Biotech Business Week

Genetics & Genomics - GeneChip human exon array launched for genome-wide expression profiling on a single array

Genetics & Genomics - Genetic assessments based on individual's DNA expanded into Virginia test market

Genetics & Genomics - Genetic reagents tests for cystic fibrosis maker signs agreement to supply assay

Genetics & Genomics - Researchers discover gene on chromosome 15 that regulates inflammation

Genetics & Genomics - Researchers map gene for most common inherited connective tissue disease

HIV/AIDS Diagnostics - Molecular tests company investigating collaboration for testing blood samples

HIV/AIDS Prevention - Arizona health leaders discuss new methods for protecting women from HIV

Health Promotion - Orthopedists promote importance of bone, joint health

Health Promotion - Report indicates that Americans are dieting less, exercising more

Healthcare Costs - Medicare reimbursement terms for Retisert published

Healthcare Trends - Third-quarter results show positive momentum in U.S. not-for-profit healthcare

Hepatitis A Treatment - GSK's hepatitis vaccine has been approved for use in children12 months and older

Hepatitis C Vaccine - Merck and Co. to develop adenovirus-based vaccine against hepatitis C

Hypertension - Beta blockers should not remain first treatment for high blood pressure

Hypertension - Phase 1 safety, tolerability testing of renin inhibitor for hypertension started

Imaging - European Commission approves magnetic resonance angiography contrast agent

Imaging - New PACS release optimized for very large data sets

Imaging - Ophthalmic digital imaging company launches four new products

Imaging - Radiotherapy equipment contract extended for 7 years at U.K. oncology center

Imaging - Sacred Heart Medical Center acquires Zone Sonography technology

Imaging - Vasovist, a blood pool contrast agent using Target Visualization Technology, wins E.U. approval

Infection Control - NanoMask production increased to meet growing demand caused by avian flu threat

Influenza - Asthma group launches national Flu Shot Finder

Influenza - First FLUVIRIN influenza virus vaccine delivered to U.S. customers

Influenza - Influenza genome study reveals flu evolution

Information Technology - Anka Systems enters into comarketing agreement

Information Technology - Company marketing combined healthcare, financial swipe card transaction system

Information Technology - Data integration software provider announces implementation by Pfizer Japan

Information Technology - Drug development software services company releases WinNonlin Validation Suite

Information Technology - Film-to-digital system for growing digital mammography market introduced

Information Technology - First two installations of Insist software for newborn screening announced

Information Technology - Healthcare IT consulting firm, mobile devices maker partner to integrate systems

Information Technology - Healthcare information technology company introduces automated chart completion

Information Technology - Information exchange option for medical records software announced

Information Technology - Information technology company assists in launch of e-HIM Virtual Lab Project

Information Technology - Institute launches large library of pharma, biotech information, educational resources

Information Technology - MedLink VPN launches secure system for doctor-patient email communication

Information Technology - More than 200 projects using patient electronic diaries software delivered by tech firm

Information Technology - Prince William Health System chooses system for revenue cycle outsourcing

Information Technology - Providence St. Peter Hospital to install interactive patient education system

Information Technology - Software and vertical solution company enters agreement for data migration

Information Technology - U.S. FDA to use systems biology technology for research, review of genomics data

Legal Issues - Legal actions taken against resolutions of dialysis company's extraordinary general meeting

Legal Issues - Technology company sues Palatin for breach of contract

Leukemia - Clinical testing approved for therapy of relapsed and refractory leukemias

Leukemia - Researchers find that a new agent inhibits leukemia cell survival through a novel mechanism

Lung Cancer - Clinical trial affirms safety of vascular drugs in combination with radiotherapy

Macular Degeneration - Biopharma company announces research on vascular disrupting agent

Macular Degeneration - Phase III trial of Photrex underway for wet age-related macular degeneration

Macular Degeneration - Study suggests new treatment more effective for early-stage macular degeneration

Malaria Therapy - Drug combination against AIDS-related infections also effective against malaria

Malignant Glioma - Study results support feasibility of multimodality therapy for malignant glioma

Market Analysis - Biopharmas dominate third quarter healthcare venture capital market

Marketing - Company reports progress on several fronts in marketing its PNT glaucoma treatment

Marketing - Keltsch Pharmacy changes name to align identity with branding

Marketing - MarketShare Recovery Inc. changes name to establish biometrics branding

Marketing - Medical imaging systems distributor signs agreement with GPO HealthTrust

Marketing - Publisher launches Pharma Asia to cover trends, technology and research

Marketing - Study shows drug developers use medical publications to compete for market share

Medical Devices - CLIA waiver received for drugs of abuse tests

Medical Devices - California investment group closes investment in N Spine, Inc.

Medical Devices - Cardiac output monitor tested in ER called potential noninvasive alternative

Medical Devices - Electrothermal stimulation skin renewal system launched

Medical Devices - Exchange of ventricular assist system controllers complete, company reports

Medical Devices - Macular degeneration device improves vision in 26% of treated eyes in trial

Medical Devices - Results from transdermal vaccination safety and feasibility studies reported

Medical Devices - Safety needle device company receives U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval

Medical Devices - Safety syringe sample batch to be produced; patent filed for plunger technology

Medical Devices - Study to evaluate performance of drug-eluting coronary stent system

Medical Devices - Therapeutics company spins out oncology subsidiary in $35 million venture financing

Medical Devices - U.S. FDA grants 510(k) approval for sale, distribution of anesthesia systems in U.S. market

Medical Devices - U.S. FDA grants 510(k) clearance for ultrasound catheter

Medical Devices - U.S. FDA premarket approval sought for device to treat dry age-related macular degeneration

Medical Devices - U.S. FDA seizes Colleague Infusion Pumps, Syndeo PCA Syringe Pumps

Melanoma - Canvaxin phase III clinical trial for patients with stage III melanoma discontinued

Melanoma - U.S. Food & Drug Administration grants orphan drug designation to IL-21 for treatment of melanoma

Mental Health - Drug company awards scholarships to winners who have severe mental illnesses

Mental Health - Public health agency awards $7.2 million in grants for mental health programs

Mergers & Acquisitions - Acquisition of inChord by life sciences marketing services company complete

Mergers & Acquisitions - Drug-coated device maker completes acquisition of Afmedica

Mergers & Acquisitions - Drugstore chain agrees to acquire Schraft's Specialty Pharmacy

Mergers & Acquisitions - Generic drug maker to acquire Alpharma's human generics business

Mergers & Acquisitions - Health e Monitoring acquires assets of Disease Management Technologies

Mergers & Acquisitions - Holding company signs merger agreement to acquire Uluru

Mergers & Acquisitions - Home care, staffing services company enters SC market with acquisition of medical equipment company

Mergers & Acquisitions - Immunoassay maker acquired by Beckman Coulter

Mergers & Acquisitions - Majority ownership of sterile injectable products maker sold to RoundTable Healthcare Partners

Mergers & Acquisitions - Medical device company announces offer for its outstanding common stock

Mergers & Acquisitions - Pharma company completes acquisition of Cellective Therapeutics

Mergers & Acquisitions - Pharmaceutical services, supply firm acquires Canadian distributor Trent Drugs for $83M

Mergers & Acquisitions - Physician staffing company enters agreement to be acquired by Blackstone Group

Migraines - Trexima NDA accepted for review by U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Muscular Dystrophy - Development-stage biopharmaceutical submits application for orphan drug status for Myodur

Myocardial Infarction - Study finds risks of cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction reduced with Atacand

Nosocomial Infections - Phase II clinical trial initated for C. difficile-associated diarrhea

Ophthalmology - Maker of accommodating interocular lens reports Q3 2005 sales revenue growth of 51%

Ovarian Cancer - Providers urged to consider ovarian cancer when women present with abdominal pain and bloating

Pain Management - Almost 10 million Britons suffer pain almost daily

Pain Management - Local anesthetics are effective for neuropathic pain

Patent Foramen Ovale - New device closes heart defect, preventing unfiltered blood from entering circulation

Patents - Biopharma company granted patents for antigen to treat three staphylococcal strains

Patents - Blood pressure monitoring developer wins right to protect intellectual property

Patents - Dermatology-focused company files patent infringement lawsuit against Agis

Patents - Epoch Biosciences issued U.S. patent for detecting nucleic acid targets

Patents - Medical image analysis company issued sixth patent for biomarker analytical tool technology

Patents - Patent granted for gene shuffling technology

Patents - Three issued patents cover firm's expansions

Patents - U.S. patent awarded for novel hydraulic proportioning system

Patents - U.S. patent granted for improved medical device safety under MRI

Pediatric Cancer - Retinoblastoma researchers demonstrate a new treatment with drug combination

Pediatrics - Researchers question persistent cough treatments for children

Peripheral Vascular Disease - Biopharma company to pursue development of peripheral arterial disease drug

Personnel - Biological microsystems developer appoints John Wm. Ferkany as vice president

Personnel - Biopharma company names George J. Vergis president and chief operating officer

Personnel - Biotech company names Ted Danse as new president and CEO

Personnel - Biotechnology company announces Victor G. Robinson has joined as controller

Personnel - Brailer and Perlin named to healthcare quality measurement organization

Personnel - Brandon J. Price named CEO of stem-cell-focused biopharmaceutical company

Personnel - Cancer-focused biotech firm names Christian Nascimento as director of finance

Personnel - Cancer-focused pharmaceutical company establishes oncology advisory board

Personnel - Cancer-focused pharmaceutical company expands scientific advisory board

Personnel - Cardiac electrophysiology company replaces CEO Reinhard Schmidt; David Jenkins takes the helm

Personnel - Carter resigns from pharma company; Graeme-Howie appointed executive director

Personnel - Catherine Rommal named to risk, patient safety board of healthcare IT company

Personnel - Chinese pharmaceutical firm appoints new CEO and chief financial officer

Personnel - Crowell & Moring, LLP, adds new partner to healthcare group

Personnel - Diagnostic test company appoints Maureen Millier to board of directors

Personnel - Don McMillan named division president by medical devices manufacturing company

Personnel - Drug development company names Poul-Martin Haahr chief executive officer

Personnel - Drug-coated medical device maker appoints Greg Peet to board of directors

Personnel - Fertility services company names Higham as president and chief executive officer

Personnel - John Denny named VP, product development, by drug delivery devices developer

Personnel - Kirsten Goulde named VP, human resources, of at-home assisted-living services company

Personnel - Life sciences company appoints Keitt and Sosebee to cardiac services division

Personnel - Maker of products for acute care names Melvin Spigelman, MD, to board of directors

Personnel - Mary Ann Greenawalt named VP, regulatory affairs, of acute care devices company

Personnel - Michael Weiss joins biopharma company's board to help raise investment interest

Personnel - Michel Finance named executive vice president and CFO

Personnel - Oncology drug maker expands product-development management team

Personnel - Oxygent maker appoints Jack DeFranco as president and chief operating officer

Personnel - Pharma company appoints Robyn Baker as a nonexecutive board director

Personnel - Pharma company appoints Terrence Moore as vice president

Personnel - Pharma company elects Hans Mueller to board

Personnel - Pharma company names Nancy Oaks as vice president of sales for U.S. Rx division

Personnel - Pharmaceutical company names Brad E. Fackler as VP, marketing and sales

Personnel - Protein-focused biotech company names Karen Jervis VP of Scotland subsidiary

Personnel - Robert A. Shiver appointed president and CEO of PrimeCare Systems

Personnel - Senior VP, worldwide sales and services appointed at molecular modeling, informatics company

Personnel - Stem cell company appoints Sarah Haecker as VP of corporate development

Pharmaceutical Research - Few pharma companies couple competitive intelligence with business development

Pharmaceutical Research - New microplate reader series brings infinite flexibility to life science research

Pharmaceutical Research - Pharma companies spending more on oncology commercialization than biotechs

Pharmaceutical Research - R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company signs research agreement with Scynexis

Pharmaceutical Research - Researchers discover previously unknown form of plasticity in nerve cells

Pharmaceutical research - U.S. NCI awards $2.3 million to develop dosing technology for anticancer drugs

Product Launch - ZYFLO maker announces details of asthma treatment's commercial launch

Product Licensing - Vaccine adjuvant GPI-0100 licensed by Hawaii Biotech

Professional Education - Lions Clubs, group supporting intellectually disabled launch vision curriculum

Prostate Cancer - New radioactive isotope seed implanted directly into tumors

Prostate Cancer - Phase II clinical trial of hormone refractory prostate cancer drug underway

Prostate Cancer - Report suggests new regimen for prostate cancer treatment more effective

Proteomics - Functional cancer protein microarray launched for use in proteomics research

Psoriasis - Study to measure safety and efficacy of immunomodulator in psoriasis patients

Quality Assurance - Biotech holding company announces facilities GMP-certified for drug production

Quality Assurance - ECG core laboratory completes XML process under Mortara Certified Partner program

Quality Assurance - Health quality organization endorses new standards for ambulatory, diabetes care

Renal Cell Carcinoma - Preliminary data shows renal cancer drug is safe and well tolerated

Research Funding - $20M U.S. NIH grant funds Proteome Systems' catalytic scavenger compounds

Respiratory Medicine - Acute lung injury mortality is fourfold higher than that from heart attack

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Data suggest that 2ME2 inhibits inflammation and disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis model

SARS Coronavirus Therapy - siRNA inhibitors effective as prophylactic or therapeutic regimens against SARS CoV infection

Sexual & Reproductive Health - New survey shows many women take home pregnancy tests too early to be accurate

Sickle Cell Disease - Inhaled nitric oxide may help sickle cell disease

Smallpox - Smallpox vaccine effective against lethal doses of monkeypox virus

Spinal Cord Injury - Survey reveals many Hispanics in U.S. not aware of available paralysis resources

Stem Cell Research - Simple method yields high-density cultures of embryonic stem cells

Stem Cell Research - Studies show immature stem cells proliferate, create multiple types of neural cells

Surgical Technology - Anesthesia is not an indicator of patient morbidity and mortality

Surgical Technology - Minimally invasive device for spinal surgery available in U.S.

Surgical Technology - New modules of Endovascular AccuTouch System released

Surgical Technology - Non-stick bipolar forceps launched for neurosurgery

Surgical Technology - Robotic radiosurgery system unveiled at conference

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - LymphoStat-B shown to be safe, well-tolerated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Pharma companies file investigational new drug application for autoimmune antibody

Telemedicine - PrimeCare Systems awards license to Argentina-based Telemedica

Thrombosis - Biopharma company nears completion of preclinical data on antithrombin drug

Tobacco Use - Nicotine-enriched tobacco being developed for use in reduced-risk cigarettes

Transplant Medicine - Basiliximab may be useful in heart transplantations

Transplant Medicine - Donor leukocyte infusion may be a potential treatment for cytomegalovirus retinitis

Transplant Medicine - Nonprofit organ donation organization receives transplant network contract

Transplant Medicine - Researchers try to determine causes of cardiac allograft rejection

Tuberculosis - Moxifloxacin to be studied as new TB treatment

Tuberculosis - TB Alliance and Bayer launch historic global drug trials for tuberculosis

Tuberculosis - Tuberculosis and malaria weekly update available online

Tularemia Vaccine - University of New Mexico, drug company receive $23 million to develop tularemia vaccine

Type 1 Diabetes - E.U. approval received for premixed insulin analogues

Vaccine Development - Consistency lots study evaluates safety and immune response of investigational vaccine