Biotech/Biomedical/Health News

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

• BG Medicine Announces Exercise of Underwriters’ Over-Allotment Option and Closing of Initial Public Offering --- WALTHAM, Mass.
  Posted at 4:30 PM
  

  BG Medicine (NASDAQ: BGMD) today announced that the underwriters of its initial public offering have exercised in full their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 750,000 shares of BG Medicine’s common stock at $7.00 per share, less underwriting discounts and commissions. BG Medicine also announced that ... read more
• Dynomax Introduces New Robotic Abrasive Grinding Spindles --- WHEELING, Ill.
  Posted at 4:30 PM
  

  Combining its spindle expertise with its in-depth knowledge of harsh grinding environments, Dynomax Inc. introduces its new Dynogrind™ spindle series designed specifically for robotic grinding of abrasive materials such as glass, ceramic, composite and forged materials. ... read more
• Inhibitex to Present at the Leerink Swann Hot Topics in Therapeutics Roundtable Conference --- ATLANTA
  Posted at 4:26 PM
  

  Inhibitex, Inc. (Nasdaq: INHX), today announced that Russell Plumb, president and chief executive officer, will present an overview of the Company and an update of its pipeline of differentiated antiviral compounds at the Leerink Swann Hot Topics in Therapeutics Roundtable Conference on February 16, 2011 at ... read more
• Watson Announces Favorable District Court Ruling in Generic Mucinex® Patent Suit --- MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 4:22 PM
  Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: WPI), a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has ruled that Watson's generic versions of Mucinex®, Mucinex® D and Mucinex® DM (Guaifenesin, Dextromethorphan HBr/ Guaifenesin, and Pseudoephedrine/Guaifenesin) Extended-Release products, do not infringe U.S. Patent No. 6,372,252 (the "'252 Patent"). The Company said it is continuing to seek final FDA approval of the products. In 2009, Reckitt Benckiser sued Watson Laboratories, Inc. for patent infringement related ... read more
• NPS Pharmaceuticals to Report 2010 Financial Results --- BEDMINSTER, N.J.
  Posted at 4:20 PM
  

  NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: NPSP) announced today that it will report its 2010 financial results on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET. The press release will be followed by a conference call and webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET. ... read more
• Orexigen® Therapeutics Announces Corporate Realignment --- SAN DIEGO, Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 4:15 PM
  Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX), today announced that it has implemented a corporate realignment of the Company's workforce, resulting in a reduction in staff of approximately 40%, or 23 employees. The Company took these steps due to the Complete Response Letter it received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") on January 31, 2011 regarding the New Drug Application ("NDA") for Contrave®, the Company's lead product candidate for the treatment of obesity. The Company is in the ... read more
• Novartis Drug Afinitor® Extends Progression-Free Survival in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic NET, Study Published in NEJM Shows --- EAST HANOVER, N.J., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 4:10 PM
  The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a study today that shows Afinitor® (everolimus) tablets plus best supportive care (BSC) more than doubled progression-free survival (PFS), or time without tumor growth, versus placebo plus BSC in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET)(1). Data from the study, RADIANT-3 (RAD001 In Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors), were first presented last year at the 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona(2). Regulatory submissions for everolimus to treat this patient population are underway worldwide. Results ... read more
• Neoprobe to Present Lymph Node Product Updates at BIO CEO Conference --- DUBLIN, Ohio
  Posted at 4:05 PM
  Neoprobe Corporation (OTCBB: NEOP), a diversified developer of innovative oncology surgical and diagnostic products, today announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer, David Bupp, will present a business and development update on the Company’s lymphatic-focused technologies on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 11:30AM EST in ... read more
• Marina Biotech Announces Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock and Warrants --- BOTHELL, WA
  Posted at 4:01 PM
  

  BOTHELL, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/09/11 -- Marina Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA), a leading RNAi-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that it intends to offer and sell units consisting of shares of its common stock and warrants to purchase common stock in an underwritten public offering. The offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or ... read more
• New England Biolabs Releases JoVE Video Protocol Highlighting Assay to Quantitate 5-hmC in Epigenome --- IPSWICH, Mass., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 3:58 PM
  New England Biolabs (NEB) has published a video protocol with the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) for the EpiMark(TM) 5-mC and 5-hmC Analysis Kit, one of a suite of new and validated products designed to simplify DNA methylation analysis for epigenetics researchers. The protocol describes a 3-step, PCR-based assay to identify and quantitate 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) within a specific DNA locus. Additionally, this enzyme-based solution is readily amenable to high throughput. The Journal of Visualized Experiments is a ... read more
• Will Rogers Institute Awards Top Doctor $50,000 for Outstanding Contributions to Lung Research --- BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 3:45 PM
  The Will Rogers Institute's annual prize for outstanding contributions to lung research has been awarded to Dr. Anthony Fauci. The $50,000 award was created to honor individuals for extraordinary work leading to advancements in treatment for lung diseases. He is the fourth recipient of the prestigious prize from the Will Rogers Institute. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110209/LA45608) Dr. Fauci has made many contributions to basic and clinical research on the pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated diseases. He has developed effective therapies for formerly fatal ... read more
• Small Bone Innovations, Inc. Strengthens Executive Team --- NEW YORK
  Posted at 3:33 PM
  

  Small Bone Innovations, Inc. (SBi), an orthopedics company focused exclusively on serving patients and their physicians with technologies and treatments for joint repair (arthroplasty) and trauma reconstruction around the small bones & joints (SB&J) of the thumb, fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, toes, and foot & ankle, ... read more
• ideeli Returns to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week --- NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 3:30 PM
  ideeli, Inc. (www.ideeli.com), the fastest-growing members-only online shopping site in the U.S., today announced details of its sponsorship program for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011 collections. As an official sponsor, ideeli will bring the excitement of the runway to the site's nearly four million shoppers with a series of curated MBFW designer sales, editorial coverage and promotions. The two-year partnership began with the S/S 2011 shows and continues through the F/W 2013 shows in February of 2012. "As an official ... read more
• Cephalon Signs Option Agreement to Acquire Assets from Alba Therapeutics --- FRAZER, Pa., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 3:05 PM
  Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) and Alba Therapeutics Corporation, a privately held biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the companies have signed an agreement providing Cephalon with an option to purchase all of Alba's assets relating to larazotide acetate, a tight junction modulator, progressing toward a Phase IIb clinical trial for the treatment of celiac disease. Under the terms of the option agreement, Cephalon will pay Alba a $7 million upfront option payment and will provide a credit facility to fund Alba's ... read more
• Accordent Receives 'Positive' Rating From Leading Industry Analyst Firm --- EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 2:53 PM
  Accordent Technologies was rated "Positive" in Gartner's recently issued "MarketScope for Video Content Management and Delivery," the highest rating achieved by the vendors profiled by the firm in the report. In the MarketScope, Gartner VP and Distinguished Analyst Whit Andrews notes that organizations "are interested in the potential of sharing videos with workers, partners, clients and prospects," and that those surveyed believe their video use will increase by more than 40% over the next few years. Andrews cautions, however, that ... read more
• Palringo Launches White Label Mobile Instant Messaging Service --- SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 2:45 PM
  Palringo, the mobile instant messaging company, today announced the launch of its white label mobile instant messaging service. Palringo Custom Solutions is a managed service that allows operators, specialty service providers and other entities to develop their own branded IM networks in as little as four weeks, while providing connectivity to other popular messaging services. Palringo owns and manages the equipment, provides a second line of technical support, performs all customization and branding work and supports the service provider ... read more
• Synovis Life Technologies to Host Fiscal First-Quarter Earnings Conference Call and Webcast Wednesday, Feb. 23 --- ST. PAUL, Minn.
  Posted at 2:38 PM
  Synovis Life Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ: SYNO) will host a live conference call and webcast of its fiscal first quarter on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at 10 a.m. CT. Synovis President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Kramp and Chief Financial Officer Brett Reynolds will discuss the company’s ... read more
• JPEO-CBD Hosts Advanced Development and Manufacturing Capability for Medical Countermeasures Industry Day
  Posted at 2:27 PM
  

  Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense: Date: February 24, 2011 Location: National Conference Center in Lansdowne, VA US Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (Soldier, ... read more
• VIDEO from Laureus Available on thenewsmarket.com: Winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards 2011 Revealed --- NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 2:15 PM
  See video from Laureus at: http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Releases/StoryDetailPage.aspx?GUID=001e9868-bd99-43ef-a459-b74be631e32a# Spain, the United States and Germany were the big winners at the 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in Abu Dhabi. Spain's world tennis No 1 Rafael Nadal was acclaimed Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after winning at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open events. American Kelly Slater was presented with the Laureus Action Sports Award for the third time, after winning the tenth World Surfing Championship. Lindsey Vonn made ... read more
• Trust for America's Health Applauds Today's FY 2011 Prevention Fund Release --- WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2011
  Posted at 2:00 PM
  The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) commends the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for today's release of the fiscal year (FY) 2011 Prevention and Public Health Fund. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100204/TFAHLOGO) "Preventing disease and injury is the most effective, common-sense way to improve health in the United States. The Prevention Fund gives us a chance to shift the paradigm from a sick care system that focuses on treating disease after it happens to a health care system, where we keep ... read more