Articles By Cassandra Leger
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Lilly Buys Back CGRP Antibody Rights
1/14/2014
January 13, 2014 - Eli Lilly & Company announced a successful acquisition of the entirety of Arteaus Therapeutics’ developmental rights of the Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide antibody, commonly referred to as the CGRP antibody. CGRP, a sensory neuropeptide, =has vascular and pro-inflammatory effects. As a result, the CGRP antibody is currently being studied as a viable treatment for aggressive and/ or reoccurring migraines.
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J&J Petitions FDA To Regulate Naming Of Biosimilars
1/13/2014
Johnson & Johnson addressed the FDA with a petition requesting that the U.S. administration regulate the labeling of biosimilars; specifically those that bear names reminiscent of their reference product but are not indistinctly the same. According to the petition, Johnson & Johnson states that distinguished versions of the names are necessary to ensure patient safety and maintain proper pharmacovigilance.
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FDA To Approve Leukemia Drug For The Second Time
1/10/2014
This week the FDA announced it was approving the use of Iclusig to treat leukemia. Iclusig, a product of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was previously approved by the FDA in 2012 to treat chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the treatment was limited by the FDA and designated to only be used in patients who did not respond to any other treatment being given to them at the time. Iclusig became a last resort for leukemia sufferers until October 31, 2013, when the FDA asked the manufacturer of the drug to suspend marketing and sales of Iclusig.
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NIH Consolidates Biorepositories Into One Program
1/8/2014
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it is spearheading a new program, meant to expedite research designed to treat brain disorders. Its new biospecimens biorepository will become a virtual open library for brain tissue specimens that can be used for research. According to NIH, their new NeuroBioBank project, unveiled in December, will serve as a web-based resource. Its main function will be to compact five primary brain banks and gear them forward into a network vision designed for the neuroscience community.
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Abnormal Mitochondria May Contribute To Radiation Resistant Cancer
1/6/2014
Cancers are not created equal nor do they respond the same to treatment and scientists have sought after the reason why for decades. In particular, research has focused on uncovering why certain cancers are very rebellious and stubborn in response to radiation therapy. The answer may lie in studying the mitochondria—the energy power plant of the cell.
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Tricking Circadian Clocks In Algae Leads To Possible Economic Stability For Biotech Companies
1/6/2014
Biological clocks which drive circadian rhythms are ubiquitous in nature. New research published by Carl Johnson and colleagues at Vanderbilt University has demonstrated how manipulation of simple organism biological clocks can increase production of commercially relevant biological compounds.
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Taiwanese Company Working To Get Approval For Avian Flu Vaccine In China
1/6/2014
Adimmune Corp, a Taiwanese company, is working to gain drug approval and have marketing certification in China for a new trivalent vaccine against avian flu. They plan to do so by mid-summer 2014, thereby making them the first company in Taiwan to do so if they succeed.