Metal complexes that mimic the shapes of natural products show unique properties
Natural products are classic inspirations for, and indeed sources of, therapeutic agents, but they are scarce and often painstaking to make by synthetic means. At the American Chemical Society national meeting this week in Washington, D.C., Eric Meggers of the University of Pennsylvania demonstrated that simple metal complexes could replicate the unique activities of natural products.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. & TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 30, 2005–Cerenis Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company working to develop novel HDL therapies, has entered into a license agreement with Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:4539), to develop new small molecule therapies based on PPAR (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor) delta agonists.
PPAR delta agonists have been shown to play a role in elevating levels of HDL, also known as the body’s “good cholesterol.” Under the terms of the agreement, Cerenis will have access to a broad range of PPAR delta agonists for use in research and development of HDL therapies with the potential to help reduce cholesterol buildup through a natural process known as reverse lipid transport.
“PPAR delta agonists represent a very promising area of research that could lead to novel oral HDL therapies in the years ahead. This agreement positions Cerenis to move forward in this area of research, which represents an important complement to our other HDL-focused research and product development initiatives,” said Dr. Jean-Louis Dasseux, president and chief executive officer, Cerenis Therapeutics.
“We anticipate close collaboration between the companies and are looking forward to the prospect of identifying and developing first in class small molecule HDL therapies from our patented compounds,” said Mr. Kazushiro Yamaguchi, president and chief executive officer, Nippon Chemiphar.
Nippon Chemiphar will retain development and marketing rights in Asia for any new product candidates developed through this licensing agreement. Cerenis will be granted exclusive development and commercialization rights in the United States, Europe and other markets outside Asia. Cerenis will make milestone payments of up to US$30 million to Chemiphar during the research and development stage and will make royalty payments based on sales, after marketing.
About Cerenis Therapeutics
Cerenis Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of breakthrough HDL-related therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Cerenis is pursuing a range of HDL product candidates that reflect breakthrough research in HDL therapy and significant commercial opportunities in the treatment of atherosclerosis. The Cerenis management team includes world leaders in HDL therapy research and development. The company has operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Toulouse, France. For further information please visit the company website at: www.cerenis.com.
About Nippon Chemiphar Co., Ltd.
Nippon Chemiphar is a Japanese pharmaceutical company listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company develops and markets new chemical entities (NCEs) as NSAID and antihypertensives. The company focuses on drug discovery in a number of the fields, including orthopedics and urology, and is interested in working with other pharmaceutical companies to accelerate development and commercialization. With its depth of expertise in drug discovery, Chemiphar strategically focuses on identifying drug leads for further development. Chemiphar’s current R&D is focused on analgesics, therapies for life-style diseases, and hyperuricemia, which is recognized as an increasingly important clinical condition in Japan. With a view to accelerating commercialization, Chemiphar is speeding up development and candidate screening of its compounds, and their licensing overseas. Given its venture-based drug research, Chemiphar is seeks licensing opportunities so that it might more quickly bring its pharmaceuticals to the global market. For further information, please visit: http://www.chemiphar.co.jp/.
Natick, MA – Sigma-Aldrich (NASDAQ:SIAL) is pleased to announce the availability of the MyriaScreen Diversity Collection of drug-like screening compounds. The collection, produced in collaboration with TimTec Inc. (http://www.timtec.net), is the result of careful evaluation, filtering, and refinement of selections from each of our screening compound collections. The MyriaScreen Diversity Collection is comprised of 10,000 high-purity screening compounds handpicked to maximize chemical diversity while maintaining drug-likeness.
The MyriaScreen Diversity Collection was assembled from a pool of over 300,000 screening compounds using a combination of filters, diversity predictors, and manual selection. The resulting 10,000 compounds are drug-like, chemically diverse, and amenable to follow-up chemistry and optimization. The collection is well suited for researchers that are looking for a small, cost-effective, ready-to-screen set of high-quality screening compounds.
“MyriaScreen will complement our customers’ existing screening collections and jump-start new collections by quickly adding interesting chemotypes,” said Michael Earley, Product Manager, Drug Discovery, Sigma-Aldrich. “Our collaboration with TimTec, Inc. resulted in a high-quality library that our customers will find useful.”
About Sigma-Aldrich
Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Our biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and chemical manufacturing. We have customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use our products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 34 countries and has 6,000 employees providing excellent service worldwide. We are committed to the success of our Customers, Employees and Shareholders through leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service.
Sigma-Aldrich Press Release
This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future performance, goals, strategic actions
and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company’s expectations, goals, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding Company operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
To request information about MyriaScreen, please visit http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/Area_of_Interest/Chemistry/Drug_Discovery.html
Forward Inquiries to:
Mrs. Kelley Euchner, 800-521-8956
Mr. Timothy Sommer, 314-286-7768
About TimTec
TimTec Corporation is a privately held company located in Newark Delaware, USA. It was founded in 1995 and began its work in the areas of acquisition and distribution of synthetic organic and natural compounds, custom synthesis, and laboratory equipment to become a full service partner for drug discovery. TimTec has established a global network of thousands of scientists from research centers around the world. The company has developed strong in-house expertise assembling general and targeted library collections for variety of research purposes. International customers include major pharmaceutical, biotech, agricultural, and educational companies and institutions, which use TimTec products for research and development programs.
For further information please contact:
TimTec Inc
301 A Ruthar Drive
Newark DE 19711
Tel 302 292 8500
Fax 302 292 8520
info@timtec.net
http://www.timtec.net
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Newswise — An inexpensive wallet-sized personal radiation detector, a new form of oat fiber that targets obesity, and a polymer gel that helps deliver multiple drugs simultaneously or in pre-defined sequences are among the research topics to be discussed at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, in Washington, D.C., Aug. 28-Sept. 1. The meeting features more than 7,400 research presentations. Other research topics include antioxidants for improving health, “green” chemistry for a safer environment, and new approaches to fight cancer.
There also will be a special Presidential Event, “University Chief Executives on the Future of Education,” that features academic leaders in a collaborative effort to predict the state of chemistry education in 2015. Other key events include a commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the ACS Scholars Program for underrepresented minorities pursuing chemistry degrees, an award program that honors “Heroes of Chemistry” for outstanding research achievements and the presentation of the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities.
Sunday, Aug. 28
What’s in your wallet? A radiation dosimeter! — A credit-card sized radiation dosimeter could soon help thousands of Americans determine if they have been exposed to radiation from a dirty radioactive bomb. The Self-Indicating Instant Radiation Alert Dosimeter (SIRAD), developed by JP Laboratories of Middlesex, N.J., monitors radiation exposure immediately rather than in days, as needed by other methods. When exposed to radiation, the sensing strip on the card instantly develops a blue hue. The hue intensifies as the radiation dose increases. The cards, which cost about $10 each, could help ensure that emergency medical personnel provide proper treatment to those exposed. (MACR 1, Sunday, Aug. 28, 9:00 a.m., Grand Hyatt Washington, Burnham room, during the symposium, “Macromolecules for Safety and Security.”)
Worm-like gel may enhance drug delivery — An earthworm propels itself by the coordinated stretching and elongation of its slender body. Inspired by this movement, researchers at Cornell University have designed a novel, shape-changing polymer that moves in a similar fashion. The moving gel, which can be stopped or started at any time, is capable of carrying tiny cargo and might one day be used as a miniature drug delivery device, the researchers say. (PMSE 2, Sunday, Aug. 28, 9:00 a.m., Grand Hyatt Washington, Independence Ballroom F-G, during the symposium, “Biologically Enabled and Bio-Inspired Polymers.”)
Food tasting 21st century style — Kings and queens relied on food tasters to thwart would-be poisoners. A new quick and easy-to-use screening tool now offers the same protection to all — without the nasty scene of the taster keeling over. Developed by ChromaDex Analytics, the tool can detect harmful chemicals or biological agents in foods, beverages, water and dietary supplements. It uses thin-layer chromatography to separate complex mixtures into individual components. A bacterial biosensor identifies which of these compounds may be dangerous. (ANYL 3, Sunday, Aug. 28, 9:20 a.m., Washington Convention Center, Room 154A, during the symposium, “General Papers.”)
ACS Scholars Program marks 10th anniversary — ACS will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Scholars Program, one of the first financial support efforts to help underrepresented minorities pursue undergraduate degrees in the chemical sciences. Current and past awardees, corporate leaders and mentors will commemorate the success of the program, which has awarded a total of $8.2 million to students. [FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] (Sunday, Aug. 28, 2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m., JW Marriott, Salon I, during the Presidential Event, “The Future Face of Chemistry;” and Monday, Aug. 29, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Renaissance Washington, Room 15, during the symposium, “Business Case for Diversity in the Chemical Enterprise.” – BMGT 5-9)
Curcumin, resveratrol may help fight asthma — Many people with asthma, bronchitis and other lung diseases are insensitive to steroids that are commonly used to fight lung inflammation. Now, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York have shown in cell studies that curcumin, a spice found in curry, and resveratrol, an antioxidant in red wine, can boost the effectiveness of these steroids. The compounds, now in animal testing, might one day be used as supplemental ingredients in inhaler devices that could help patients breathe a deeper and tastier sigh of relief, they say. (AGFD 27, Sunday, Aug. 28, 3:35 p.m., Washington Convention Center, Room 203A, during the symposium, “The Potential Health Benefits of Antioxidants.”)
ACS honors “Heroes” for improving health, environment –– The Society has recognized several industrial chemists as 2005 “Heroes of Chemistry” for their work, including developing revolutionary treatments for psychosis, myeloid leukemia and dental disease; a process that yields cleaner gasoline; and materials to make smaller, denser computer chips and microprocessors. Eighteen research chemists from five companies will be honored at a special awards dinner and reception. The companies are Colgate-Palmolive Co., ExxonMobil, IBM Research, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, and Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. [FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] (Sunday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m., Willard InterContinental Washington.)
Monday, Aug. 29
New form of oat fiber targets obesity, diabetes, heart disease — USDA researchers have developed a new type of soluble oat fiber that has high levels of beta glucan (a cholesterol-fighter) and low calories. Called C-Trim, the fiber could help fight heart disease, obesity and diabetes when added to food products such as yogurt, smoothies and baked goods, they say. (AGFD 38, Monday, Aug. 29, 9:55 a.m., Washington Convention Center, Room 209A, during the symposium, “Bioactive Polysaccharides in Diet, Disease, and Coronary Heart Disease.”)
“Plastic viruses” may aid drug delivery, disease treatment — Some viruses could actually be good for you! Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed “plastic viruses,” microscopic polymer capsules that resemble the shape of viruses — including a “head” and a separate filamentous tail — that are capable of transporting medicinal drugs through the bloodstream in order to reach target cells in the body. The harmless viral mimics also could aid scientists’ understanding of how viruses function in the body and inside cells, which may lead to new treatments to fight a variety of troublesome viral diseases, including the deadly Asian flu virus, the researchers say. The plastic viruses appear promising in early animal studies, they add. (PMSE 120, Monday, Aug. 29, 2:30 p.m., Grand Hyatt Washington, Independence Ballroom F-G, during the symposium, “Biologically Enabled and Bio-Inspired Polymers.”)
Tuesday, Aug. 30
Anti-alcohol drug a possible treatment for melanoma —Antabuse (disulfiram), a drug used to deter alcohol abuse, is showing promise as a treatment for melanoma, according to Patrick Farmer of the University of California, Irvine. In the presence of copper ions, the drug is transformed into a metal complex, which is selectively deadly to melanoma, inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). Farmer’s laboratory has now developed several related metal compounds that have the same promising effect on this deadly cancer. (INOR 269, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 10:30 a.m., room 145A, during the symposium, “Inorganic Complexes as Potential Chemotherapy Agents.”)
Novel polymer permits multiple drug delivery for implants, sutures — Researchers at MIT have developed a special polymer coating that slowly dissolves over time and can be used to deliver multiple drugs simultaneously or in pre-defined sequences. The coating shows particular promise for implantable devices such as sutures, screws and pins, where they can be used to prevent infection following surgery or promote healing, the researchers say. (PMSE 181, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 12:10 p.m., Grand Hyatt Washington, Franklin Square Room, during the symposium, “Assembly of Polymers and Nanoparticles – From 2-D to 3-D.”)
Academic leaders predict the state of education in 2015 –– This Presidential Event, “University Chief Executives on the Future of Education,” is related to the Society-wide effort of ACS President William F. Carroll, Jr., to paint a picture of how the chemistry enterprise landscape will change in the next decade. This session brings together some of the nation’s foremost educators, who will share their predictions for education in the year 2015. Speakers include Marye Anne Fox, University of California, San Diego; John D. Peterson, University of Tennessee; Mark S. Wrighton, Washington University; and Thomas R. Tritton, Haverford College. (PRES 25-28, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Washington Convention Center, 207 A)
Iminosugars show promise against leukemia — Iminosugars are a special class of sugar molecules that are attracting widespread attention for their potential disease-fighting abilities. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and Industrial Research Ltd. in New Zealand have designed synthetic iminosugars, called Immucillins, which are inhibitors of natural enzymes involved in promoting the growth of cancerous T-cells. When these enzymes (purine nucleosidases) are inhibited, cancerous T-cells can’t divide, but normal, healthy cells are not affected. Immucillin-H shows promise in Phase II clinical trials for fighting leukemia, according to the researchers. Another iminosugar, DADMe-Immunicillin-H, has entered early clinical studies for treatment against T-cell autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disorder, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. (CARB 42, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2:35 p.m., Washington Convention Center, Room 202A, during the symposium, “Iminosugars: Therapeutic Potential.”)
ACS award for work with disabled chemists –– Thomas J. Kucera, Ph.D., a Skokie, Ill., chemist, will receive the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities for his efforts locally and nationally. He will be honored for his “untiring work to raise awareness of issues related to the rights of those with disabilities and for his willingness to address those issues with energy and effort that have resulted in significant progress.” The award will be presented at the Committee’s 25th anniversary reception at the Willard InterContinental Washington. This year also is the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. [FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] (Tuesday, Aug. 30, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Wednesday, Aug. 31
Sound waves help target cancer treatment — Researchers at the University of Utah have developed a new way to deliver anti-cancer drugs into a tumor utilizing tiny spheres and ultrasound technology. The system targets tumor cells without damaging normal tissue surrounding it. The drug is sheathed in hollow polymer shells called micelles. These tiny shells are too large to penetrate through the blood vessels of normal tissue, but small enough to enter the more permeable blood vessels of a tumor. After the drug accumulates in the tumor, the researchers use ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves) to trigger the drug release from the shells. The system potentially could be effective for both drug-sensitive and resistant tumors, researchers say. (COLL 373, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2:30 p.m., Renaissance Washington, Room Renaissance West B, during the symposium, “Novel Colloidal Technologies for Targeted Drug Delivery.”)
New imaging technique reveals much about brain chemistry — Vastly improved mass spectrometry imaging techniques are helping scientists pinpoint precisely where chemical compounds congregate within brain cells. Knowing where these compounds are located and what they do in the brain could help researchers develop new treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders, according to Jonathan Sweedler of the University of Illinois, Urbana. Sweedler will discuss advances in this field, including his recent finding of previously undetected concentrations of vitamin E molecules in brain cells. (ANYL 433, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 3:45 p.m., Room 152B, during the symposium, “New Frontiers in Ultrasensitive Analysis: Nanobiotech, Single Molecule Detection, and Single Cell Analysis.”)
Mushrooms found to contain potent antioxidant — Mushrooms do more than just add flavor and texture to pizza, salads and steaks; they also might help fight disease. A new study by researchers at Penn State University found that mushrooms are an excellent source of a powerful antioxidant called ergothioneine, which cell studies by other researchers have linked to anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. The scientists analyzed levels of this antioxidant in seven different types of mushrooms, including white button (most commonly consumed), crimini, portabella, maitake, shiitake, oyster and king oyster. Although all of the varieties contained high levels of the antioxidant, the highest levels were found in shiitake, while the lowest levels were found in the white button mushroom. The potent antioxidant is abundant in both fresh and cooked mushrooms, the researchers add. (AGFD 162, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4:05 p.m., Washington Convention Center, Room 209B, during the symposium, “Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms: Chemistry and Biological Effects.”)
Thursday, Sept. 1
Cactus can remove arsenic from drinking water — Some communities in Mexico contain drinking water sources that have unusually high levels of arsenic, which has been tied to numerous health problems. Now, researchers at the University of South Florida may have uncovered an economical, natural way to remove the arsenic. They found that cactus produces a complex carbohydrate, cactus mucilage, that shows excellent abilities to absorb arsenic. The gum-like substance may some day be used in portable devices in rural and underdeveloped communities that have been exposed to polluted drinking water and where access to conventional filtration technology is limited, the researchers say. (PMSE 555, Thursday, Sept. 1, 11:20 a.m., Grand Hyatt Washington, Independence F, during the symposium, “Green Polymer Chemistry.”)
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress, with a multidisciplinary membership of more than 158,000 chemists and chemical engineers. It publishes numerous scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
22/08/2005 - The importance of high-throughput screening and human microdosing during clinical trial processes has highlighted an emerging trend in drug R&D that uses smaller and smaller test volumes, helped by sophisticated automation technologies and reagents.
The concept of using nanomolar concentrations represents significant time and cost savings. Using smaller volumes of reagents means that diffusion of compounds can occur more quickly, and this speeds up the time it takes for a reaction to complete.
Despite all the coverage, high throughput screening remains a new method even for the pharmaceutical industry. The first commercial 384-well plates were introduced in 1992 and the first commercial 1536-well plates arrived in 1997.
*** PRESENT A POSTER *** Deadline 2 September 2005. If you would like the opportunity to present your poster at this event, please email abstracts to: v.colcombet@selectconferences.com - LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE
The inaugural conference on Advances in Microarray Technology provides an in-depth analysis of the current thinking and latest technologies within this field. This highly targeted event has captured the imagination of the industry and has proved to be very popular so far. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with the leading institutions from around the world.
***Register from only €310***
Organisations already confirmed:
Adhesives Research Ireland Ltd - Affymetrix, Inc. - Akonni Biosystems Inc. - Arrayjet - Asterand Inc - Auburn University - Avalon Pharmaceuticals - BioChannel Partners Ltd - BioDiscovery, Inc. - Bioeagles Ltd - Cambridge Life Sciences - Centre de recherché en Infectiologie de l’Universite Laval - Cytomyx - DKFZ Heidelberg - Dynal Biotech Ltd. - Epitome Biosystems, Inc. - European Institute of Oncology - Fluidigm Corp. - Free University of Brussels - Functional Genomics Center Zurich - GSF Research Centre, BIOP - Imperial College London - Innogenetics NV - InsightFaraday Partnership - Institut Curie - Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques & Interdisciplinary Research Institute - Invitrogen Ltd. - KREATECH Biotechnology - Lund University - Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology - Metis Biotechnology Ltd - Netherlands Vaccine Institute - NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tuebingen - Novartis Pharma AG - PamGene International - Pfizer Inc. - Protagen AG - Royal Insti tute of Technology (KTH) - Schott Janaer Glas GmbH - Serono International - Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox - University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf - University of Edinburgh - University of Manchester - University of Pretoria - University of Wageningen - University of Washington - Veterinary Laboratories Agency - ViaLogy Corp. - Whatman/Schleicher & Schuell - Yole Developpement
Exhibitors already confirmed
- Arrayjet - Corporate Sponsor
- Cytomyx - Corporate Sponsor
- Invitrogen Corporation - Corporate Sponsor
- Tecan - Corporate Sponsor
- Agilent Technologies
- Operon
- RZPD
- Davin Optronics Ltd
- GRI
- Genomic Solutions
- KREATECH Technologies
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH
- Parallabs Ltd
- Schott Nexterion
- Scienion AG
- Sigma-Aldrich
- Topspin APS
Further details available through the following links:
Full Agenda http://www.selectbiosciences.com/conferences/AMT/Detailed_Agenda.aspx
Conference Brochure http://www.selectbiosciences.com/conferences/files/AMT%20brochure.pdf
Registration - Register by August 31st and SAVE UP TO €200 https://selectbiosciences.com/conferences/AMT/booking/register.aspx
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Agenda Sessions and Speakers:
Day One: 11th October
08:30 THE BIOCHIP BUSINESS
Chaired by Dr. Arndt Benecke, Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques & Interdisciplinary Research Institute
- Dr. Geraldine Andrieux, Yole Developpement
- Dr. Jorge Goldstein, Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox
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10:30 BIOINFORMATICS
Chaired by Dr. Arndt Benecke, Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques & Interdisciplinary Research Institute
- Dr. Arndt Benecke, Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques & Interdisciplinary Research Institute
- Speaker to be confirmed, ViaLogy Corp.
- Dr. Bruce Hoff, BioDiscovery, Inc.
- Dr. Eugene Novikov, Institut Curie
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14:05 TISSUE & CELL-BASED MICROARRAYS
Chaired by Prof. Guido Sauter, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Prof. Guido Sauter, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Dr. Xavier Gidrol, CEA
- Dr. Roberta Carbone, European Institute of Oncology
- Dr. Roderick Westrop, Cytomyx
- Dr. Juan J. Miret, Pfizer Inc.
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Day Two: 12th October
08:30 PROTEIN MICROARRAYS: TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS PART I
Chaired by Prof. Mathias Uhlen, Department of Biotechnology, Albanova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm
- Dr. John L. Tonkinson, Epitome Biosystems, Inc.
- Dr. Ulrike Korf, DKFZ Heidelberg
- Keynote Speaker - Prof. Mathias Uhlén, Department of Biotechnology, Albanova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
- Dr. Jens Beator, Whatman/Schleicher & Schuell
- Dr. Christer Wingren, Lund University
- Dr. Jeremy Gillespie, Invitrogen Ltd.
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13:55 PROTEIN MICROARRAYS: TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS PART II
Chaired by Dr. Colin Campbell, The University of Edinburgh
- Keynote Speaker - Dr. Thomas Joos, NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tuebingen
- Dr. Mike Bunce, Dynal Biotech Ltd.
- Dr. Charles Daitch, Akonni Biosystems Inc.
- Dr. Mohammed Zourob, University of Manchester
- Dr. Colin Campbell, The University of Edinburgh
- Mr. Duncan J Hall, Arrayjet
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Day Three: 13th October
08:30 ADVANCES IN DNA MICROARRAYS
Chaired by Dr. Wolfgang Budach, Novartis Pharma AG
- Dr. Wolfgang Budach, Novartis Pharma AG
- Dr. Tarif Awad, Affymetrix, Inc.
- Dr. Kris Pappaert, Free University of Brussels
- Dr. Ted van der Lende, KREATECH Biotechnology
- Dr. Katrin Steinmetzer, Schott Janaer Glas GmbH
- Dr. Arnold Vainrub, Auburn University
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13:55 MICROFLUIDIC ARRAYS
Chaired by Prof. Martin Dufva, Dept. of Micro & Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark
- Dr. Michael Lucero, Fluidigm Corp.
- Dr. Rinie van Beuningen, PamGene International
- Dr. Koen de Smet, Innogenetics NV
- Dr. Regis Peytavi, Centre de recherché en Infectiologie de l’Universite Laval, Quebec
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Full Agenda available online at: http://www.selectbiosciences.com/conferences/AMT/Detailed_Agenda.aspx
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Preconference Training Course - Applications of Microarrays
10 October 2005
Who should attend?
The course will be suitable for scientists, technicians and engineers. It will be helpful to be familiar with DNA, RNA and proteins to follow the material presented. The course has been designed for people considering working with microarrays and for those who are currently working with some applications of microarrays but want a broader view of additional opportunities.
Course tutor:
Prof. Martin Dufva, University of Denmark.
Full course details: http://www.selectbiosciences.com/conferences/AMT/Training_Course.aspx
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PRESENT A POSTER - Deadline 2 September 2005. To apply for the opportunity to present at this event, please email abstracts to: v.colcombet@selectconferences.com
In order to ensure the widest possible audience for our speakers, registration fees start at just €310, making this conference an absolute must if you want to see the latest research and equipment in microarray technology whilst networking with your peers.
Best regards
Virginie Colcombet
Conference Manager
LONDON, August 22 /PRNewswire/ –
- Considerable Time, Cost Savings to Accrue From Advanced ADME/Tox Technologies
Typically, new drug approval is a protracted, expensive and complex process. Approximately 90 per cent of clinical candidates fail during the development stage with the estimated costs due to poor absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME) or toxicity properties itself pegged at nearly US$50-US$70 million.
Innovative solutions and early introduction of ADME/Tox technologies now offer the promise of reducing attrition rates during clinical development. Such advances are poised to help multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies benefit from the ‘fail early, fail cheaply’ paradigm.
“The ADME/Tox technology market is highly competitive and profitable, however, the market also has tendencies to be unstable at times,” says Frost & Sullivan (http://healthcare.frost.com) Healthcare Analyst, Dr. Amarpreet Dhiman. “It is becoming increasingly clear that the ability to detect issues with pharmacokinetics before the drug moves into clinical testing will ultimately save considerable resources in time and money for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.”
Previously, ADME/Tox tests were deployed in the later stages of drug development. However, with the number of drug targets as well as the volume of assay points performed in high-throughput screens expanding, it has become critical to rapidly and efficiently triage ‘potential hits’, having significant ADME and toxicity profiles.
To this end, the introduction of improved ADME/Tox screens as early as possible in the drug discovery process is gaining appeal. Already, innovative technologies and solutions are facilitating ADME/Tox optimisation earlier in the drug discovery pipeline.
This will help yield compounds with good target affinity, reasonable drug-like properties and ensure greater likelihood of acceptable ADME/Tox properties. Moreover, it is likely to accelerate the selection process, reduce the cost of preclinical and clinical studies and boost overall prospects of success.
Already, sophisticated informatics is being widely deployed to manage data for analysis and interpretation. Advanced software with the ability to distil compound leads with promising drug development potential, as well as predict biological properties, have been designed. Complete solutions that include tools are also poised to amplify their presence within the ADME/Tox tools market.
In-silico techniques- complex and accurate models for rationalising and predicting ADME properties- are allowing enhanced prediction of complex systems (for hepatoxicity and cardiotoxicity).
Such computational technologies and predictive solutions are likely to enhance the scope and speed at which drugs develop from a research to clinical stage. At the same time, however, in order for ADME/Tox studies to be truly beneficial, data generation needs to be of high quality, reliable and accurate.
“The key would be to develop tools that facilitate data consolidation and information sharing,” advises Dr. Dhiman. “Standardised systems and solutions that integrate data from numerous tools and experiments need to be developed while manufacturers should develop opportunities to offer services in data management, training, tool maintenance and others, functioning as both a service providers and product developers.”
As companies try to decrease costs by increasingly outsourcing drug development functions, failure rates become more controlled, in-silico technologies become more widely adopted and a better understanding of ADME/Tox and pharmacokinetic properties motivates the use of innovative solutions and early ADME/Tox screening, the European ADME/Tox technologies market will grow from its current size of US$384.0 million to US$776.0 million by 2011.
Currently, ADME/Tox services comprise the largest market segment in Europe for ADME/Tox technologies, accounting for nearly three-fourths of overall market revenues. It is followed by ADME /Tox tools (including systems & consumables) and in-silico ADME /Tox.
One key global trend is likely to be the rising uptake of in-vitro screening technologies (for screening toxic compounds). A stream of novel compounds moving through the clinical process is likely to support the rapid development of assays for ADME/Tox properties, creating, in turn, significant long-term market growth opportunity for in-vitro screening technologies.
If you are interested in a research overview, which provides manufacturers, end-users and other industry participants with a synopsis of the latest analysis of the Strategic Analysis of the ADME/Tox Technologies Markets in Europe (B512-55) - then send an e-mail to Katja Feick - Corporate Communications at katja.feick@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state and country. We will send you the information via e-mail upon receipt of the above information.
Background
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company’s industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.
Media Contacts:
Europe:
Katja Feick
Corporate Communications
P: +44-207-915-7856
F: +44-207-730-3343
E: katja.feick@frost.com
Americas:
Melina Trevino
Corporate Communications
P: +1-210-247-2440
F: +1-210-348-1003
E: melina.trevino@frost.com
APAC:
Radhika Menon Theodore
Corporate Communications
P: +91-44-24314263 Ext: 312
E: rmtheodore@frost.com
India:
Surbhi Dedhia
Corporate Communications
P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131
E: sdedhia@frost.com
Australia:
Gerry Eller
Corporate Communications
P: +61-425-272-546
E: gerry.eller@frost.com
Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Frost & Sullivan
(AEI) AERIS TECHNOLOGIES LTD –3.0c to 77.0c; Advises that in conjunction with the University of New South Wales, it has been awarded a $540,000 Australian Research Council ARC Linkage Grant. The grant covers a period of 3 years from July 2005 and will fund research into substantially broadening the Aeris enzyme applications and product portfolio. This new range of enhanced enzymes is to be achieved through chemical modification technology thereby offering Aeris new opportunities across a broad range of novel applications. Aeris will retain full ownership of all intellectual property arising from this research collaboration with the University of New South Wales. The potential commercial outcomes of the research include temperature sensitive applications, significant cost advantages, and the potential to use Aeris formulations in the large potable water and food contact markets. The expansion of the Company’s advanced enzyme technology should significantly strengthen its intellectual property portfolio. Aeris said it intends to invest in resources to take advantage of the resulting extensive commercial opportunities.
(EPT) EPITAN LIMITED +1.5c to 44.0c; Announced that Exorex, a non-steroidal treatment for psoriasis, has been recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) reimbursement. Exorex is exclusively marketed in Australia by Epitan’s wholly-owned subsidiary EpiPharm. Exorex is the first ready prepared coal tar treatment to be recommended for PBS reimbursement ensuring that Exorex can now be prescribed at a lower cost to the public. The incidence of psoriasis in Australia is between 4-8% of the total population. Epitan also announced today that it has acquired the Australian sales and marketing rights for ZORAC (tazarotene) cream and gel from Allergan, Inc. ZORAC cream and gel are used for the topical treatment of acne and psoriasis and are the latest products in the drug class called topical retinoids.
(NDL) NEURODISCOVERY LIMITED –0.5c to 19.5c; Announced it has entered into an agreement with Epichem Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of PharmAust Limited (PAA) to assist with the development of one of NeuroSolutions’ lead pain drug candidates, NSL-036. Using in-house specialist technologies, NeuroSolutions identified the potential utility of NSL-036 for the treatment of pain, they said. In addition to progressing the development of NSL-036, NeuroSolutions and Epichem plan to utilise the injectable version of NSL-036 as a template to build compounds suitable for oral dose forms for the treatment neuropathic pain. Following identification of these potential oral drug candidates NeuroSolutions will apply its own technology to establish an effective screening cascade for the validation of these compounds, which then may progress through pre-clinical and subsequently clinical development.
(SBP) SOLBEC PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED unch at 8.6c; Announced that its manufacturing facility has been granted a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) licence by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). In order to qualify for the licence, Solbec was required to meet the TGA’s stringent criteria for manufacturing and quality control at its Osborne Park, Western Australia facility, they said. The licence represents formal accreditation of Solbec’s manufacturing and quality control systems and procedures; and ensures the Company is not reliant on outsourcing to similarly certified third party facilities for production of Coramsine, they explained. The components of the licence are such that Solbec’s Osborne Park facility is now GMP certified for both the manufacture of Coramsine’s precursor compound; and for the laboratory testing and release of the finished Drug Products for use in clinical trials.
This information is drawn from www.egoli.com.au and other public information sources.
Cape Biotech is investigating a possible bio-prospecting partnership which would enable South Africa, Brazil and India to share each other’s resources in order to capitalize on their rich biodiversity.
Bio-prospecting is the search for valuable compounds in nature - plants, animals or micro-organisms - that can assist in the development of new drugs or industrial products.
Dr Mark Fyvie, Managing Director of Cape Biotech recently attended an India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) trade delegation where he met with his counterparts in New Delhi, and where a bio-prospecting memorandum of understanding was signed. Fyvie believes the three countries have “huge tracts of biodiversity” that can benefit each other, particularly sharing and collaborating on information platforms.
Biotechnology is one of the core focus areas of the IBSA agreement and representatives from government and industry met to discuss, among other issues, setting up tangible collaborations in the areas of functional genomics and high throughput biology.
“We are starting off very pragmatically and see this as a process that will gradually align the biodiversity objectives of the three countries,” he said.
Fyvie adds that they would like to create the ability for a powerful screening presence for the three countries, thereby enabling access to samples that are being poorly managed.
“This partnership is an agreement to work together going forward and is one of a number of areas of co-operation, where we could optimally exploit value from biodiversity and potentially embark on a joint bio-diversity project,” he says.
“The rollout is envisaged in three stages: sharing and learning, exchanging technologies and technology transfer, and eventually shared facilities among the three countries, but this will only be potentially possible once the alignment of national policies has begun.”
Fyvie was very impressed with India’s investment in skills development.
“There are many highly skilled people in India, which has contributed enormously to the country’s success in the biotech industry. The message is that you cannot over-invest in skills. This coupled with the strong IT industry, as biotech is becoming more information rich, will sustain the future expansion of the biotech sector of the Indian economy.”
Where South Africa is at an “advantage” says Fyvie, is that our infrastructure is better developed, our business culture is more westernised and the language barrier is less of an issue for foreign investors.
“What we don’t have is as big a local market to justify working on and developing expensive products like India, and this is probably why they are the 12th largest biotechnology entity in the world.” he said.
Fyvie hopes that this cooperative effort will allow all three countries to maximize their biodiversity by capitalising on each country’s areas of strength and experience.
Cape Biotech is the Western Cape-based Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centre (Bric) an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology.
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