CHI's BioMarker Breakthroughs Newsletter

Ex Vivo Metrics™: How Drug Studies in Reanimated Human Organs Could Revitalize the Drug Development Process

An editorial by Gerald Curtis, PhD

Fallout from the catastrophic phase I clinical trial of TeGenero’s monoclonal antibody TGN1412 in March 2006,1 in which 6 volunteers suffered life-threatening “cytokine storms,” includes newly tightened regulations in the United Kingdom and renewed concern worldwide about first-in-human trials, particularly for compounds with novel targets or mechanisms of action.

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DNA Genotyping from human FFPE Samples
In this feasibility study, Applied Biosystems demonstrates how the combined use Recover All Total Nucleic
Acid Isolation Kit and TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay can result in high quality, reproducible, and reliable genotyping data.. Read more

Millipore has launched the CellCiphr Cytotoxicity Profiling Assay Kit using human HepG2 cells. This assay panel detects drug-induced hepatotoxicity and is expected to be used early in the drug discovery process. read more

Cartesian Gridspeed, Ltd. announced the opening of its new sales, marketing and technical support subsidiary, SLIM Search, Inc. in Mission Viejo, California.　 SLIM Search, Inc. is marketing its SLIM Search genomic search tool to universities, government research, and research and development departments of biotechnology corporations and individual contributors. read more

The new Variant Reporter Software from Applied Biosystems automates detection of variants and streamlines data analysis process. The software uses proprietary algorithms to identify genetic variations based on standardized or user-defined parameters. Results are presented for validation in a visual format that allows researchers to simultaneously compare multiple quality control metrics. More information and a free trial version are available at: read more

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We invite your comments and feedback for this edition of Biomarker Breakthroughs. Email us at maloryea@gmail.com

IN THIS ISSUE - TECHNICAL INSIGHT

Targeting EGFR with Aveo’s Genetically Engineered Mice
Malorye Allison

Cancer researchers complain a lot about the xenograft models that are currently a mainstay of preclinical oncology research, but little has been done to improve the situation until now. Aveo Pharmaceuticals scientists have found a way to genetically engineer mice that will grow their own cancers containing the very mutations seen in specific human forms of the disease, including lung, colon, and breast tumors.
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NEWS BRIEFS

A new study shows that the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder depends in part on the combined, small effects of variations in many different genes in the brain, none of which is powerful enough to cause the disease by itself. Read

Gene Logic Inc. has entered into an agreement with Abbott to seek additional development paths for multiple Abbott drug candidates. All of these drug candidates have successfully passed Phase I human clinical trials. Read

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered inherited genetic variations that make children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) susceptible to the toxic side effects of chemotherapy. Read

The Van Andel Research Institute and biotech Emiliem, Inc. signed an Agreement where they will work together to translate Emiliem's discoveries related to biomarkers and targeted drugs into therapies. Read

CALENDAR

Protein Kinase Targets, June 4 - 6, Boston, MA
Drug Discovery and Design

Structure Based Design, June 6 - 8, Boston, MA
Sophisticated Approaches to Drug Discovery

World Pharmaceutical Congress, June 11 - 13, Philadelphia, PA
Trends in Pharmaceutical Development

Beyond Genome, June 20 - 22, San Francisco, CA
Top Ten Challenges in the Post-Genome Era

Nucleic Acid-Based Technologies, June 25 - 27, Baltimore, MD
Meeting the Demands

New - Yihan Wang of ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Neil W Gibson of OSI Pharmaceuticals
Jeffrey Settleman, Harvard Medical School and MGH Cancer Center
David Bailey of Chemoventures
N Claude Cohen of Synergix
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