Because of a techincal problem, BT Catalyst was not distributed last week. Some of last week's stories are included in this issue.
IN FOCUS FEATURE
Community Recognizes Smithies, Scientific Achievement
FROM OUR WEB SITE
From Our Web Site
Metabolon Signs onto Boston Study of Warfarin Gene
RTP-based Metabolon ties into Boston group's study of genetic variability in warfarin's effects.
Greer Launches Phase III Trial for Oral Allergy Immunotherapy
Greer has launched a Phase III trial for sublingual-oral immunotherapy (SLIT) for adults with rhinoconjunctivitis caused by short ragweed pollen. The goal of the trial is to bring the use of oral immunotherapy to the U.S.
Duke Marine Lab Gets $1M for Molecular Biology Prof
A $1M gift will bring molecular biology chair to Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort.
Metabolon To Collaborate On Insulin Resistance Study
Metabolon Inc. is partnering with the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) to accelerate pre-diabetes diagnosis development. Metabolon will analyze a large number of samples taken by EGIR in European clinical trials.
Targacept Begins Clinical Trial for Depression Disorder
Targacept, Inc. has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial for an augmentation therapy drug (TC-5214 ) to treat major depressive disorder (MDD).
Greer Reports Favorable Results for Oral Allergy Immunotherapy
Greer reports favorable results from a clinical trial testing the safety and tolerability of orally administering immunotherapy products (sublingual-oral immunotherapy).
BD to Expand in NC
BD plans a $134.7 million expansion in North Carolina over the next five years. It will build a new plant in Wilson County and expand operations in Durham County, for a total of a 274 new jobs.
Registration Open for Summer Educator Workshops
The 21st year of Biotechnology Center summer workshops includes five introductory and three special topics workshops across the state.
Ercole Biotech Acquired by AVI Biopharma
Ercole Biotech will soon be part of the Portland, Ore. firm.
In Focus
Community Recognizes Smithies, Scientific Achievement
One of the Biotechnology Center’s most successful award programs got a new name Monday night – the Oliver Smithies Faculty Recruitment Award.
The award now honors the accomplishments of one of the program’s first recruits, Dr. Oliver Smithies, Excellence Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Smithies received the 2007 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
The announcement was made Monday night at a Scientific Achievement Reception at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. The evening featured a panel discussion on the state of scientific research in North Carolina, student science competition winners, and past Biotechnology Center faculty recruitment and research grant recipients.
Read the highlights of the event here.
News from Other Sites
Oliver Smithies, Young Scientists Honored
The state's leaders honored Oliver Smithies' Nobel Prize and young scientists' state and national science competition awards. The event took place Monday at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
From TechJournalSouth
From WRAL LocalTechWire
Where Pharma Meets College
Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, with the help of former pharmaceutical company executives, are trying their hands at drug discovery.
From the (Raleigh) News and Observer
Is This Biotech-Pharma Hotbed Due to Cool?
Quintiles, PRA International and Pharmanet Development are mentioned in this story about the commercial real estate outlook for the Research Triangle area.
From the Wall Street Journal
From Big Pond to Big Risk
Neal Fowler came from multi-national Johnson and Johnson to lead tiny Liquidia Technologies, a Durham startup nanotechnology company.
From the (Raleigh) News and Observer
Community Watch
- Dan Traub, lead solution engineer for Cary-based SciQuest, has been selected as a 2008 "Provider Pro to Know" and is featured by Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine’s February/March 2008 issue. More
- Cary-based PharmaDirections has launched its global PHARMADIRECTNET network, linking more than 120 Ph.D. drug development scientists, regulatory experts and quality experts, and more than 40 global laboratory and manufacturing providers for outsourced drug development.
- Elsa Abruzzo, formerly vice president of regulatory and clinical affairs with AtriCure, has taken the newly formed position of vice president of regulatory and quality affairs for InnerPulse in Research Triangle Park. More
- Research Triangle Park-based Bioptigen has been awarded the Frost & Sullivan 2008 North American Excellence in Research Award for its work in ophthalmic optical coherence tomography. More
- Connell Associates, a Cary pharmaceutical and biotechnology consulting firm, ICBS of New York and Canada, and McCoy Enterprises of New Jersey formed a joint venture named PharmaDerm LLC to license, develop and commercialize dermatology treatments.
Please send Community Watch items to Jim Shamp.
Save the Date
May 19-20
Biotech 2008
(Winston-Salem)
June 17-20
BIO 2008 Conference
NC Pavilion Sponsorship
(San Diego)
Dec. 4-5
SE Bio Investor Forum
(Palm Beach, Fla.)
View our complete listing of events across North Carolina.
This newsletter was sent Thursday, Mar. 27, 2008. For the latest North Carolina biotechnology industry headlines, please visit the news section of our Web site.
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