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GenQual Announces Initial Closing Of Its First Preferred Equity Funding Round

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GenQual is pleased to announce initial closing of its first preferred equity round. Financial terms were not disclosed. This inaugural funding round allows GenQual to pursue proof-of-principle testing for its companion diagnostic approach for IL-6 mAb and other JAK/STAT inhibitors for autoimmune diseases and oncology indications. GenQual aims to prospectively identify responders for clinical-stage therapeutics to improve drug trial response rates and improve chances for drug approval. The round remains open for further funding.

GenQual Founder and CEO Jonathan Mirich said, “This funding round allows GenQual to pursue its business development goals to deliver companion diagnostics for very expensive IL-6 monoclonal antibody treatment for autoimmune disease, chiefly rheumatoid arthritis, as well as certain oncology indications. It allows us to extend collaborative agreements for proof-of-principle testing. We are very excited about the possibilities in this space.”

About GenQual
GenQual develops proprietary biomarker diagnostics for autoimmune and oncology indications. Our personalized medicine products are designed to facilitate early disease detection and diagnosis, and to improve treatment approaches at the molecular level. GenQual is a privately-held corporation based in the Seattle area.

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Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent To Lead Immunogenicity Course

Ana T. Menendez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent Pharma Solutions, will lead a two-day international course on immunogenicity. The course will take place at the Regus Victoria in London on Wednesday, December 2 through Thursday, December 3, 2009.

The interactive course, titled “Introduction to Immunogenicity,” will enable attendees to better understand ways to detect, reduce and characterize unwanted immunogenicity. Additionally, Menendez will aid in interpreting the latest regulatory guidelines, and will assist attendees in formulating a winning strategy to implement in their business immediately.

The sessions will include a formal presentation by Menendez followed by facilitated breakout groups where delegates will be given the opportunity to apply the principles taught in the sections. Case studies, cut-point exercises and protocol workshops will increase the participants’ hands-on experience in developing and validating sensitive and rugged methods to detect and characterize unwanted immunogenicity.

As part of Catalent’s Development and Clinical Services Segment, Dr. Menendez is responsible for the release tests required to verify the functionality and purity of biotechnology products and the complex processes involved in their manufacture. Menendez implemented biotesting at Catalent and currently leads the following laboratories at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park facility: Cellular Technologies, Molecular Technologies, Virology and Analytical Biosafety. The expertise of the department ranges from proteins (i.e., monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, growth factors) to therapeutic viruses, bacterial vaccines and aptamers. Menenedez is an international instructor on bioassay development and validation and a frequent speaker at biopharmaceutical conferences.

For more information on Catalent’s broad range of drug and biologic development services, go to www.catalent.com/development.

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Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent To Present Course on Bioassays

Ana T. Menendez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent Pharma Solutions, will be leading a course in Bioassay Method Development and Validation. The course is being offered through IBC Life Science on November 12-13, 2009 in Boston, MA.

Menendez will present a lecture outlining sensible approaches to developing reproducible bioassays using live systems and/or biologically derived reagents. Additionally, Menendez will conduct a workshop on writing validation protocols, and will give participants hands-on experience and case studies, which will add relevance to lecture material as well as create a point of discussion. Targeted audiences are bio-analytical scientists, validation specialists, project management leaders and bioassay scientists involved in bioassay execution. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

Bioassays are necessary components of the biopharmaceutical development process as functional potency assays during release, stability and formulation studies. The course expands on the importance of the appropriate use of non-analytical techniques that are critical during PK/PD evaluation and measurement of systematic responses to drugs, such as immunogenicity. Also included are immunological and enzymatic methods that are widely used in the detection of biological impurities due to their increased sensitivity and specificity over analytical methods.

As part of Catalent’s Development and Clinical Services segment, Dr. Menendez is responsible for the release tests required to verify the functionality and purity of biotechnology products and the complex processes involved in their manufacture. Menendez implemented biotesting at Catalent and currently leads the following laboratories at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park facility: Cellular Technologies, Molecular Technologies, Virology and Analytical Biosafety. The expertise of the department ranges from proteins (i.e., monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, growth factors) to therapeutic viruses, bacterial vaccines and aptamers. Menendez is an international instructor on bioassay development and validation and a frequent speaker at biopharmaceutical conferences.

For more information on Catalent’s broad range of drug and biologic development services, go to www.catalent.com/development.

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Catalent Develops New Decorin Molecule Form, Strikes Deal With Euclid

Catalent Pharma Solutions, a leading provider of advanced technologies and outsourced development and clinical services to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, has announced the development of the Galacorin™ molecule, a proprietary form of the decorin molecule.

Catalent Develops New Decorin Molecule Form, Strikes Deal With Euclid

Catalent combined its proprietary GPEx® gene expression technology, Triplet-FixTM codon optimization technology and advanced scientific capabilities to greatly improve production and secretion of the GalacorinTM molecule in CHO cells. In addition, Catalent has developed a full cGMP production process for the GalacorinTM molecule.

Catalent has reached an agreement to provide the GalacorinTM molecule to Euclid Systems of Herndon, Virginia for an ophthalmic clinical trial. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. Additionally, Catalent is in the process of seeking partners for other indications.

Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® method of cell line engineering generates high-expressing, genetically stable cells for all mammalian cell types. Antibiotic selection is not needed as part of the procedure; multiple gene constructs can be added individually, at different gene ratios without any requirement for antibiotic resistance markers. The method allows re-production of cellular pathways within mammalian cell types as well as the ability to easily add protein processing enzymes to an already established cell line. Using conventional gene insertion and expression techniques, developing a stable biosimilar production cell line for a target protein can take as long as 18 months. Catalent’s GPEx® technology can overcome the inefficiencies of conventional systems and deliver a stable production cell line for target proteins in as little as 4.5 months.

For more information on Catalent’s broad range of drug and biologic development services, go to www.catalent.com/development.

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Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent To Lead Workshop on Immunogenicity for Biologics 2009

Ana T. Menendez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent Pharma Solutions, will be teaching a pre-conference workshop titled “Detection and Characterization of Immunogenicity of Therapeutic Biologics” on Monday, September 7, 2009 in Prague, Czech Republic. The course will focus on the practical technologies used to measure antibody responses to biologic drugs. The pre-conference begins at 10:00 a.m. The Immunogenicity for Biologics 2009 conference will be held on September 8-9, and will include additional discussion on outstanding technical issues, such as standardization and validation of assays as well as the interpretation and application of regulatory guidelines.

catalent

As part of Catalent’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, Dr. Menendez is responsible for the release tests required to verify the functionality and purity of biotechnology products and the complex processes involved in their manufacture. Menendez implemented biotesting at Catalent and currently leads the following laboratories at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park facility: Cellular Technologies, Molecular Technologies, Virology and Analytical Biosafety. The expertise of the department ranges from proteins (i.e., monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, growth factors) to therapeutic viruses, bacterial vaccines and aptamers. Menendez is an international instructor on Bioassay Development and Validation and a frequent speaker at biopharmaceutical conferences.

The Immunogenicity for Biologics 2009 conference will cover case studies on assay challenges, FDA and European submissions IgG4 and IgE, pre-clinical and clinical strategies and aggregation. Participants will benefit from practical advice on the design and validation of neutralizing assays.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent Pharma Solutions is a leading provider of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,500 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2008 generated more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue. For more information, visit http://www.catalent.com.

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Michael Jenkins, Phd, Of Catalent To Present Their GPEx® Technology At The 2009 BIO Process Theatre Taking Place At This Year’s BIO International Convention

Dr. Jenkins’ talk will focus on Catalent’s proprietary GPEx technology for mammalian cell culture engineering. The 2009 BIO International Convention takes place in Atlanta, GA, May 18-21.

GPEx® Technology

Dr. Jenkins’ presentation is titled “Bench to the Clinic: Using GPEx® Mammalian Cell Culture Engineering to Shorten Timelines, Reduce Risk, and Prepare for Success.” Presentation abstract: The speed at which a recombinant protein product progresses through candidate selection, process development, toxicology production and cGMP manufacturing is of vital importance to both small and large biotechnology companies. Dr. Jenkins will present ways to balance risk, speed and cost as well as ways in which Catalent’s proprietary GPEx technology for mammalian cell line engineering facilitates this process.

Catalent’s Middleton, WI facility is part of the organization’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group. The 43,000 sq. ft. site houses process development laboratories, R&D and QC laboratory space, and cGMP product dedicated manufacturing suites withstirred tank bioreactors. Middleton also performs the proprietary GPEx™ technology for the engineering of high expressing, stable mammalian cell lines suitable for cGMP production of biopharmaceuticals.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent Pharma Solutions is a leading provider of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,100 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2008 generated more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

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Two Catalent Scientists, Dr. Tom Feinberg, Director Of Structural Chemistry Services, And Dr. Craig Davies-Cutting, Director Of Research And Development, Will Host A 45-Minute Interactive Workshop At RDD Europe 2009

Two Catalent scientists, Dr. Tom Feinberg, director of structural chemistry services, and Dr. Craig Davies-Cutting, director of research and development, will host a 45-minute interactive workshop at RDD Europe 2009. The conference is designed for academic, industrial and regulatory scientists involved in the development, investigation, preparation and delivery of existing and new therapeutic entities by inhalation. It takes place in Lisbon, Portugal, May 19-22, 2009.

The Catalent sponsored workshop is titled “Formulation and Leachables Considerations in Component Selection for Inhalation Drug Products.” Workshop abstract: Although the range of inhalation delivery devices and components has increased, the rate of new product approvals has not. One explanation is the need to thoroughly explore hardware and formulation compatibility and performance during product development. Additionally, global regulatory expectations have been raised since the publication and dissemination of the Product Quality Research Institute’s Safety Thresholds and Best Practices for Extractables and Leachables in Orally Inhaled and Nasal Drug Products. This workshop outlines an optimized approach for formulation-device combination screening and selection, and discusses the impact of leachables and materials characterization methods selection on the testing timeline.

Dr. Feinberg and Dr. Davies-Cutting are members of Catalent’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent Pharma Solutions is a leading provider of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,100 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2008 generated more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

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Catalent Scientist’s Article Featured by Biotechnology Industry Organization

An article written by Ana T. Menendez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent Pharma Solutions, was featured in the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) March 2009 e-Newsletter. The article, titled “A Guide to Accelerating Bioassay Transfer in the GMP Environment,” highlights important questions and steps to set timelines and prepare for a successful bioassay transfer. Dr. Menendez’s work, along with a number of articles written by industry leaders, is being offered for free download on BIO’s website - www.bio.org.

According to Dr. Menendez, “Setting realistic timetables, creating thorough documentation to transfer bioassays between organizations, and working with a highly qualified CRO are the keys to streamlining the production of biologics and accelerating their time to market.” Her article goes on to provide guidelines to help increase clarity in setting timelines, along with illustrative case studies where delays could have been avoided.

As part of Catalent’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, Dr. Menendez is responsible for the release tests required to verify the functionality and purity of biotechnology products and the complex processes involved in their manufacture. Dr. Menendez implemented biotesting at Catalent and currently leads the following laboratories at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park facility: Cellular Technologies, Molecular Technologies, Virology and Analytical Biosafety. The expertise of the department ranges from proteins (i.e., monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, growth factors) to therapeutic viruses, bacterial vaccines and aptamers. Dr. Menenedez is an international instructor on Bioassay Development and Validation and a frequent speaker at biopharmaceutical conferences.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent Pharma Solutions is a leading provider of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,100 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2008 generated more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

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LC Sciences announced the availability of probe content miRBase 10.0 for their microRNA (miRNA) microarray customers

Taking advantage of its flexible µParaflo™ Chip Technology, Houston based LC Sciences today announced immediate availability of probe content miRBase 10.0 for their microRNA (miRNA) microarray customers. This announcement comes less than a week after Sanger Institute’s update of their sequence database for known miRNAs (miRBase) 1 to version 10.0 (http://microrna.sanger.ac.uk/sequences). As the jump in

version numbers from 9.2 to 10.0 suggests, this update marks a major milestone and features significant changes: 489 new hairpin sequences and 971 novel mature miR and miR* experimentally verified products have been added.

These numbers represent an increase of unique miRNA sequences by 42%. “This exciting increase in data means that researchers using pre-spotted glass arrays with probe content based on versions as recent as 9.1 are missing 49% of mouse, and more than 50% of human sequences, just to give two examples. The other important point is that these sequences are experimentally verified and publicly available data. Unlike with proprietary probe content the researcher has full access and control over the results.” said Chris Hebel, Director of Business Development at LC Sciences.

The importance of this update is emphasized by another aspect of the release: many human, mouse and rat mature miRNAs were renamed and the sequence boundaries changed to reflect the predominant forms identified in recent large-scale cloning studies. The public miRBase sequence database serves as the primary probe content for many commercially available miRNA profiling microarrays. Detection of miRNAs using a microarray offers the opportunity for genome-wide miRNA expression profiling by examining all known miRNA transcripts in a single experiment. However, the continued updating of the database can be problematic for researchers using pre-spotted glass slide arrays as the probe content of the arrays immediately goes out of date whenever a new miRBase version is released. Especially, in a rapidly evolving field as miRNA research it is important to scientists to have the most complete picture of miRNAs expressed in their experimental samples.

LC Sciences miRNA microarrays make use of a microfluidics on-chip synthesis platform, termed µParaFlo™, versus a traditional spotted array based on pre-synthesized oligonucleotides. This on-chip synthesis platform solves the issue of out of date microarrays because made-to-order microarrays can be produced, delivering the most up-to-date research tools to researchers.

In addition to providing much more uniform and reproducible features than a spotted array, on-chip synthesis permits the total customization of content on each individual microarray opening up additional applications such as the discovery of new miRNAs and other small non-coding RNAs.

About microRNA (miRNA)
miRNAs are small non-protein-coding RNA molecules that function as negative regulators of gene expression by base pairing with specific mRNAs. This either inhibits translation or promotes mRNA degradation. About miRBase – The miRBase sequence database is a comprehensive database of miRNA sequence data, annotation, and predicted gene targets and is the primary public repository for these data. Release 10.0 of the database contains 5071 entries representing hairpin precursor miRNAs, expressing 4922 maturemiRNA products, in primates, rodents, birds, fish, worms, flies, plants and viruses (miRBase release summary). miRBase also provides a gene-naming service for assigning official miRNA names to novel miRNAs before they are published. It is freely available to all at http://microrna.sanger.ac.uk/.

About LC Sciences
LC Sciences offers specialty microarray services for nucleic acid/protein profiling and functional analysis, biomarker-discovery, and novel drug screening. Our array service products are based on Atactic Technologies’ µParaflo™ platform technologies that encompass advanced digital chemical synthesis, pico-liter scale biochemical assays, and microfluidic reaction devices containing high density individual 3D chambers.

 

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Welcome to EPR Biotech News

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EPR Biotech News is a new blog, part of EPR Network, that is going to be focused on and will be covering the biotech news and stories from press releases published on EPR Network.

EPR Network (EPR stands for express press release) is one of the nation’s largest press release distribution networks on Web. The EPR’s nationwide network includes 12 State based PR sites, one major PR forum and a number of industry specific PR blogs and what started as a hobby on Internet years ago turned out to be a rapidly growing business today. EPR Network is also known as one of the most trusted (human optimized, published, edited and monitored, spam/scam/low quality PR content free) PR sites on the web with more than 10,000 company and individual press releases distributed per month. EPR Network is putting your press releases on top of all major search engines’ results and is reaching thousands of individuals, companies, PR specialists, media professionals, bloggers and journalists every day.

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