@FierceBiotech: People with Huntington's overexpress a gene call H2AFY. Biomarker could eventually help gauge effectiveness of new drugs. Piece | Follow @FierceBiotech
@ JohnCFierce: "We're going after a new area of biology," says Agios CEO Schenkein. "And we're going after it hard." Article | Follow @JohnCFierce
@RyanMFierce: I hope this approach to combating brain cancer works as well in man as it did in mice. Story | Follow @RyanMFierce
@MaureenFierce: Good news and bad news: So many jobs are gone, pharma layoffs dwindle. Item | Follow @MaureenFierce
> Scientists have hunted down genetic markers implicated in type 1 diabetes, adding to a body of genetic evidence about the metabolic disorder that could explain disease risk and expose pathways for new treatments. The genes were discovered through what is being heralded as the "largest-ever" study of genetic data on the disorder, in which the immune system goes haywire and attacks insulin-producing cells. Article
> A report published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that people with Huntington's Disease overexpress a gene call H2AFY in their blood. The finding could eventually help researchers monitor the effectiveness of drugs in clinical development for the disease. Report
> GlaxoSmithKline CEO Andrew Witty tells reporters that he's willing to spend up to $2 billion on bolt-on acquisitions in India. "I would love to buy something in India," he told The Times. Report
> Michael Kamarck, president of Merck BioVentures, sat down with Xconomy recently to review its development strategy for biosimilars. Story
> Novato, CA-based Ultragenyx says the FDA has granted orphan drug status to UX001 for the treatment of hereditary inclusion body myopathy. Ultragenyx release
> Evotec AG has forged a second multi-year, multi-targeted discovery pact with UCB in the immunology field. Report
> Pacific Biosciences named Michael J. Glynn as chief commercial officer. Release
Pharma News
@FiercePharma: Drugmakers aren't the only ones upset about German pricing policies More | Follow @FiercePharma
> Pfizer plots Saudi Arabian manufacturing plant. Report
> AZ settles another Seroquel patent suit, defends Crestor. Report
> Judge tosses 'red flag' suit against J&J directors. Article
> New Avastin label warns of potential 'ovarian failure.' Report
Drug Delivery News
> Probe of HIV peptide leads to drug-delivery clues. News
> Mission Pharmacal hitches onto TriLogic's delivery tech. Article
> Ultrasound-guided drug delivery gets FDA nod. Report
> Biotechs grab funds for drugs that cross brain barrier. More
> Search-and-destroy drugs attack lethal brain cancer. Story
Medical Device News
> Cambridge Heart reports positive results from MTWA-CAD study. Item
> Ventana wins clearance for H. pylori antibody. Report
> Interrad scores $10M in Series C. More
> FDA unveils streamlined de novo guidelines. Report
> With inexpensive materials, iPhone becomes imaging device. Story
> NEA leads $16M round for drug-eluting balloon firm. Piece
And Finally...In a new animal study investigators say that the hormone orexin prevented obesity in mice by activating "brown fat," a tissue that burns calories. Article