Japan will intensify regenerative medicine research by emphasizing collaborations and moving research into the clinic. Among government initiatives is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)– funded Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell 10-Year Roadmap, started in 2009 to translate research to clinical status. MEXT has joined forces with the Ministry of Health, […]

The amount of science papers published by the member countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has increased, according to a recent study that analyzed papers included in the Institute for Science Information science citation index journals. ASEAN countries accounted for just 0.5% of the world’s science papers, or 165,000 papers, from 1991 […]

A global survey of 282 senior executives at pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and service firms found dissatisfaction with their companies’ level of innovation. Their companies’ R&D strategy was rated “moderately effective” by 49% of respondents. Cost was ranked by 47% as their firms’ biggest challenge (respondents ranked their top three challenges) to improving innovation, followed […]

This month, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of gene patents. The Myriad Genetics case involved the firm’s patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA 2 genes for predicting the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The court ruled that the chemical structure of the isolated DNA covered by the […]

In 2010, the aggregate profit margin for the firms in Chemical & Engineering News’ survey of the top 50 chemical companies was 11.4%, the highest profit margin in 15 years. Sales at the 49 firms showing similar year-over-year figures grew 25.3% to $857 billion in 2010. Operating profits for the 47 firms with similar year-over-year […]

Berlin, Germany and Washington, DC 7/1/11—Bioscan has sold its radiopharmaceutical equipment business to Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik, an isotope technology company, for an undisclosed amount. The sale includes analytical instruments used for the quality assurance of radioactive pharmaceuticals and automated radiopharmaceutical synthesis units. “By such an investment, we are broadening our commitment to […]

Chelmsford, MA 7/25/11—Brooks Automation has acquired Nexus Biosystems, a supplier of automated compound and sample management solutions for life science, for a net cash price of $79 million. For the twelve months ending June 30, Nexus recorded revenues of $36 million. “Together with our other recent acquisition, RTS Life Sciences, and our core technical competencies […]

Waltham, MA 7/18/11; Basingstoke, England 7/18/11—Thermo Fisher Scientific has acquired TREK Diagnostic Systems from Magellan Biosciences for an undisclosed amount. TREK Diagnostic Systems provides microbiology solutions, including blood culture, micro-organism identification and antibiotic susceptibility products. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, TREK had 2010 revenues of $34 million. “Advances in automation and the development of more rapid […]

New Castle, DE 7/27/11—TA Instruments, a Waters’s company, has acquired Anter Corporation and Anter Laboratories. Anter is a manufacturer of high-performance systems that measure thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and heat capacity of a wide range of materials. “This acquisition adds powerful technologies which complement TA Instruments’ market leading thermal analysis product line,” said […]

Thanks to the new ASTM annex, D7566-11, the 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions that is contributed by passenger jets will be reduced. Standards for testing the “second generation” of biofuels, derived from inedible plants, tallows (animal fats) and organic waste, have been approved to power commercial planes. ASTM has approved testing standards for a […]