The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.

Today's Top Story

• Quintiles, Eisai to co-develop cancer drugs
  Quintiles Transnational and Eisai formed a partnership to develop six cancer drugs under Eisai's pipeline for an undisclosed amount. Quintiles' NovaQuest unit will co-fund 11 midstage trials of the experimental drugs. American City Business Journals/Raleigh/Durham, N.C. (10/30)

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Health Care & Policy

• Study: Vaccine protects women from group B strep bacteria
  U.S. researchers found that women of childbearing age who received group B Streptococcus vaccine had a lower chance of carrying the bacteria in the vagina and gut than those who took a dummy vaccine. They think the vaccine could reduce pregnant women's risk of contracting the bacteria, which can cause blood and brain infections in newborns. WebMD (10/30) , Yahoo!/Reuters (10/30)

• Molecules hold promise in treating macular degeneration
  Acucela and Sirion Therapeutics are conducting clinical trials of compounds designed to slow the progression of macular degeneration. The molecules delay the buildup of toxic byproducts that appear to cause the disease by reducing sensitivity of the eyes to light. MIT Technology Review (11/2)

Company & Financial News

• Sanofi-Aventis eyes growth in vaccine business
  Sanofi-Aventis intends to double its vaccine business in the next five years with the aid of its Asian operations and partnerships, CEO Chris Viehbacher told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Viehbacher said Sanofi's vaccine unit will post an increase in sales of 15% to 16% if expansion plans push through. Reuters (10/31)

• States accuse Amgen of kickbacks to boost Aranesp sales
  Fifteen states have filed a lawsuit against Amgen for allegedly bribing health care providers to bill insurers for anemia drug Aranesp, leading to overpayment from Medicaid and private insurance companies. The claims are without merit, Amgen said, and it is prepared "to examine these matters with the states before the court." Los Angeles Times (10/31)

• Trade group unveils program to stimulate Arizona's bioscience sector
  The Arizona BioIndustry Association has introduced a program, AZBioLink, that would boost the state's bioscience sector by linking purchasers and sellers of biotech-related goods and services. "During these difficult financial times, innovative ways must be found to support Arizona's growing biotech industry," said Robert Green, the industry group's president and CEO. American City Business Journals/Phoenix (11/1)

• 23andMe announces job cuts
  Personal genomics firm 23andMe has laid off an undisclosed number of employees as part of its workforce restructuring efforts, the company said in a statement. "These cuts, which are a reflection of the current economic environment all companies are facing, will allow us to continue to invest in the growth of our Personal Genome Service and research endeavors." American City Business Journals/San Jose, Calif. (10/30) , The Washington Post/TechCrunch blog (10/29)

• Geron, FDA reach deal regarding trials of spinal-injury therapy
  Geron said it might be able to resume early-stage trials of a stem cell treatment for complete thoracic spinal cord injury by the third quarter of 2010 under an agreement with the FDA. The agency had placed the studies on clinical hold after the treatment caused cysts in some animal subjects. American City Business Journals/San Francisco (10/30) , Reuters (10/30)

Featured Content

Food & Agriculture

• FDA scientists find "good" bacteria against salmonella
  Food and Drug Administration scientists have identified "good" bacteria that could fight salmonella bacteria in tomatoes. Although the "good" bacteria don't seem to pose negative effects on humans, further studies are needed to prove the safety of the process, they said. The Washington Post (10/31)

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Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by BIO SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Biotech drugmakers get 12-year protection in House health bill (The Wall Street Journal)

• Alcon licenses macular degeneration drug from biotech firm (The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.))

• California's stem cell agency awards $230M in research grants (The New York Times)

• GSK to develop biotech cancer drugs with SuperGen (Reuters)

• Lilly unveils biotech facility in San Diego (The Indianapolis Star)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Industrial & Environmental

• E15 mandate will promote spending for next-generation biofuels
  Raising the ethanol blend rate from 10% to 15% would boost U.S. security and energy independence as well as stimulate economic growth, writes Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. In an opinion piece, Stallman makes the case for such an increase, contending that an E15 mandate would bolster clean-energy efforts and encourage new investments in technologies for second-generation biofuels. La Crosse Tribune (Wis.) (11/1)

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News from BIO

• Registration now open for 2010 BIO Asia Partnering Conference
  The seventh annual BIO Asia Partnering Conference 2010, to be held Jan. 25 and 26 in Tokyo, is the leading biotechnology conference in Asia. This exclusive, customized partnering forum, hosted by the BIO and BioCentury Publications, brings together U.S. and European drug-development companies with Asian biotech and pharmaceutical companies interested in research collaborations and licensing agreements. New this year -- company presentations. Register for and apply to present at the 2010 BIO Asia Partnering Conference.

Editor's Note

• Which biotechnology sector will receive the most news-media attention in 2010?
  Look out for the BIO SmartBrief Year-End Report on Dec. 8 and 15. The results of this poll will appear in Part 2 on Dec. 15.

	Follow-on biologics
	Stem cell research
	Biotech crop traits and foods
	Biofuels
	Other

SmartQuote

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." --George S. Patton Jr., World War II general