Boston and San Francisco compete for biotech momentum

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January 23, 2013 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    Boston and San Francisco compete for biotech momentum Boston is gaining momentum as a hub for biotechnology research, but San Francisco is not quietly giving up the spot as a top hub, writes Luke Timmerman. San Francisco offers a feeling of expansiveness while Boston packs industry, investors, researchers and hospitals into a tight geographic space, offering a feeling of closeness, says Una Ryan, the former Avant Immunotherapeutics CEO who recently moved from Boston to San Francisco. Though both cities have done much to build their biotech economies, neither can afford to rest, Timmerman notes. Xconomy (1/21)      SEC Looks to Expand Yet-to-Be-Implemented JOBS Provisions 2012 came and went, leaving many investors and emerging growth biotech's still waiting for the Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups (JOBS) Act, as the SEC has missed its deadlines for implementing major provisions of the legislation which was passed last year to provide new fundraising options. Find out the details.   Health Care & Policy  Pioneering meningitis B vaccine from Novartis wins EU approval Novartis obtained approval from the European Commission to market its meningitis B vaccine Bexsero for people two months and older. Bexsero is the first vaccine approved against meningococcus B bacteria. Novartis said it plans to commercialize the vaccine as soon as possible and is talking with governments about including Bexsero in routine vaccination programs. Reuters (1/22), Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (1/22)      Opinion: Pharma must sort out best reimbursement channels On a case-by-case basis, the pharmaceutical industry must evaluate the most favorable reimbursement channels to optimize return on investment, Ben Comer writes. "Identification of lower cost sites of care under the medical benefit is often the most significant area of opportunity [for savings] in terms of total dollars," the Artemetrx report Specialty Drug Trend Across the Pharmacy and Medical Benefit says. Private and public plans will seek cost savings whenever possible as biologic drug approvals and specialty drug costs increase. PharmExec.com/PharmExecBlog (1/21)      Experts predict trends in biopharma Three-dimensional printing of organs for transplant, gene therapies, therapies that prevent genetic diseases, remotely monitored clinical trials and costlier drugs are among the top 10 trends experts expect to see in the near term. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (1/22)      BioMarin hopes to start trials of Batten disease candidate this year BioMarin Pharmaceutical plans to submit to the FDA this quarter an investigational new drug application for BMN-190, an enzyme replacement therapy against Batten disease. The firm expects patient enrollment for the Phase I clinical study to begin next quarter. The company has partnered with the Batten Disease Support & Research Association for trial recruitment. American City Business Journals/San Francisco/BiotechSF blog (1/22)      Firms ally to develop therapeutic proteins and peptides Amunix and Janssen Biotech struck a a research and licensing agreement that involves Amunix's XTEN half-life extension technology and Janssen's protein and peptide drugs. Amunix will help Janssen with the engineering of about three fusion proteins and will receive an upfront payment and research funding plus possible milestone fees and royalties. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (1/22)        Company & Financial News    Allergan gets migraine drug with MAP Pharmaceuticals buy Allergan agreed to pay about $958 million in cash to acquire MAP Pharmaceuticals as part of its strategy to increase its presence in the migraine treatment market. The acquisition covers Levadex, an acute migraine drug jointly developed by MAP and Allergan and currently under review by the FDA. The deal is expected to be finalized this quarter or soon after. American City Business Journals/San Francisco/BiotechSF blog (1/22), Reuters (1/22)      Life Technologies mulls putting itself up for sale, sources say Life Technologies reportedly is in talks with health care firms and private equity groups about a possible sale of the company. The Carlsbad, Calif.-based firm, which specializes in laboratory materials and DNA-sequencing tools, is said to have employed Deutsche Bank and Moelis & Co. to help with its strategic review. Bloomberg Businessweek (1/19)      T&E Expense Management: The Best-In-Class Pillars of Next-Generation Expense Management Best in class companies have turned to T&E automation to lower processing costs, gain more insight into travel spend and increase travel policy adoption. Learn how your company can also benefit in this free analyst report.   Food & Agriculture  EU could try again on rules for biotech crop cultivation Tonio Borg, the EU's health commissioner, is trying to reopen negotiations on draft rules that would let member countries decide individually whether to allow biotech crops. The EU health chief plans to discuss the issue with France, U.K. and Germany, which have helped block adoption of the proposals. Only two biotech crops are approved for planting in Europe compared with about 30 in Brazil and more than 90 in the U.S. Reuters (1/22)        Industrial & Environmental  DOE sets up $10M research fund for algae-based projects The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will allocate up to $10 million to support research initiatives aimed at promoting algae-based fuel production. The program's primary objective is to achieve an annual yield of 2,500 gallons of biofuel feedstock per acre by 2018. Biofuels-News.com (U.K.) (1/21)        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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