Drug Companies Update February 2009
Mergers, acquisitions & Joint Ventures
- Anadis has changed its name to Immuron
- Cornerstone BioPharma and Critical Therapeutics have merged to form Cornerstone Therapeutics
- Faust Pharmaceuticals has changed its name to Domain Therapeutics
- Intercytex has acquired Axordia
- Johnson & Johnson has acquired Omrix Biopharmaceuticals
- King Pharmaceuticals has acquired Alpharma
- Ligand Pharmaceuticals has acquired Pharmacopeia
- Paladin Labs has acquired ViRexx
- Transphyto has merged with Laboratoires Thea
- Wyeth has acquired Thiakis
- Teva has acquired Barr Pharmaceuticals
New Companies
- AcelRx is a pharmaceutical company developing treatments for intermittent and acute pain conditions.
- Anaphore is a biotechnology company, focused on developing Atrimers, drug candidates from fully-human serum protein, for use in treating immune-mediated diseases and cancer.
- Angion Biomedica develops molecular drug candidates that target reparative and regenerative processes for therapeutic benefit, focusing primarily on diseases related to tissue and organ injury as well as on fibrosis.
- AuricX Pharmaceuticals is a Texas-based Pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising novel anti-infectives for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections, including MRSA.
- Avila Therapeutics is developing protein-silencing drugs for diseases including viral infections, cancers and autoimmune diseases.
- Axikin is developing small molecules with novel GPCR and kinase targets for respiratory and inflammatory disorders.
- Bachem specialises in the development of peptides and organic molecules.
- Biotech Tools is a spin-off from the Free University of Brussels that develops diagnostics and immune response-related disease therapies.
- Cardio3 BioSciences is a cardiovascular cell therapy company, based in Belgium.
- CellCentric is developing early stage cancer programmes based on epigenetics.
- Celprogen is a biotechnology company developing stem cell technologies in the areas of cardiology, diabetes, neurology and oncology.
- Celtic Biotech is a biotechnology company developing cancer therapeutics.
- Charleston Laboratories is developing opioids with minimal or no opioid-induced nausea and vomiting.
- Chlorion Pharma is focused on the advancement of therapeutics that modulate chloride equilibrium in the central nervous system.
- Circ Pharma develops novel formulations of exiting drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, with the intention of out-licensing them.
- Cognition Pharmaceuticals is developing therapies for cognitive impairment associated with multiple sclerosis.
- Critical Pharmaceuticals is developing injectable sustained release and nasally-delivered formulations of existing drugs.
- Dart Neuroscience is a pharmaceutical company developing new technologies to maximise cognitive vitality.
- DBV Technologies is a Paris-based company developing its VIASKIN epicutaneous delivery system for various uses.
- Dicerna Pharmaceuticals is developing therapeutics which activate RNA interference.
- Drais Pharmaceuticals is developing novel therapies that address unmet medical needs and demonstrate benefits over marketed therapies, with an initial focus on oncology.
- Edunn Biotechnology is developing an oligonucleotide for use in Alzheimer's disease.
- EffRx uses drug delivery technologies to improve the efficacy and tolerability of existing drugs.
- Essentialis is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of treatments for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
- Facet Biotech is developing MAbs for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. It is based in Redwood City, CA, and was spun out from PDL Pharma in 2008.
- Fusion Antibodies is using its Fusion Expression technology platform to develop therapeutic antibodies and recombinant proteins.
- Hypha Discovery is a pharmaceutical company developing compounds from microorganisms to source anticancer, antiangiogenesis and antimicrobial drugs.
- ImuThes is developing a range of biotherapeutics for serious chronic disorders and life-threatening diseases.
- Infexion develops vaccines and therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases.
- Ipal is a German-based technology transfer company.
- Kolltan Pharmaceuticals is a private company developing anticancer MAbs and small molecules, based on discoveries made by Dr Joseph Schlessinger at Yale University.
- Kancer is developing reformulated drugs for the treatment of cancer.
- Longevica Pharmaceuticals is developing chemoprotectants.
- ManRos Therapeutics is focused on cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and renal diseases.
- Mucosis is developing mucosal vaccines using its Mimopath technology, which is based on Lactococcus lactis bacterium, formulated into antigen-covered particles.
- Nanotope is a regenerative medicine company, developing a suite of products that are applied to injured tissue. The products consist of a chemical nanofibre matrix that forms a substrate to actively direct surviving cells to regrow damaged tissue.
- OsteoCorp is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of treatments for bone diseases, including osteoporosis.
- P2D Biosciences is a biotechnology company developing therapeutics for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
- Palau Pharma is developing medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune disease.
- PharmaSurgics is developing compounds to accelerate the post-operative healing process.
- Protelica is a biotech outfit focused on the discovery of protein therapeutics using proprietary mutagenesis technologies.
- Proxima Concepts is a biopharmaceutical company developing technologies to enhance drug delivery methods and drug discovery platforms.
- ShanaRx Pharmaceuticals is developing therapeutics for Parkinson's disease.
- sGC Pharma is developing compounds for Alzheimer's disease.
- Symphony Vida is a pharmaceutical company developing therapies for the treatment of ophthalmic conditions.
- TechSphere is a Mexican pharmaceutical R&D technology company. It comprises two companies: Laboratorios AF Carnot and Centro AF de Estudios Tecnologicas SA. The former is responsible for pharmaceutical production while the latter develops drug delivery technologies.
- Vaccine Technologies is utilising a patented technology platform to develop vaccines.
- Vivaldi Biosciences is a privately-held New York-based biotech company, developing seasonal and emergent pandemic influenza vaccines based on patented technologies developed by Dr Palese and Dr García-Sastre at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
- Zacharon Pharmaceuticals is developing small molecules that target glycans to treat cancers and genetic disorders.
