News in 2005

The first targeted therapy for breast cancer could soon face direct competition.

Umbilical cord blood stem cell therapies used in the treatment of blood cancers are forging ahead, but it's an uphill struggle.

The US government's recent raft of pre-emptive measures in favor of flu vaccine R&D and stockpiling may seem like a new window of opportunity for the biotech industry, but they won't necessarily foster innovative vaccines.

The giant European Investment Bank is looking to loan tens of millions of euros to biotech firms in late-stage product development.

Forget everything you know about biotech venture creation—this is Russia! And Dmitry Morosov is one of a new breed of entrepreneurs ready to create a new type of Russian biotech.

A fresh controversy has erupted over Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton after the publication of a study by a government institute in India showing that Bt cotton planted in India is not as efficient in killing bollworms there as it is in the US or China.

A completely novel biologic for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is poised to enter the US market.

In September the commissioner of the FDA resigned, leaving a leadership vacuum and a lack of certainty that is likely to force biotech companies to stick to pharmaceutical alliances rather than going it alone in seeking drug approval.

Officials at the generic branch of Novartis filed a rare type of lawsuit with the US District Court that may affect how the FDA regulates biogenerics.

Neither antibiotech activist nor Dr. Frankenstien, Eduardo Kac is a writer and artist whose theme is that in biotech, as in all science and technology, nothing is as good or as bad as it seems.

An important molecule for growth recently received approval in the US. This approval heralds the first medical application of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as a drug to promote growth in a rare group of very small children.

Chiron's ongoing problems in influenza vaccine production have raised serious questions about the company's future ability to compete in this particular segment of the vaccine market.

Cash-starved biotech companies in Korea are hoping to capitalize on changes to the listing rules for the Korean stock market introduced earlier this year to go public

Under the gun of increased oversight on drug company advertising by the US Food and Drug Administration, the Washington, DC-based industry group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) on 29 July announced a set of guiding principles for ethical practices in direct to consumer advertising (DTC).

A hands-off philosophy based on investing in people has served Jean Deleage well over almost 35 years of venture capital investing in the life sciences. He reflects on biotech investment trends.

Mexico's genomic researchers believe a mestizo “hapmap” might reveal a genetic basis for some of the nation's health problems, although they are mindful of the potential for the misuse of personal genetic information.

While the FDA waits for someone to come up with a plan to improve the accelerated approval program, some argue that as it is, drugs are not getting to the people who need them.

The Indian biotechnology industry is trying to get beyond being a service industry, but the cost of materials and of getting regulatory approval could confound such efforts.

As new drug approval rates drop in Europe compared to the US, the EU Commission plans to spur innovation by doubling financial support for the biotech industry.

Seizing upon a favorable business climate in Europe, US businesswoman Lisa Drakeman has blended goal-oriented American culture with a European focus on team effort to move her firm's antibodies closer to the market.