• Affymetrix Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., said it has filed patent infringement lawsuits against Illumina Inc., of San Diego, in the U.S., the UK, and Germany. The suits target technology offered by Solexa, the company acquired by Illumina in January 2007, as well as all of Illumina's BeadArray products. The firm previously sued Illumina for patent infringement in the U.S. in 2004. In March 2007, a jury returned a verdict in favor of Affymetrix and imposed a royalty of 15 percent, and awarded total damages of more than $16.7 million for the period of 2002-2005. The next phase of the trial, which will focus on the validity of Affymetrix' patents, is scheduled to begin Feb. 11, 2008.

• BioWa Inc., of Princeton, N.J., said it has granted GlaxoSmithkline plc, of London, nonexclusive rights to the biotech's Potelligent technology to research and develop antibodies based for an undisclosed number of targets. In return, BioWa will receive an up-front payment, and license fees. Other details of the agreement are not disclosed.

• DiaKine Therapeutics Inc., of Charlottesville, Va., said preclinical research demonstrated that Lisofylline (LSF) prevented the recurrence of Type I diabetes after islet cell transplantation in mice. Diakine acquired LSF, a small molecule with anti-inflammatory properties, from Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics Inc. in 2005.

• Gene Logic Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., said it used gene expression microarrays to identify gene expression patterns in white blood cells that are statistically associated with multiple sclerosis. The company said the discovery could lead to the development of diagnostics for MS.

• Genta Inc., of Berkeley Heights, N.J., completed its filing of a formal appeal to the FDA regarding the agency's issuance of a non-approvable letter for Genasense (oblimersen sodium) Injection plus chemotherapy in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A response is expected within 30 to 60 days. The FDA had previously denied the drug in melanoma, as did European regulators. Genta is now conducting a biomarker-based Phase III melanoma trial in Europe. (See BioWorld Today, Dec. 18, 2006.)

• Genzyme Corp., of Cambridge, Mass, and Sunway Biotech Co. Ltd., or Shanghai, China, said they will collaborate to manufacture, develop and commercialize Genzyme's gene therapy Ad2/HIF-1a in China. The product is in Phase II clinical testing in more than 300 patients at 40 sites in the U.S. and Europe. Ad2/HIF-1a is an engineered form of the HIF-1a gene designed to promote the growth of new blood vessels and improve circulation in the limbs of patients with peripheral arterial disease. Under the collaboration with Sunway, Genzyme will transfer its process for manufacturing Ad2/HIF-1a to Sunway, which will produce the product at its Shanghai facility for clinical trials. Sunway will design, fund and conduct Phase I and Phase II studies in China.

• Glycominds Ltd., of Lod, Israel, has entered into a research agreement with the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, part of the National Cancer Institute, to collaborate on a breast cancer diagnostic blood test using Glycominds' anti-glycan antibodies biomarkers. Glycominds also is planning an early 2008 U.S. launch of its lead product, IBDX, a blood test for inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease.

• Novavax Inc., of Rockville, Md., and Allergan Inc., of Irvine, Calif., have agreed to terminate their manufacturing supply agreement for Estrasorb. Estrasorb was previously licensed by Novavax to Esprit Pharma Inc., which was recently acquired by Allergan in 2006, and is an approved estrogen product for relief of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, associated with menopause. Under the termination agreement, Novavax will complete the manufacture of remaining orders for the product and plans to close its Philadelphia manufacturing facility over the next few months. Allergan will continue to sell Estrasorb for the foreseeable future from available inventory.

• NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bedminster, N.J., said the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency has approved cinacalcet hydrochloride for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism. As a result, NPS will receive a milestone payment plus royalties from Kirin Pharma, of Tokyo, which will market the drug in Japan. Kirin licensed cinacalcet from NPS in 1995 for development and commercial sale in Japan, China, North and South Korea, and Taiwan.

• Orexo AB, of Uppsala, Sweden, and Lake Forest, Ill.-based Hospira, a pharmaceutical delivery company, signed an agreement giving Hospira exclusive marketing and selling rights to Rapinyl, Orexo's sublingual tablet for break-through cancer pain. Hospira will market the drug in Australia, New Zealand and other Asian Pacific areas, and shoulder the responsibility for regulatory approval in those markets. Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, markets Rapinyl in Japan, and Eno Pharmaceuticals, of Chadds Ford, Pa., has distribution rights in North America.

• Regulus Therapeutics, a joint venture between Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., formed to discover, develop, and commercialize microRNA therapeutics, said that newly published research in the Journal of Virology adds to a growing body of research demonstrating that certain viral microRNAs play a role in the viral life cycle, likely by regulating host gene expression, and suggested that microRNA therapeutics that target specific viral microRNAs could provide a novel approach for anti-viral medicines.

• Synvista Therapeutics Inc., of Montvale, N.J., published preclinical data showing that alagebrium reduced serum levels of advanced glycated end-products (AGEs) and restored neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity in rats with diabetes. The data were published in the October 2007 issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. Alagebrium has also shown positive results in Phase II trials for diastolic heart failure, although it stumbled in systolic hypertension and erectle dysfunction. (See BioWorld Today, June 13, 2005.)