WEEKLY E-NEWS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER

IN FOCUS FEATURE

This Summer, Students Learn a Lesson or Two From DESTINY

FROM OUR WEB SITE

• BoA gives $250K for WFU Organs
• Targacept Makes Russell 3000
• Inspire Wins Workplace Kudos
• DeSimone Wins MIT Prize
• Syngenta expanding in RTP
• RTP Gets Ag Chem HQ
• Sleeping Sickness Forum Set
• Merck to Add $300M, 150 Jobs

In Focus

This Summer, Students Learn A Lesson or Two from DESTINY

During the 2007-08 school year, 6,226 high school students had the opportunity to learn about science from this 33,000-pound laboratory on wheels. This summer, students of all ages can get valuable hands-on experience at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill.

In this week's In Focus, read about Katie Trapp's visit to Destiny Days June 20.

From Our Web Site

BoA gives $250K for WFU Organs
Bank of America foundation gives $250K toward Wake Forest organ and tissue production facility.

Targacept Makes Russell 3000
Targacept's growth "Russels up" more market recognition.

Inspire Wins Workplace Kudos
According to the June 2008 issue of The Scientist magazine, Inspire Pharmaceuticals ranked second overall in the "Best Places to Work in Industry".

DeSimone Wins MIT Prize
Joseph DeSimone, a professor with appointments at UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, and founder of Liquidia Technologies in Research Triangle Park, won this year's $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize.

Syngenta expanding in RTP
Swiss agribusiness company Syngenta is adding to its RTP footprint by leasing more space.

RTP Gets Ag Chem HQ
Cheminova is moving its U.S. headquarters and 18 jobs to RTP from New Jersey.

Sleeping Sickness Forum Set
Scientists, researchers, academics and global health leaders from around the world will meet at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center Friday to discuss ways to tackle human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness.

Merck to Add $300M, 150 Jobs
Merck expands Durham vaccine facility investment to $700M, 400 jobs.

News from Other Sites

Construction on RCCC Building Ready to Go
The North Carolina Community College system has requested about $3.1 million for the lease and outfitting of the building - about 65,000 square feet of new classroom and lab space for RCCC’s biotechnology programs.
From the Independent Tribune

North Carolina High School Student Wins Biotechnology Research Competition
After a talent search that spanned the U.S., Canada and Western Australia, the winner of the 2008 sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge was announced at the BIO International Convention: Mingjuan Zhang, 18, a recent graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
From Medical News Today

Raleigh-Durham Sixth in U.S. for Pharmaceutical Jobs
Raleigh and Durham had 11,115 employees working in pharmaceutical and biotechnology jobs in 2006.
From Triangle Business Journal
From Local Tech Wire

Merck Plant Rising, Keeps Expanding: Plans for the Durham Vaccine Plant Now Include 400 Jobs, Millions in Investment
Merck officials said Thursday that the company will invest about $300 million to expand the facility and add 150 to 180 jobs. When the work is completed in 2011, the plant will cover an area the size of 12 football fields and employ 400.
From the (Raleigh) News & Observer
From Local Tech Wire

RTP Buffs Agribusiness Reputation
A Danish producer of plant-protection products such as insecticides and herbicides will move its U.S. headquarters to Research Triangle Park and Syngenta is also expanding its local presence by leasing space in RTP's One Park Drive.
From the (Raleigh) News & Observer
From Triangle Business Journal
From Local Tech Wire

Stiefel Laboratories to Acquire New Jersey Drug Development Firm
Privately held Stiefel Laboratories, which operates its research and development facility in RTP, is buying a New Jersey firm in a deal worth $148 million.
From Local Tech Wire

Talecris Pumps Itself Up
Talecris Biotherapeutics is gussying up for potential investors.
From the (Raleigh) News & Observer

Community Watch

• Research Triangle Park-based Quintiles Transnational has hired two key executives. Millie Tan, formerly of Monster Worldwide, is senior vice president, global marketing and chief marketing officer. David Coman, formerly of Dendrite International, is senior vice president, communications and patient recruitment.

• SAS, the Cary-based purveyor of so-called business intelligence software, has launched two new products to help pharmaceutical companies deal with their ever-growing volumes of research and patient-safety information. One of the new software systems is called SAS Clinical Data Integration Server, to help life sciences organizations define, manage and automate their processes for aggregating medical data. The other, called SAS for Patient Safety, is a tool for companies to use in post-marketing surveillance on their pharmaceutical products. More

• David Sotolongo, vice president of business and proposal development at RTI International, has been named a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals. The award recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the proposal management profession. Recipients serve as advisers and mentors to other members. More

Please send Community Watch items to Jim Shamp.

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This newsletter was sent Thursday, June 26, 2008. For the latest headlines from North Carolina's biotechnology industry, please visit the news section of our Web site.

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