A group of researchers at Haukeland University Hospital, in Bergen, Norway, has chanced upon a potential new approach to treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which could also shed light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of this most enigmatic of diseases.

LONDON – The new Edinburgh BioQuarter made the first step toward its aim of becoming Scotland's translational research hub, signing a drug discovery collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline plc in acute pancreatitis.The deal follows a trawl by GSK as it hunts for 10 projects for its recently established university collaboration scheme, the Academic Discovery Performance Unit.

LONDON – ImmuPharma plc has pulled out of a $500 million cash deal for Lupuzor, over concerns that the lupus treatment would be beached following the acquisition of its licensee Cephalon Inc., by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., which was finalized Oct. 14.London-based ImmuPharma is now scouting for a new partner for the drug, which is ready for Phase III.

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT) NV's bid to become the first Western biotechnology firm to gain a gene therapy approval suffered a second rebuff, as the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) stood over its original negative opinion on a marketing authorization application for Glybera (alipogene tiparvovec), which is in development for the ultra-rare indication lipoprotein lipase deficiency.Shares in the company (AMSTERDAM:AMT) plunged 51 percent when the news was disclosed Friday, to close at €0.38 (US$0.43).

LONDON – A new mouse model for bipolar disorder is now available. The mouse, which has decreased activity of an enzyme already suspected of involvement in the development of bipolar disorder, will help researchers to identify new drugs to treat this condition, which affects 1 in 100 people.

To say that Timo Veromaa, CEO of Biotie Therapies Oyj was not best pleased with Merck Serono SA's surprise decision to exit a partnership with Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA on the Parkinson's drug safinamide would be an understatement.The timing of the announcement – smack in the middle of Biotie's proposed takeover of Newron – "is completely unorthodox," he told BioWorld International. "To drop the ball right in the middle of [a pivotal Phase III program] is astonishing."

LONDON – The prospects for commercializing any treatments based on human embryonic stem cell research carried out in Europe are looking dim after a final court ruling that any invention involving the removal of a stem cell from an embryo cannot be patented. (BioWorld International)