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Life Sciences News Brief
Vol. 5 no. 12 - May 05, 2005
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Pharmaceuticals Update |
Experimental drug therapy could open new treatment of deadly stroke
A new type of
drug therapy that is currently being tested in Canada could
significantly reduce the death rate caused by the deadliest form of
stroke. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, new
developments in stroke research make it more important than ever
that Canadians recognize and react to the warning signs of stroke.
Used to treat people with a bleeding disorder known as hemophilia,
studies indicate that recombinant Factor VIIa (rFVIIa, or
"rFactor7a") can stop the bleeding in the brain associated with an
intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and minimize additional damage if it
is administered during the early stages of a hemorrhagic stroke.
Like tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the "clot-busting drug"
used to treat ischemic stroke, rFVIIa seems to work best when given
early after the onset of symptoms, a time when most of the ongoing
bleeding occurs.
Virulizin(R) granted orphan drug status in the European Union
Lorus
Therapeutics Inc. (Toronto), a biopharmaceutical company
specializing in the development and commercialization of
pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of
cancer, announced that the EMEA (European Medicines Agency) has
given a positive opinion on Lorus' application for orphan drug
status to Virulizin(R), the company's lead anticancer drug for the
treatmentof pancreatic cancer.
Nymox Reports Positive New Data For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Drug
Nymox
Pharmaceutical Corporation (Dorval) announced new longer-term
follow-up results from Phase 1-2 testing of NX-1207, the Company's
investigational new drug for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The
trial data indicated that at 18-23 months' follow-up, there was
symptomatic improvement and no safety issues in individuals treated
with NX-1207. The symptomatic improvement with NX-1207 at this
longer term follow-up reached statistical significance. "These are
exciting results," said Paul Averback, MD, CEO of Nymox, "NX-1207
now has shown statistical significance in clinical improvement
measures at up to 23 months. The potential for long term improvement
in BPH from NX-1207 now has Phase 2 data to support it."
Medicago and InterveXion Establish Alliance
Medicago (Quebec City) and InterveXion
Therapeutics (Little Rock) announced the formation of multi-year
product co-development collaboration. The two companies will use
Medicago's Proficia(TM) Protein Technology for the production of
monoclonal antibodies therapeutics designed to treat drug abuse.
InterveXion has received a $3 million grant to conduct clinical
trials for the first antibody treatment for addiction to the drug
known as phencyclidine, or PCP. The business development grant from
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) provides funding for five years to obtain
Food and Drug Administration approval and conduct clinical trials on
a protein-based therapy intended to provide detoxification and
protection from PCP abuse. InterveXion will follow the PCP therapy
with a similar therapy for the much larger methamphetamine abuse
market.
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Diagnostics and Therapeutics Update |
InNexus Announces a Significant Expansion to its Intellectual
Property
InNexus
Biotechnology, Inc. (Vancouver) announced an expansion to its
Intellectual Property portfolio. InNexus has filed additional claims
and support for its SuperAntibodies(TM), capable of creating high
therapeutic potency through binding and cross-linking of target
antigens. InNexus has been issued patents and has other applications
pending and in review for worldwide protection on its method for
creating SuperAntibodies(TM). The current filing is an expansion of
claims for specific SuperAntibody products, primarily derived from
existing FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies. SuperAntibody
Technology can be used to create second-generation, improved
versions of marketed antibodies thereby expanding market
indications, revenues and prolonging the patent life.
Cytochroma reports successful efficacy trial for novel topical
treatment
Cytochroma
Inc. (Markham) announced results from a Phase Ia clinical study for
CTA018, a novel vitamin D analog developed for the treatment of
psoriasis. The study, involving 17 healthy subjects with mild to
moderate plaque psoriasis, was designed to characterize the local
efficacy and safety of three concentrations of CTA018. Results
indicate that all three doses appear to reduce the severity of
psoriasis plaques with no local tolerability concerns. The Company
is currently concluding a Phase Ib study with CTA018 to assess the
drug's systemic safety and pharmacokinetics.
ProMetic and Top Meadow establish a joint venture
ProMetic Life
Sciences Inc. (Montreal) and its UK-based subsidiary, ProMetic
BioSciences Ltd announce that they have entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding with Top Meadow Life Sciences Inc., a subsidiary of
Top Meadow Farms, for the development, marketing and distribution of
novel blood-based prion diagnostic systems for the ante-mortem
detection of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) also known as
"mad cow disease", and certain other veterinary applications. These
activities will be carried out through a new joint venture company
to be held by ProMetic and Top Meadow, with ProMetic owning a
controlling interest. A license will be granted by Pathogen Removal
Diagnostic Technologies Inc. to ProMetic for certain rights in the
veterinary field to enable the joint venture to carry out these
activities.
Magistral Biotech announces commercialization deal with Sante
Naturelle
Magistral
Biotech Inc. (Montreal) announced that it has signed a Canadian
distribution agreement with Sante Naturelle. Under the terms of the
agreement, Sante Naturelle will commercialize Magistral's HEP-30(R)
cholesterol product across Canada. HEP-30(R) will be the active
ingredient in Cholestol(R), Sante Naturelle's new product for the
management of cholesterol. Cholestol(R) with HEP-30(R) will be
introduced across Canada beginning in the fourth quarter of 2005.
Hemosol Announces Completion of Health Canada Inspection
Hemosol Corp.
(Toronto) announced that the Company has received a 'Compliance'
rating from Health Canada following the completion of the regulatory
agency's licence inspection of Hemosol's Meadowpine facility. Formal
licensing of the facility will allow Hemosol to proceed with
shipping Hepalean(R) products under its contract with Organon Canada
and to attract and fulfill other commercial bio-manufacturing
relationships. Hemosol expects to receive the formal licence and to
begin shipping product in the coming weeks.
Researchers report breakthrough against world's deadliest viruses
Scientists
from the Public Health Agency of Canada - with assistance from the
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases - have
developed vaccines against the Ebola and Marburg viruses that have
been shown to be effective in non-human primates. In a study
published in this month's Nature Medicine, Canadian researchers Dr.
Heinz Feldmann and Dr. Steven Jones of PHAC's National Microbiology
Laboratory and Dr. Thomas Geisbert of USAMRIID report that the
vaccines have proven 100 percent effective in protecting monkeys
against infection from these often deadly viruses. Monkeys are known
to develop hemorrhagic fever symptoms that are similar to those
observed in humans infected by these viruses. Demonstrating that
these vaccines are safe and effective in monkeys is a promising
indicator of their real potential for use in humans. "When you see
the tragedies these viruses cause, it's very frustrating that we
can't do more to help people," said Dr. Feldmann, who (along with
Dr. Jones and others from PHAC) has been providing on-site rapid
diagnostic support to the current Marburg outbreak in Angola. "It'll
be some time before we can use these vaccines in the field, but it's
satisfying to know that we're getting closer."
Mount Sinai Hospital Develops Canada's First Embryonic Stem Cell
Lines
A senior scientist at Mount Sinai Hospital has
developed Canada's first two human embryonic stem cell lines, giving
researchers across the country new potential and hope for eventually
discovering treatments and cures for many chronic and fatal
diseases. "My hope – and the hope of my world-class laboratory team
– is that our step of developing the first Canadian embryonic stem
cell lines will ultimately bring Canada and the world closer to
treating or curing diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's
Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Diabetes and spinal cord injuries,"
said Dr. Andras Nagy, a researcher at Mount Sinai's Samuel Lunenfeld
Research Institute. "Our research remains in an early phase but the
ability of these cells to develop into any kind of function cells in
adult bodies holds enormous promise for these cells to regenerate
damaged tissues that cause incurable diseases." The Canadian
Institutes of Health Research's Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC)
determined that Dr. Nagy derived these new stem cells lines in a
manner consistent with the Stem Cell Guidelines. The two cell lines
have since been submitted to, and approved by, the International
Stem Cell Initiative (ISCI). The use of the two new lines in Canada
will be directed by the Stem Cell Network. The McLaughlin Centre for
Molecular Medicine at the University of Toronto contributes to the
support of a human embryonic stem cell core facility. The stem cell
lines will be freely available to the Canadian scientific community
and will enable Canadian scientists to research potential treatments
for a variety of diseases.
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Medical Devices |
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Genomic Update |
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Industry Briefs |
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Tm Bioscience Corporation
(Toronto), a leader in the commercial genetic testing market,
announced it has signed an agreement to supply the Emory
Genetics Laboratory at Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia) with
the Tag-It(TM) ASR reagents for use in its Ashkenazi Jewish
Panel (AJP) gene assay, which detects gene mutations associated
with Tay-Sachs disease, Canavan Disease, Familial Dysautonomia,
Gaucher Disease, Bloom Syndrome, Fanconi Anemia, Neimann-Pick
Disease, and Mucolipidosis Type IV……
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Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Vancouver) announced the execution of a license agreement to
Histogenics Corporation for the use of Angiotech's proprietary
biomaterial ChondroGEL(TM) in the field of cartilage, ligament,
meniscus and/or tendon repair, including related osteochrondal
defects. In connection with the license agreement, Angiotech
will receive warrants to purchase Histogenics shares, and will
share revenue with Histogenics from any eventual sales of
products developed by Histogenics that contain or use
ChondroGEL(TM). Angiotech will retain all drug loaded rights to
ChondroGEL(TM)……..
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Genomics One Corporation
(Laval) announced a $500,000
private placement financing for its BioDefense operations…….
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Hemosol Corp.
(Toronto) announced that it has filed
articles of amendment for the consolidation of the Company's
common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation share for
four pre-consolidation shares…..
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Chromos Molecular Systems Inc.
(Burnaby) announced that it
has entered into a non-exclusive commercial license agreement
with Pfizer Inc. under which Pfizer will have the right to use
the ACE System to develop cell lines for research, development
and manufacturing of Pfizer products…….
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Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Vancouver) announced the execution of a license agreement with
Broncus Technologies, Inc. This agreement allows Broncus
Technologies to incorporate Angiotech's pioneering Paclitaxel
technology with their Exhale(R) system to treat emphysema……
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Welichem Biotech Inc.
(Vancouver) announced that it has completed a private placement
of $1.95 million concurrent with its listing on the TSX-V where
shares began trading Wednesday, May 25, 2005…….
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World Heart Corporation
(Ottawa), a global technology leader in mechanical circulatory
support systems, announced the appointment of Mr. Richard Juelis
as Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer……
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Genomics One Corporation
(Laval) announced it has completed an Asset Purchase Transaction
that was previously announced on May 27th, with Medicorp Inc.
for an estimated value of $904,063. On May 31st, 2005, Medicorp
Inc., acquired substantially all of the assets of the Genomics
One's BioCan Scientific subsidiaries, the BioCan Scientific
subsidiaries in Canada and in the US…….
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Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(Vancouver)
announced the formation of a new division focused on venture
stage investing and new venture relationship development and
management, Angiotech Drug Device Venture and Capital
Enterprises (ADDVANCE). ADDVANCE intends to commit capital of up
to $50 million over the next three years to development stage
companies and new enterprises……
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World
Heart Corporation (Ottawa),
a global technology leader in mechanical circulatory support
systems, announced the appointment of Mr. John J. Vajda as Vice
President, Manufacturing.
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(Life Sciences News Briefs © 2005 is prepared by Armar
International for the Life Sciences Branch of Industry Canada (contact:
Louise Leduc Tel: (613) 954-4715; E-mail: Leduc.Louise@ic.gc.ca).
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