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ThromboGenics transfers thrombolytic agent technology to Bharat
Biotech |
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ThromboGenics NV, Belgium, has announced the successful
completion of technology transfer to Bharat Biotech
International Limited, India, for the manufacture of THR-100,
a novel variant of recombinant staphylokinase. THR-100 is a
thrombolytic agent developed for the treatment of acute
myocardial infarction (AMI) and other vascular diseases, based
on its ability to dissolve blood clots.
ThromboGenics had earlier announced the completion of a
licence agreement with Bharat Biotech to manufacture, develop
and commercialize THR-100 as a replacement for established
thrombolytics, such as streptokinase and urokinase, in
developing countries.
Bharat Biotech will use its manufacturing capabilities, and
the technological expertise acquired from ThromboGenics, to
produce clinical-grade material for upcoming clinical trials.
THR-100 has completed Phase II clinical trials in Europe for
treatment of AMI, and is expected to enter Phase III in India
later this year.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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Immunotherapeutics to invest in R&D and production
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Immunotherapeutics Ltd., India, a 100 per cent subsidiary of
American Bio Sources (ABS) Inc., the United States, has
earmarked an investment of Rs 1 billion (about US$25 million)
to establish R&D and manufacturing facilities. The locations
are being identified at Hyderabad and Bangalore. The
investments will be sourced through public funding.
The company will manufacture novel vaccines for prevention of
infections, monoclonal antibodies (MABs), cancer therapeutics
and cardio-vascular bio-pharmaceuticals, said Dr. Niranjan
Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director. The company will
receive technology from its parent company and also offer its
facility for contract manufacturing services, stated Dr.
Kumar. “We will also look at alternate locations like Pune for
an R&D laboratory and New Delhi for manufacturing plant as
part of our nation wide activities,” he added.
Immunotherapeutics is ready for clinical trials in India for
the novel bacterial and viral vaccines, which are already
launched globally. The company will go in for production in
2008-end and products will be available in India by mid-2009.
Source:
www.pharmabiz.com |
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Acambis wins FDA approval for new smallpox vaccine |
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Acambis plc, the United Kingdom, has received approval from
the United States Food and Drug Authority for its smallpox
vaccine ACAM 2000, the first new bio-defence vaccine to be
licensed since the United States government launched Project
Bioshield in 2001. The company previously supplied 192.5
million doses of the vaccine under the investigational new
drug application, and the licence paves the way for it to
agree to a deal with the Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDCs) for a warm base manufacturing contract to
maintain the stockpile. The warm base contract will require
Acambis to keep its United States facility in readiness to
manufacture ACAM 2000.
Military personnel are required to be vaccinated if they are
posted to threat areas, and it is planned to switch from the
current Dryvax vaccine manufactured by Wyeth, the United
States, to ACAM 2000 now that it is licensed. Those doses will
be supplied from the CDC’s stockpile. ACAM 2000 has an
equivalent safety and efficacy profile to Dryvax, but is
manufactured in cell culture using animal-free serum.
More than 3,800 subjects were vaccinated in two Phase III
studies of ACAM 2000. One demonstrated non-inferiority to
Dryvax in producing a scab at the injection site in people not
previously vaccinated against smallpox – a generally accepted
surrogate endpoint. There was a 96 per cent response in the
ACAM 2000 group compared with 99 per cent in the Dryvax group.
The second study demonstrated non-inferiority to Dryvax in
generating an immune response in subjects previously exposed
to the older vaccine. According to Acambis, apart from the
United States, ACAM 2000 has been sold to 14 other
governments.
Source:
www.bioworldtoday.com |
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Affymetrix and Empire Genomics enter into
licensing agreement |
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In the United States, Empire Genomics LLC has obtained a
non-exclusive, worldwide licence to a number of Affymetrix
patents covering the manufacture, use and sale of nucleic acid
microarrays and related products and services for comparative
genomic hybridization. The arrays and services may be used for
research or diagnostics. “This agreement with Affymetrix
enables Empire Genomics to bring its innovative genomics
platform to market while continuing the advancement of
personalized medicine. We fully expect that focusing in the
field of copy number variation will lead to the discovery of
the genomic causes of multiple diseases, as well as advanced
therapeutic treatment strategies,” said Empire Genomics CEO
Mr. Anthony Johnson.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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Dow AgroSciences and Hexima collaborate on cotton
seed |
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Dow AgroSciences, based in the United States, has announced an
agreement with Australia’s Hexima Ltd. to test cotton plants
using Dow’s proprietary genetic constructs. The agreement
involves the completion of a series of research activities,
and testing over the next 18-24 months, resulting in the
production of viable transgenic cotton seeds to provide better
solutions and more options for cotton growers. “This
collaboration represents Dow AgroSciences’ commitment to
provide differentiated solutions to customers globally through
unique technology and capabilities,” said Mr. Daniel R.
Kittle, Dow AgroSciences Vice President for R&D.
Source:
www.seedquest.org |
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Dako enters new collaboration on targeted NSCLC
therapies |
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Dako of Denmark has entered into collaboration with Genentech,
OSI and Roche for the clinical development and application for
a pre-market approval supplement and CE marking of EGFR
pharmDxTM for its use as a potential test in the assessment of
patients of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) considered for
treatment with Tarceva® (erlotinib).
Dako possesses substantial technical knowledge regarding the
utility of immunochemistry for use in characterization of EGFR
protein expression in tumour cells and markets EGFR pharmDx to
assess clinical colon cancer tissue specimens for the presence
of the EGFR protein, thereby assisting the physician in
choosing appropriate therapy. Genentech, OSI and Roche have
access to substantial proprietary and confidential technical
and scientific information regarding their product Tarceva and
were seeking a capable diagnostic collaborator.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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Baxter signs flu vaccine deal |
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Baxter International, based in the United States, has entered
into an agreement to supply the United Kingdom with flu
vaccine in the event of a bird flu pandemic. The company is in
the final stages of testing for a vaccine against H5N1 strains
of avian influenza. Baxter will manufacture its pandemic
vaccine in a serum-free, vero cell-based system that
accelerates vaccine availability. The vaccines produced using
this process can be released within approximately 12 weeks,
significantly earlier than with traditional egg-based systems,
the company said. The vero cell culture gives Baxter the
flexibility to quickly respond to emerging variant pandemic
virus strains.
Source:
www.sciencedaily.com |
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Dyax Corp. collaborate with Bayer Schering Pharma
for therapeutic antibodies |
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Dyax Corp., the United States, has entered into an agreement
with Bayer Schering Pharma AG, based in Germany, for the
discovery of therapeutic antibodies. Under the terms of this
agreement, Dyax will identify therapeutic antibodies for two
targets provided by Bayer Schering Pharma. Furthermore, these
research activities may be expanded to allow Dyax to work on
additional targets and/or allow Bayer Schering Pharma to
exercise an option for an antibody library licence.
Dyax will receive clinical milestone payments and royalties on
net sales that may result from Bayer Schering Pharma’s
development and commercialization of any antibodies discovered
through the collaboration. The agreement also provides Bayer
Schering Pharma with sub-licences to relevant third-party
antibody phage display patents that may be used with Dyax’s
technology.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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Ablynx and Boehringer Ingelheim in global
strategic alliance for nano-therapeutics |
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Ablynx, Belgium, and Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany, have
announced a major global strategic alliance to discover,
develop and commercialize up to ten different Nanobody®
therapeutics. Ablynx expects to receive €75 million during the
research term of the collaboration, which includes €15 million
proposed equity investment by Boehringer Ingelheim in Ablynx.
Besides, Ablynx will receive development milestone of up to
€125 million as well as undisclosed royalties payments for
each Nanobody developed.
Ablynx and Boehringer Ingelheim will collaborate in the
discovery of Nanobodies against agreed targets across multiple
therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and
respiratory. Both parties will propose target opportunities
for the collaboration with the goal of bringing Nanobody-based
products rapidly to patients in need. The German company will
be exclusively responsible for the development, manufacture
and commercialization of any products that result from the
collaboration. Ablynx will have some co-promotion rights in
Europe.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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ITC takes over Australian agri-biotech company |
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Diversified major ITC Ltd., India, has taken over the
Australian agri-biotech company Technico Pty. Ltd. for an
undisclosed sum, as part of a strategy to strengthen its foods
business. The deal was executed through its subsidiary Russell
Credit. An ITC spokesperson said the acquisition of Technico
will help improve the profile of the company’s foods business.
Technico is an agri-biotech company with operations in Canada,
China, India and Middle East through its subsidiaries. It
provides bulk potato supply chain management, and has the
award winning ‘Technituber’ seed technology, which it claims
would revolutionize the global seed potato industry. The
potato company provides supply chain solutions to global
customers by using proprietary technology and a technology
platform to implement affordable early field generation seed
potato programmes, reduce seed exposure to soil-borne
pathogens and rapidly introduce new varieties.
Source:
www.economictimes.indiatimes.com |
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Generex Biotech to collaborate with Rochester
University on avian influenza vaccine |
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Antigen Express Inc., the wholly-owned immunotherapy
subsidiary of Generex Biotechnology Corp., the United States,
has entered into an agreement with the University of Rochester
as part of its efforts to develop a novel vaccine against the
potentially pandemic avian influenza. The collaboration brings
together Prof. John Treanor, at the Department of Medicine at
the University of Rochester Medical Centre, and the novel
peptide vaccine technology pioneered by Antigen Express.
Antigen Express is involved in the clinical development of
peptides designed to potently stimulate CD4+ T helper cells
through enhanced interaction with MHC class II molecules.
Earlier this year, the Company began Phase I clinical studies
of proprietary peptides derived from the hemagglutinin protein
of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in healthy volunteers.
Modified peptide vaccines for avian influenza can be
manufactured by a fully synthetic process at lower cost but
higher speed and quantity of production relative to
traditional vaccines. Furthermore, the peptides are derived
from regions of the virus that are similar enough in all H5N1
virus strains such that they would not have to be newly
designed for the specific strain to emerge in a pandemic.
Source:
www.bionity.com |
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