Drug Companies Update July 2007
Mergers, acquisitions & Joint Ventures
- Advancis Pharmaceuticals has changed its name to Middlebrook Pharmaceuticals.
- Alteon has aquired Israeli company HaptoGuard.
- Amgen has acquired Iilypsa, a private company developing non-absorbed drugs for renal disorders.
- Probiodrug has acquired discovery and development company Ingelium Pharmaceuticals AG.
- Quark Biotech has changed its name to Quark Pharmaceuticals.
- Simcere Pharmaceuticals has acquired Chinese company Yantai Medgenn.
- TransOral Pharmaceuticals has changed its name to Transcept Pharmaceuticals.
- UK-based company VASTox has changed its name to Summit.
New Companies
- Acadia Pharma develops hospital-based pharmaceuticals, and is focused on cancer supportive care and perioperative care.
- Acura Pharmaceuticals is focused on the research, development and manufacture of abuse deterent products.
- American-based Addrenex Pharmaceuticals is focused on developing and commercializing drugs to treat adrenergic dysregulation.
- Akorn develops branded and multi-source products primarily focused on opthamology, hospitals and contract manufaturing.
- ArmaGen Technologies provides platform technology solutions by targeting small molecules, recombinant proteins and non-viral gene therapies to the brain and spinal cord.
- American-based Cardioxyl is developing therapeutic agents for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
- German company Corimmun GmbH is engaged in the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of congestive heart failure and atherosclerosis.
- Gene Techno Science is focused on developing treatments for cancer, immune, cardiovascular, infectious and congenital genetic diseases using a molecular genetic approach.
- GeNeuro is developing therapeutics addressing nervous system pathologies involving human endogenous retroviruses.
- Privately-owned Grannus BioSciences develops biological and small molecule drugs with anti-inflammatory os anti-proliferative properties.
- Marcadia Biotech is using its proprietary peptide chemisty to develop therapeutics for diabetes and obesity.
- Privately-owned company Mitopharm is developing formulations of traditional Chinese medicines for use in aging and poor stamina.
- Biotechnology company Modigene is developing long-acting formulations of therapeutic proteins.
- Privately-owned Nanospectra is focused on the development of AuroShell microparticles, a class of materials it licensed from the Rice University for the treatment of solid tumours.
- Pacira Pharmaceuticals is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacira, and is developing controlled-release injectable products.
- PeriCor Therapeutics is developing adenosine regulating agents to protect threatened heart muscle in surgical and acute settings.
- PregLem is engaged in developing and commercializing products for benign gynecological conditions and infertility.
- REGiMMUNE focuses on immune-regulating technology to develop novel therapeutics using its proprietary thechnology platform, reVax.
- Indian company Reliance Life Sciences develops business opportunities within medical and other biotechnology areas
- Resolvyx is developing 'resolvins' that control inflammation by activating endogenous resolution pathways.
- Snowdon uses discovers and develops compounds for the treatment of cancer, acute and chronic pain and infectious diseases.
- Stromedix is developing novel drugs to treat fibrotic organ failure.
- Transcept Pharmaceuticals is engaged in the development of CNS drugs.
- Australian company Veragenics develops therapeutics based on antibody and peptide antagonists of endothelial growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D.
