Transgene inks EUR700m contract with Novartis

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:16:02 +0100

Molsheim/Basel – Novartis AG has secured an exclusive option on a lung cancer vaccine, developed by French drug developer Transgene S.A. Upon clinical proof-of-concept of TG4010,...

Switzerland bans GMOs for three more years

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:41:09 +0100

Berne – Switzerland’s House of Representatives has voted to extend the moratorium on use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in farming and animal breeding until 2013. The...

Roche and Biogen Idec suspend Ocrelizumab in RA over side effects

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:36:16 +0100

Basel – Roche and Biogen Idec have suspended development of its humanised anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody Ocrelizumab in

Commission opens floodgates for GMOs

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:01:59 +0100

Just three weeks after the new European Commission was confirmed by the European Parliament, it has freed the long-standing logjam preventing the planting of new...

Vitamin D critical in activating first-line immune defence

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:35:08 +0100

Copenhagen – Danish Scientists have established that activation of the first-line defence of our immune system depends on Vitamin D, and that without sufficient intake of the...

GM crops � are the gold rush days over?

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:04:45 +0100

Although the percentage of land devoted to growing GM crops continues to expand globally, the speed of that expansion has slowed for the fourth consecutive year. Is market...

Generics win by a nose

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:32:31 +0100

Brussels/London – Market applications for generics have for the first time ever overtaken MAAs for new drugs. In the last year, the EMA completed 51 applications for generics, but...

EU wants green (biotech) future

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:31:51 +0100

Brussels – High-perfomance renewable resources and crops will be a defining aspect of policy in the EU in the near future. On March 2nd, the EU Competitiveness Council adopted a...

EU wants green (biotech) future

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:31:15 +0100

Brussels – High-perfomance renewable resources and crops will be a defining aspect of policy in the EU in the near future. On March 2nd, the EU Competitiveness Council adopted a...

Insistent call for more united approach to research

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:24:02 +0100

San Sebastian – Europe has to unify its research efforts and infrastructures if it doesn’t want to be overtaken by Asian competitors such as China in the mid-term – that was...

Green pastures ahead

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:32:06 +0100

Frankfurt/Brussels – Frost & Sullivan says EU biomarker research is set to triple within the next 5 years. The consulting firm believes the European biomarker analysis market will...

ADR rules are on the agenda

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:30:37 +0100

Brussels/Strasbourg – Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to approved medicines cause about 197,000 deaths per year in the EU, a statistic that has prompted the European Commission to...

Novo Nordisk wins US approval for somatropin drug

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:40:21 +0100

Bagsvaerd -- Novo Nordisk will enter the US market in Q2 of 2010 with Norditropin� FlexPro�, a somatropin pre-filled injection pen for children and adults with growth hormone...

Multimillion EU biorefinery project kicked off

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:44:23 +0100

Lille/Brussels – The European Commission is accelerating its efforts to create sustainable bio-based industry production processes. Following yesterday’s approval of BASF’s...

European Commission changes GMO policy: Amflora potato and GM maize approved

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:56:14 +0100

Brussels � The European Commission yesterday changed its GMO policy, with the approval of BASF�s GM potato Amflora for...

Elan finds biomarker to monitor Alzheimer�s plaques

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:47:30 +0100

Dublin –�The Elan Corporation has established a novel biomarker, 11C-PiB PET, that can detect whether Alzheimer drug candidates can reduce pathogenic beta-amyloid plaques in the...

Genetic variants identified for increased risk of coeliac disease

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:18:00 +0100

London – British geneticists have identified 13 genetic variants that increase the risk of developing celiac disease (Nature Genetics), an inherited autoimmune condition in which...

Avastin slows down advanced ovarian cancer: Phase III study results

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:50:11 +0100

Basel – Roche’s blockbuster drug Avastin (bevacizumab) could add another billion to its $5.75 billion sales in 2009, analysts said after the company announced positive preliminary...

Basilea in EUR375 million deal with Astellas

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:59:12 +0100

Basel – Swiss Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. has achieved a EUR51m upfront payment for the license, co-development and co-marketing deal of its antifungal drug...

Global GMO acreage growth declines

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:15:27 +0100

Manila – Global acreage of genetically engineered crops reached 134 million hectares (ha) in the last year, according to the annual statistics of the ISAAA (

UK invests �200m in high-tech industry

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:50:10 +0100

The UK has launched a �200 million (EUR227.5m) technology fund of venture capital funds to boost the country‘s life sciences, IT and advanced manufacturing sectors. The UK...

CHMP rejects MAA of Basilea�s/J&J�s ceftobiprole

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:06:06 +0100

Basel – The EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has rejected Basilea Pharmaceutica‘s Marketing Authorisation Application for ceftobiprole, intended for the...

New method makes vaccines stable at tropical temperatures

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:48:46 +0100

Oxford – A simple and cheap way of making vaccines stable, even at tropical temperatures, has been developed by scientists at Oxford University and Nova Bio-Pharma Technologies....

Pharming identifies new indication for C1 inhibitor

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:45:12 +0100

Leiden – Pharming Group NV has identified a new indication for its recombinant C1 esterase inhibitor besides of hereditary angioedema (

Consortium invests EUR28m in personalised medicine

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:31:13 +0100

Geleen/Eindhoven/Leuven – Three Dutch public-private partnerships will invest EUR28m to push targeted delivery strategies for drugs, with the objective of reducing the required...

Euro Biotech News

Transgene inks EUR700m contract with Novartis

Switzerland bans GMOs for three more years

Roche and Biogen Idec suspend Ocrelizumab in RA over side effects

Commission opens floodgates for GMOs

Vitamin D critical in activating first-line immune defence

GM crops � are the gold rush days over?

Generics win by a nose

EU wants green (biotech) future

EU wants green (biotech) future

Insistent call for more united approach to research

Green pastures ahead

ADR rules are on the agenda

Novo Nordisk wins US approval for somatropin drug

Multimillion EU biorefinery project kicked off

European Commission changes GMO policy: Amflora potato and GM maize approved

Elan finds biomarker to monitor Alzheimer�s plaques

Genetic variants identified for increased risk of coeliac disease

Avastin slows down advanced ovarian cancer: Phase III study results

Basilea in EUR375 million deal with Astellas

Global GMO acreage growth declines

UK invests �200m in high-tech industry

CHMP rejects MAA of Basilea�s/J&J�s ceftobiprole

New method makes vaccines stable at tropical temperatures

Pharming identifies new indication for C1 inhibitor

Consortium invests EUR28m in personalised medicine