French diagnostics firm Skuldtech SAS has emerged as the company behind a phenotypic biomarker that offers a simple predictive indication of which pancreatic cancer patients will benefit from an investigational tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) currently under regulatory review in Europe. Read More

LONDON – It will be possible to unravel the causative mechanisms of many diseases that have been the subject of genomewide association studies by carrying out genetic investigations in mice, researchers in Scandinavia suggested. Read More

LONDON – Four Pfizer Inc. scientists and executives have formed a new company specializing in inflammatory and allergic diseases around assets deemed surplus to requirements following the closure of the U.S. pharma company's UK R&D center in Sandwich, Kent. Read More

Twenty-two UK life sciences companies and a further 10 academic groups will share £39 million (US$62.3 million) in research funding in the largest grant allocation that the Biomedical Catalyst scheme has made to date. Read More

A recent decision by the Irish government to abolish the independent office of the Chief Scientific Adviser and to amalgamate the role with that of the director general (DG) of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has elicited a curious mix of protest and silence. Read More

With safety and efficacy endpoints met last week in the Phase III trial testing Biogen Idec Inc.'s long-lasting rFVIIIFc (recombinant Factor VIII Fc fusion protein) for hemophilia A, investors were scrutinizing the candidate's odds in a market led by Advate, the serum-free, recombinant Factor VIII therapy from Baxter Healthcare Corp. Read More

• Compugen Ltd., of Tel Aviv, Israel, reported the discovery and initial validation of two additional cancer targets for its monoclonal antibody therapy. Read More