| Today's Top Story |  |  | | | Health Care & Policy | | | | - Supreme Court seems reluctant to issue broad ruling on DNA patents
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday over whether human genes can be patented. During the hearing, justices asked focused questions about the isolated genes for which Myriad Genetics holds patents and used hypothetical situations to explore where the lines should be drawn between what is naturally occurring and therefore not patentable under the federal Patent Act, and what is created by man and therefore subject to patents. Some justices also expressed concern about the possible effects of a broad ruling on the biotech industry. "Why shouldn't we worry that Myriad or companies like it will just say, 'well, you know, we're not going to do this work anymore'?" asked Justice Elena Kagan. The Washington Post (4/15), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/15), Reuters (4/15)       - Global drugmakers struggle past patent cliff
Patent expiries on top-selling drugs hit multinational pharmaceutical companies' bottom lines, with annual sales at 15 leading companies dropping by 1.4% and before-tax profit dropping by 3.5% in 2012. Most have undertaken restructuring, divestitures, partnerships, mergers or acquisitions to overcome the losses. PharmaBiz.com (India) (4/15) - FDA wants info as it considers fast track for Sarepta DMD drug eteplirsen
The FDA asked Sarepta Therapeutics to submit additional clinical information on eteplirsen, its investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, as it considers accelerated approval for the treatment. "We do not anticipate that the request for information by the FDA nor the delay of a few months on the definitive decision on the acceptability of an accelerated approval submission will have an impact on our ongoing activities," Sarepta CEO Chris Garabedian said. Reuters (4/15) - Bioengineered kidneys could lead to creation of replacement organs
A team at Massachusetts General Hospital bioengineered rat kidneys in the laboratory by stripping cells from the organs and placing new tissue-producing cells on the collagen scaffolds. The engineered organs made urine in the lab and after being transplanted into rats, according to the study in the journal Nature Medicine. Bleeding and clotting were not observed following transplantation, but the new kidneys did not work as well as the originals, a researcher said. Using a natural scaffold could have advantages over other methods, the lead investigator said. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/14) | Company & Financial News | | | | - Companies merge to form molecular diagnostics firm
Finland-based diagnostics companies Mobidiag and Amplidiag are joining with the French life sciences technology firm Genewave to specialize in diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. The combined company will bear the Mobidiag name, with Genewave and Amplidiag becoming subsidiaries. Products in development include assays for bacterial and fungal sepsis. GenomeWeb Daily News (free registration) (4/12) | Global Developments | | | |  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
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| Food & Agriculture | | | | - Developing countries need biotech foods
 Campaigns by well-fed activists to stigmatize biotech foods in the U.S. market may influence developing countries to follow suit, writes Robert Paarlberg, the author of "Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know," and political science professor at Wellesley College. Activist campaigns have limited the use of biotech foods in the U.S., but developing nations stand to lose more because their needs are greater, Paarlberg writes. The Wall Street Journal (4/14) | Industrial & Environmental | | | | | News from BIO | | | | - Win an Apple TV, $100 Visa gift card, Keurig coffee system ...
... and other valuable prizes at the BIO International Convention, April 22-25 in Chicago. Try your luck at the raffle at the BIO Partner Pavilion, Booth No. 3651, where you can win great prizes as well as learn how your company can save money through the BIO Business Solutions cost-savings program. Visit Booth #3651 to collect your raffle card, then follow the instructions to be eligible for the raffle drawing. And return from the Convention with ways to save your company money on products and services through the BIO Business Solutions program.
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