Zenobia starts work; UK officials warn of 75,000 deaths from bird flu

> Zenobia Therapeutics announced that they have initiated research work at their facility in La Jolla, CA. Zenobia was founded June 1 and moved into their new laboratory and office facilities on July 1. Release [1]

> Gamida Cell announced that the company has executed a licensing agreement with Amgen for the use of a number of proprietary cytokines in the manufacturing of StemEx for Gamida Cell's pivotal registration study of StemEx and its subsequent commercialization. Gamida release [2]

> Optimer Pharmaceuticals has received commitments from selected investors to purchase an aggregate of 1,443,396 shares of Optimer's common stock at a purchase price of $8.48 per share. Optimer release [3]

> Germany's Cenix BioScience GmbH has signed a research agreement to advance Regulus Therapeutics' efforts in miRNA modulators. Centrix release [4]

> Two years ago this week, Biogen Idec relaunched Tysabri, the multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease treatment, after a safety scare. Now, the drug is shaping up to be a blockbuster, the Wall Street Journal reports. Report [5]

> Pre-emption fans took one on the chin last week when a federal judge changed his mind. U.S. District Court Judge David Hamilton reversed a previous opinion that dismissed a Paxil suicide case, saying that FDA approval would shield drugmakers from state-court claims. Report [6]

> Hear those cries of protest? They're coming from the U.K., whose National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidelines today that would limit patients' access to high-tech arthritis meds. Report [7]

> Merck and Schering-Plough are delaying their earnings reports until after the close of trading today so that researchers can present preliminary results of a new Vytorin study first. Report [8]

And Finally... Citing the potential death of 75,000 people if bird flu breaks out in the UK, a parliamentary committee is calling on health officials to update a global early warning system for pandemics. Article [9]