Novo Nordisk and Amgen top biotech list based on market cap

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August 29, 2012 More than 2,700 companies nationwide are saving on lab supplies, shipping, news distribution, office products and more through the BIO Business Solutions cost-savings program. Find out how. The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.   Today's Top Story  Novo Nordisk and Amgen top biotech list based on market cap Novo Nordisk led the Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News ranking of biotechnology firms based on market capitalization during the end of second quarter. Novo had a market cap of $76.92 billion, up 28% from the end of the same quarter 2011. Amgen and Gilead placed second and third, consecutively, with market capitalizations of $60.9 billion and $40.16 billion. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (8/28)      HEALTHY CASH FLOW SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS The Enhanced Plum Card from American Express OPEN® Flexible Payment Terms: • Get a 1.5% Early Pay Discount • Take up to 60 Days to Pay with No Interest Limited Time Offer: Get up to a 2% Discount: 1.5% Early Pay Discount plus, for the first 6 months, get an extra 0.5% on purchases†. LEARN MORE                                           †Terms and Restrictions Apply.   Health Care & Policy  EU approves AstraZeneca's antibiotic Zinfor The European Commission approved AstraZeneca's IV antibiotic Zinfor to treat patients with complicated skin and soft-tissue infection or community-acquired pneumonia. The approval makes Zinfor the only cephalosporin monotherapy authorized for use against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Europe. Reuters (8/28)      FDA asks Genzyme to re-file application for MS drug Lemtrada The FDA has asked Genzyme to resubmit its marketing application for Lemtrada, or alemtuzumab, a drug candidate for multiple sclerosis, and change the way the data is presented so it can "better navigate the application." The agency didn't ask for more data or further studies, Genzyme said. Lemtrada is also used for treating leukemia under a different dosage and name. Reuters (8/27)      FDA puts clinical hold on hepatitis C drug by Idenix The FDA placed a clinical hold on Idenix Pharmaceuticals' hepatitis C treatment IDX19368, a nucleotide polymerase inhibitor. The move is related to heart-safety concern raised by the agency about Bristol-Myers Squibb's liver disease drug informally called 094, which is also a nucleotide polymerase inhibitor. Fox Business/Dow Jones Newswires (8/27)      Repros will submit modified study of endometriosis drug to FDA Repros Therapeutics plans to submit a revised protocol to the FDA regarding a midstage trial of Proellex, an investigational drug for uterine fibroids and endometriosis. The agency agreed to review the protocol within 30 days. If approved, the drugmaker could begin the study by year-end. American City Business Journals/Houston (8/27)      Morphotek's sarcoma drug candidate enters Phase II trial Eisai unit Morphotek initiated a midstage study to assess the safety and efficacy of monoclonal antibody MORAb-004 in combination with gemcitabine and docetaxel among patients with metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma. The trial will involve as many as 200 patients. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (8/28)      First phase over in stem cell trial to treat Lou Gehrig's disease Neuralstem has finished the first phase in a trial of the use of neural stem cells to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. "In some patients, it appears that the disease is no longer progressing, but it is too early to know if the result from that small number of patients is meaningful," said Dr. Eva Feldman, the lead researcher. BeckersOrthopedicAndSpine.com (8/27)      RBC Life Sciences gets Taiwanese OK for stem cell supplement RBC Life Sciences has received approval from Taiwanese regulators for its stem cell supplement Stem-Kine. The company said the product allows for increased production of bone marrow stem cells. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (8/28)        Company & Financial News  Obesity drug developer gets $3 million in debt financing Zafgen said in a regulatory filing that it secured an additional $3 million in a Series C financing round from Atlas Venture and Third Rock Ventures. Beloranib, the firm's lead drug candidate, is an experimental weight-loss treatment that inhibits an enzyme that regulates the production and use of fatty acids. Zafgen is preparing a midstage trial. Mass High Tech (Boston) (8/28)        Featured Content    Feeding Frenzy: Small Business' Role at the RNC Where Making Money and Social Media Meet Is Your Banker Discriminating Against You? Lessons From a Professional Organizer Entrepreneurial Success Secrets From Female Bloggers   Food & Agriculture  Monsanto licenses Alnylam's technology for agricultural uses Alnylam Pharmaceuticals granted Monsanto the right to use its RNAi-based technology for agricultural applications. The deal entitles Alnylam to $29.2 million plus milestone fees and funding for joint research. American City Business Journals/Boston/Morning Buzz blog (8/28)        Industrial & Environmental  Sapphire Energy's algae project in New Mexico enters new phase San Diego-based Sapphire Energy's algae crude oil farm in New Mexico has entered its commercial demonstration phase after 14 months of development. American City Business Journals/New Mexico (8/27)        News from BIO  Ship with FedEx FedEx is now offering member companies discounts of up to 35% off select FedEx services, both U.S. and international services. The BIO program with FedEx is one of the many cost-savings programs offered by BIO through its Business Solutions program. There is no charge for BIO member companies to participate in any of the BIO Business Solutions programs -- it is a benefit of membership. 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