This week’s biotechnology news headlines include, potential blockbusters in 2015 launches, Immunogen reaches license deal with Takeda, FDA to address Ebola vaccine in May, FDA grants orphan drug status to ALS treatment, Merck’s melanoma drug meets study goal, Amicus plans to file for Fabry drug approval, Emergent Biosolutions gets government contract to test new anthrax vaccine.

Cell Culture Events

Workshops:

Introduction to Protein Expression Workshop – 3 days by BioSciConcepts

April 8-10, 2015

This 3-day workshop will provide an overview of recombinant protein technology, recombinant protein system and vector choices, and prokaryotic expression. Additionally we will discuss the advantages of the eukaryotic expression, the baculovirus system, transformation and reading-frame considerations when expressing proteins in any system. Also included will be talks on strategies for cell harvesting, and protein purification.

Conferences:

March

Going to Biopharmaceutical Development and Production Week? We are!

See our blog about don’t miss talks at BDP next week.

• Biopharmaceutical Development and Production Week – March 30-April 2, 2015 – Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, Huntington Beach, CA Co-located with Single-use Applications and Flexible Facilities http://www.ibclifesciences.com/BDPWeek/overview.xml

April

• World Vaccine Congress – April 7-9, 2015 –Walter E. Washington Convention Center– Washington D.C. http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/world-vaccine-congress-washington/index.stm
• Bioprocess International European Summit – April 14-15, 2015 – Swissotel Dusseldorf Neuss, Germany http://www.informa-ls.com/event/bpi15
• Interphex – April 21-23, 2015 – New York, NY – Javits Center – http://www.interphex.com/

May

• TIDES – May 3-6, 2015 – Town and Country Resort, San Diego, CA http://www.ibclifesciences.com/TIDES/overview.xml
• PEGS Boston – May 4-8, 2014 – Seaport World Trade Center – Boston, MA http://www.pegsummit.com/
• Cell Line Development & Engineering – May 18-20, 2015 – Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco, CA http://www.ibclifesciences.com/CellLine/overview.xml Co-located with Bioconjugates: From Targets to Therapeutics – http://www.ibclifesciences.com/Bioconjugates/overview.xml and Next Generation Protein Therapeutics Summit – http://www.ibclifesciences.com/ProteinSummit/overview.xml
• 10^th Annual World Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Conference 2015 – May 20-22, 2015 – Business Design Centre, London, UK Scaling up, commercialization and collaboration for market access.
• Cord Blood World Europe Congress 2015 – May 20-21, 2015 – Business Design Centre, London, UK Build deposits, reduce costs, retain quality, decrease volume and increase utilization.
• ISCT – May 27-30, 2015 – Caesars Palace Hotel, Las Vegas, NV http://www.isct2014.com/
• Cell Culture World Congress USA – http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/cell-culture-world-congress-usa/index.stm Americas Antibody Congress http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/cell-culture-world-congress-usa/C52321.stm World Biosimilar Congress http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/cell-culture-world-congress-usa/C52322.stm Downstream Processing World http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/cell-culture-world-congress-usa/C52323.stm May 27-28, 2014 – Marriott San Diego Mission Valley – San Diego, CA

Headlines

“Bristol, Sanofi and Novartis drugs to shine among 2015 launches,” Reuters

“Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi and Novartis have the three top new drugs set to reach the market in 2015, among 11 products each with $1 billion-plus sales potential, according to a Thomson Reuters analysis.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “10 Biologics on Best Selling Drugs List for 2014”

“Immunogen Reaches Licensing Deal With Takeda,” The Wall Street Journal

“Immunogen Inc. reached a licensing deal with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. that gives the Japan-based drug maker exclusive rights to use the U.S. biotech firm’s technology to develop cancer therapies for up to two undisclosed targets.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “2014 FDA New Drug Approvals – 11 Biologics Receive Approval”

“FDA panel to discuss Ebola vaccine development in May,” Reuters

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said an advisory panel will discuss the development of Ebola vaccines, days after an American health worker was flown back after being tested positive for Ebola in Sierra Leone.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Developing Ebola Vaccine and Securing Your Cold Chain Logistics Plan”

“FDA grants orphan drug status to Treeway’s ALS treatment,” PMLiVE

“Dutch biotech company Treeway has won orphan drug status for its investigational treatment for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). The Rotterdam-based firm, which as founded by entrepreneurs Bernard Muller and Robbert Jan Stuit, both diagnosed with ALS, gains a range of financial incentives and marketing exclusivity benefits for its lead pipeline compound TW001.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Materials and Assay Systems Used for 3D Cell Culture”

“Merck says melanoma drug meets goal; study halted,” Reuters

“Merck & Co Inc said on Tuesday that it would stop a large study of its Keytruda melanoma treatment early because an independent monitoring committee determined the drug succeeded in its goal of prolonging survival in previously untreated patients at advanced stage of the disease.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “The Benefits of Implementing Bioprocess Monitoring and Quality by Design in Process Development”

“Amicus to seek Fabry disease drug approval,” The Washington Times

“Amicus Therapeutics plans to file for accelerated approval of its experimental treatment for a rare, inherited disease following meetings with regulators in the U.S. and Europe.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Cell Therapy: Are we there yet?”

“Emergent BioSolutions nabs government funds to test new-and-improved anthrax vaccine,” Fierce Vaccines

“A Maryland-based biodefense contractor received a double dose of good news this week with the inking of a government contract to develop a new and improved anthrax vaccine and a separate FDA approval for an injected treatment of anthrax infection.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “The Evolution of Vaccine Manufacturing – Past, Current, and Future Trends”