program using our Disc HSV as a
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
PARIS Transghne S.A. called encouraging the initial results of a Phase II clinical trial of its VV-MUC1-IL2 gene therapy vector (TG 1031) as it presented at the 22nd annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium last week. The Strasbourg, France-based gene therapy company said these findings, coming on top of preclinical study data and the results of clinical trials of the same therapy in prostate cancer, show that tolerance of the treatment is high and that there is antitumor activity in
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
REHOVOT, Israel AVI BioPharma Inc., of Portland, Ore., and XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. signed an agreement to evaluate and co-develop therapeutics for hepatitis B and hepatitis C. This is another of XTLs non-exclusive agreements in which we will make available to AVI our proprietary TrimeraXTL animal models to test AVIs proprietary NeuGene antisense compounds against HBV and HCV, said Zachi Berger, COO of XTL. XTL, of Rehovot, will co-develop and receive royalties on compounds identified
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
SYDNEY, Australia Fresh from a patent win in the German courts, Peptech Ltd. has launched a friendly A$64.5 million (US$40.8 million) share-swap takeover bid for Biotech International, of Perth, Western Australia. Peptech, of Sydney, will issue its own shares in exchange for Biotech stock, with the company last week offering to swap 8.75 of its own shares for every 10 shares in Biotech. At Fridays closing price of A$0.52 the offer values Biotechs shares at A$0.45. At the time the offer was
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
SYDNEY, Australia Bionomics Ltd., a start-up company in Adelaide, is raising A$7 million (US$4.4 million) in an initial public offering to explore the genetics of epilepsy and breast cancer. Money from the IPO will fund the continuation of two existing research projects and the use of positional cloning to identify genes involved in the disease, as well as DNA microarray technology to identify potential drug candidates. The response to the offering has been favorable and company officials
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
OTTAWA, Ontario Ibex Technologies Inc. said it is streamlining its operations and suspending its basic research and discovery program in order to focus on the licensing of its current roster of enzyme-based therapeutic products already in development. Chairman and CEO Paul Baehr said this decision will result in a reduction of 11 positions at Ibexs Montreal headquarters and a Philadelphia-based office. Employees related to a small but profitable diagnostic reagent business will not be
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
LONDON One of the leaders among the quoted UK biotechnology companies, PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc saw its share price fall by #2.70 to #7.12 in three days last week after it disclosed a two-year delay in the launch of its lead product, and the ending of a development collaboration with Boehringer Mannheim. PowderJect, of Oxford, England, specializes in needleless injection of powdered drugs. Gordon Saul, vice president of business development, told BioWorld International the decision to
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
PARIS Flamel Technologies and the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk signed a development and licensing agreement covering Flamels diabetic treatment Basulin, a controlled-release formulation of insulin for treating Type I and II diabetes. The agreement gives Novo Nordisk, of Copenhagen, a worldwide exclusive license for developing and commercializing Basulin. In exchange, Lyon, France-based Flamel is receiving an up-front payment of US$5 million, of which $1 million was disbursed at
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
DUBLIN, Ireland NeuroSearch A/S, of Denmark, raised DKK 97 million (US$13.2 million) for a spin-off company, NsGene A/S, which has taken over its gene and cell therapy program for treatment of CNS diseases. The investment comprises DKK 51 million equity funding, plus a soft loan of DKK 46 million from the Danish governments industrial development agency, Vaekstfonden. Glostrup-based NeuroSearch retains a 33 percent stake in the company. The remainder is held by a consortium of Danish
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
LONDON A rare disorder has once again provided clues to the mechanisms responsible for a common condition that has some similar features. Researchers studying Papillon-Lefevre syndrome (PLS), which affects about one in 4 million people, say their work will help elucidate the causes of common gum disorders that often lead to the loss of teeth. The main characteristics of PLS are apparently unrelated. Sufferers have severe periodontitis affecting both the milk teeth and the adult teeth, which
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
LONDON The government has vowed to maintain the UKs leading position in European biotechnology, which is under threat from strong growth in Germany. It will set out a plan for action early next year to create an environment which means investors see the UK as a natural place for biotechnology, second only to the U.S. The plan will be based on a survey of the sector published last week, titled Genome Valley, which concludes the UK faces major challenges in maintaining its position because
BioWorld International | Wednesday, December 15, 1999
Company Acquired** (Country) Acquired By Or Merged With (Country) Date Announced Date Completed Value*** Terms/Details (M) I. COMPLETED MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Androgenics Technologies Inc. Genta Inc. (GNTA) 9/99 ND Genta acquired Androgenics for warrants for Genta's common stock, 90 percent of which will not become exercisable until the successful conclusion of certain development milestones in relation to Androgenics' series of novel compounds for the potential treatment of
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Even before the reports of the projected Monsanto merger with Pharmacia & Upjohn, which will certainly lead to a European Union assessment of how any such deal would affect competition in Europe, the European Commission was evaluating whether it will join a class action lawsuit launched in the United States against Monsanto over development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). EC officials have been following closely the suit, filed Dec. 15 by a group of farmers in the