With the escalating incidence of wound-causing illnesses such as obesity and diabetes, compounded by aging populations, wound care is a serious health issue. Fortunately, significant progress is being made in elucidating the complex physiological processes involved in wound healing. New treatment options are entering clinical testing as biotechnology companies create innovative treatments designed to accelerate healing of wounds that result from diabetes, poor circulation, bed sores, burns and scarring from surgical procedures that can take weeks or months to heal.
The disappointing returns on biopharmaceutical research and development, despite the availability of advanced molecular technologies and the investment of billions of dollars, is forcing companies to a re-evaluate their business plans. One idea that appears to be coming back into vogue again is the strategy of giving older drugs a makeover. Reformulating and repurposing older drugs for new uses or improved versions is more attractive than developing a drug from scratch.
Cholesterol-lowering drug candidates are in the spotlight this week with the FDA's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) meeting Wednesday and Thursday to pass judgment on two of those drugs – lomitapide from Aegerion Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and Kynamro (mipomersen sodium) from Genzyme, a unit of Sanofi SA, a first-in-class second-generation antisense apolipoprotein B synthesis inhibitor, developed by Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Kudos to the folks at Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) for selecting the industry’s “hot button” issues for panel discussions at the annual BIO Investor Forum (BIF) just concluded in San Francisco. In years past it has been my experience that any panel, no matter what the topic, that ran alongside sessions reserved for company presentations during investor-focused events, was thinly attended at best. In those heady days of biotech, not that long ago, the rush was on to learn about the latest innovation from companies. Dollars were readily available for investment and biotech execs gave their presentations to a full...
Small patient populations have suddenly become big business for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies alike. The pipeline is rapidly filling with candidate medicines targeting rare and ultra-rare diseases. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), last year biopharmaceutical research companies had approximately 460 medicines targeting rare diseases either in clinical trials or awaiting FDA review.
Put a bunch of seasoned biotech investor veterans on stage and you are sure to attract an audience. That was certainly the case for "Forecasting 2013: Trick or Treat?" the closing plenary session of the BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco last week, which had a standing room-only crowd.
SAN FRANCISCO – In the wake of President Obama making a brief fundraising stop here during his election campaign, center stage now falls to the more than 110 biotech execs who have gathered in the city to make their presentations to investors at the annual BIO Investor Forum (BIF).
Despite the continuing turbulence in the global capital markets, investors have had no qualms about backing the biotech sector – more in public biotechs than in private ones, however.
Despite the continuing turbulence in the global capital markets investors have had no qualms about backing the biotech sector – more in public biotechs than in private ones, however. The average increase in the stock values of the 231 public biotech companies tracked by the BioWorld Stock Report is up 38 percent year-to-date.
