Healthcare industry

Karen Grave-Hermann and Dr. Robert Hermann founded cr.applications in 2003. The two specialists who have wide-ranging experience in drug development talked to Michael Statnik about current trends in their field and about the development of the German biotech sector.

Some heavy metals are trace elements that are necessary for the plants metabolism others are toxic in the smallest concentrations. Scientists from Hohenheim are investigating the mechanisms that plants use to adapt to specific soil situations.

Prof. Christoph Cremer Cremer hopes to use the Vertico-SMI nanoscope to decipher the molecular secrets of cells. After the 4Pi microscopy this system is the second development of his scientific career to break through the barrier of optical microscopy.

ratiopharm has been given approval by the EU regulatory office for its filgrastim biosimilar which will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2008. The company has already applied for market authorisation of another genetically engineered pharmaceutical.

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare disease. In addition, the disease is difficult to treat, and the majority of pharmaceutical companies find the development of new drugs for its treatment too financially risky. Their argument: the market is too small to make up for the high development costs. The Tübingen biotech company immatics was courageous enough to do so and will now be rewarded. The immatics scientists have developed a therapy that not only…

The medical importance of vitamin D calciferol is most likely even higher than suggested by recently published studies. A study which also involves the endocrinologist Bernhard Böhm from Ulm has attracted enormous attention as it suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases mortality.

An excellent idea: a new technology or innovative methods and products for which patents have been filed or already granted, might be eligible for the Patent Award 2008, a brand new prize, on offer for the first time in 2008. Due to the popularity of the prize, the application deadline has been extended to 30th September 2008.

Under the agreement Nycomed will receive the exclusive worldwide rights to develop manufacture and commercialise the subcutaneous formulation of veltuzumab for the treatment of all non-cancer indications.

Dossier - 15/07/2008

Science communication: why science is becoming more and more public

Science needs publicity. Publicly funded research has to account for its projects internally as well as externally. In the past accounting for projects was a matter dealt with in courtly or academic circles today the forum is research journals. This internal communication seldom reaches the public however external communication seeks out the wider lay audience - for many reasons.

Press release - 09/07/2008

Rentschler to focus on biotechnology

Rentschler has sold all its Rentschler Pharma GmbH shares to RIEMSER AG in Greifswald. With this move Rentschler is concentrating all its biotech activities at one site and thus providing the framework for further growth. In 2006 Rentschler sold its self-medication business.

Dr. Frank Brändle and Dr. Marco Thines managing directors of PathoScan GbR in Hohenheim have developed a PCR-based test system which allows the detection of fungi and bacteria in seed at very early stages. The test system will be patented in the near future.

Eight projects in the preclinical and first clinical stage will be transferred to 4SC. Nycomed decided not to further invest in oncology RD activities. 4SC develops drug candidates for inflammatory diseases cancer and infectious diseases.

In the first quarter of 2008 Nycomeds adjusted EBITDA increased by 6.2 to 304.0 million compared to 286.3 million in the first quarter of 2007 benefiting from the cost decreasing effects of last years restructuring.

The Ravensburg-based company Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leaders in biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing. We spoke with Max Horn, who has been with the company since 1981 and was appointed Managing Director in 2002.

The European Commission adopted a Recommendation on the management of intellectual property in knowledge transfer activities of universities and other public research organisations. European organisations lag behind their North America counterparts.

The GABI-PRECISE consortium which originates from the Genome Analysis of the Plant Biological System GABI initiative has announced a cooperative project on the introduction of gene targeting in barley.

Boehringer Ingelheim enjoyed continued success in 2007 and its growth is outpacing the pharmaceuticals market for the eighth year in a row. The companys turnover rose by 8.8 in local currency to almost EUR 11 billion.

The biotechnology sector is growing and new companies have excellent opportunities to establish themselves on the market. Dr. Michael Steinwand explains what companies have to beware.

The German Health Regions Network association was instituted on the 14th February 2008. The association acknowledges the growing importance of the health care industry and hopes to strengthen it with a particular focus on the project-related cooperation between the German health regions.

Holger Barth works with a special kind of Trojan horses. The toxicologist from Ulm is investigating bacterial toxins. These proteins manage in a similar way to the ancient Greeks before them to open the barricaded portal of the cells with a trick whereupon they start wreaking destruction.

Biametrics Marken and Rechte GmbH has developed new analytical devices based on reflectometric interference spectroscopy thus adopting the trend of label-free detection methods. This is because labelling tends to interfere with the natural activity of the biomolecules under investigation.

The Centre for Regenerative Biology and Medicine ZRM in Tübingen has joined forces with Naturin GmbH based in Weinheim. The partners plan to develop new carrier materials on the basis of collagen which improve cell cultures and medical implants.

Nycomed has granted Sepracor Inc. NASDAQ SEPR the exclusive development marketing and commercialisation rights for Ciclesonide in the United States. Ciclesonide is Nycomeds patented corticosteroid with a novel principle of action.

Article - 10/02/2008

4th Biomarker Workshop at the NMI in Reutlingen: another success

The Biomarker Workshop held at the NMI in late January has become a fixed date for a growing number of proteomics researchers. With an attendance of 130 this years workshop exceeded all previous ones. Those who were keen to find out more about the latest trends and findings were presented with a successful mix of basic and applied research information.

The CEOs of pharmaceutical and life science companies are becoming increasingly aware that their companies are facing growing challenges and risks at the global level. At the same time they are also aware of more and more opportunities.