Biotechnology news

News outlets focus on alleged fraud in the drug and insurance industries. "A $112 million settlement involving alleged drug kickbacks that the Justice Dept. announced with the nation's largest nursing home pharmacy and a generic drug manufacturer on Nov. 3 is part of a wide-ranging investigation of suspected Medicaid fraud by the pharmaceutical industry,"

Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX, FSE: "HBP" / OTCQX: HXBPF) announced that its Phase II trial of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b for the treatment of ano-genital warts (AGW) has completed patient enrollment, with the required 120th patient randomized to enter the trial. The double-blind and placebo-controlled Phase II trial is underway at multiple centers in Germany and Sweden.

Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) announced the journal Cancer has published a pivotal study demonstrating that TREANDA® (bendamustine HCl) for Injection induced durable responses in patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) whose disease had progressed during or within six months of treatment with rituximab.

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) announced that the Phase 3 PRIME "203" trial evaluating Vectibix® (panitumumab) administered in combination with FOLFOX (an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy) as a first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) failed to meet a secondary endpoint of overall survival.

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNSS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted voreloxin orphan drug designation for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The Wall Street Journal examines "big pharma's growing interest in a corner of healthcare - emerging-market inoculations," in light of a recent move by Novartis to purchase an 85 percent stake in the Chinese vaccine maker Zhejiang Tianyuan Bio-Pharmaceutical Co.

A 41-year-old man, Mr Harish Gami, received an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years at Aylesbury Crown Court today for the illicit sale and supply of controlled drugs as well as counterfeit and unlicensed medicines.

Biovitrum and Swedish Orphan will be combined forming Swedish Orphan Biovitrum with pro forma revenues 2009 of approximately SEK 2 billion and an EBITDA margin of 15 percent. Biovitrum will pay an upfront consideration of SEK 3.5 billion (on a cash and debt free basis), to be financed by a fully guaranteed rights issue, an issue in kind and bank financing.

Health care reform bills include provisions to examine the financial relationships between doctors and the medical industry while some are questioning the AARP's role in reform.

Scientists from ViraCor-IBT Laboratories have been selected to provide four oral presentations and one poster presentation at this year's American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami, Florida.