From the Lab Bench

• Mini-Origami: ISI Folds Up Tiny Packages for Drug Delivery
  Researchers at the USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI) in Marina del Rey (CA) have demonstrated a way to manufacture nano containers -- 30 micrometer five-sided pyramid (photo right) -- that could be used for delivering micro- or even nano- quantities of drugs ... read more

Industry & Company Headlines

• Three Game-Changers For Big Pharma
  Market and regulatory drivers that will:
  • Force pharma companies to eventually specialize in either drug discovery or marketing
  • Reduce fully-integrated companies' ability to efficiently sell drugs at reasonable prices. 
  • Render generics irrelevant as marketers lower prices and keep manufacturing even after patents weaken or expire. ... read article at Seeking Alpha

• Is It a Good Idea for Doctors to Invest in Medical Companies Whose Products They Use?
  The "Stark Law" is being invoked in the case of medical device companies such as Irvine's Allez Spine. Founded in 2004, this fast growing company makes and distributes spinal fixation devices. All of Allez's shareholders are spine surgeons and, at the same time, constitute some of the company's biggest clients .. Read article in OC Register

• Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. Raises $40 Million in Series C Funding
  The Calabasas-base developer of aesthetic medicines has just raised its $40 million Series C funding from JAFCO (which led the round), BBT Capital Management/Apothecary Capital, and PFM.  Earlier investors -- Versant Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, Prospect Venture Partners, Altitude Life Science Ventures and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati -- also participated. Kythera has now raised about $61 million in total venture capital since its founding through the SoCalBio Investor Conference in 2005.

• ARBIOS' SEPET Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device OK'ed for Pivotal Clinical Trial
  SEPET Liver Assist Device, a blood purification technology designed by Arbios Systems, Inc., a Pasadena, CA company, has been given FDA's Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) status. The clearance paves the way for the company to begin a pivotal clinical trial.... read more

• Advanced Medical Optics (Santa Ana):
  • AMO Gets FDA Clearance For Advanced Femtosecond Laser
• Allergan (Irvine):
  • FDA agrees to study Botox rival
• Amgen (Thousand Oaks):
  • Pfizer And Amgen Trade "Political" Places
  • Denosumab combats rare bone tumors
  • Amgen drug has little impact on brain cancer
• Biosense Webster (Diamond Bar):
  • Biosense Presents ''Complete Ablation Solutions'' to Electrophysiologists at Heart Rhythm 2008
• Calando Pharmaceuticals (Pasadena):
  • Calando Granted Broad Patent Rights to RNAi Technology in China
• Cortex Pharmaceuticals (Irvine):
  • Mark Varney Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Cortex Pharmaceuticals
• Den-Mat (Santa Maria):
  • Den-Mat Wins Patent Infringement Suit on LUMINEERS
• Endologix (Irvine):
  • John McDermott Named President and CEO
• Masimo (Irvine):
  • Masimo wins approval for blood monitoring technology
• Pathway Diagnostics (Malibu):
  • Pathway Launches HIV Tropism Assay
• Valeant Pharma (Aliso Viejo):
  • Valeant Announces Successful Completion of Retigabine Phase III Epilepsy Program
• Visogen (Irvine):
  • Kevin Hykes Appointed as Chief Commercial Officer of Visogen

Jobs Available

• Calando Pharmaceuticals (Pasadena):
  • Chemist Research Associate
• Endologix (Irvine):
  • Research & Development Engineer
  • Quality Engineer
  • Manufacturing Engineering Manager
• Molecular Express (Rancho Dominguez):
  • Research Associate: Molecular Biology
  • Research Associate: Analytical Research
  • Research Associate: Formulations

For more job announcements, go to:
http://www.socalbio.org/career_center/jobs.htm

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• May 12, 2008
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• April 29, 2008
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• April 14, 2008
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• March 31, 2008
• March 24, 2008

 RSVP Now

SoCalBio Networking Forum
Organized in collaboration with the office of Vice Provost for Research Advancement at University of Southern California and AMI-USC

May 29, 2008 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)
Davidson Conference Center
University of Southern California
3415 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0871
RSVP: https://www.123signup.com/register?id=tvpmc

Event features a sneak peak at

Advances in Neuromodulation Devices
A Presentation by Rafael Carbunaru, PhD, Director of Emerging Indications R&D, Boston Scientific Neuromodulation  (Valencia, CA)

Boston Scientific's Neuromodulation business is a leading developer of microelectronic technologies that modulate nerve activity to treat disabling disorders, including chronic pain

• June 26, 7:00 - 9:30 am SoCalBio Networking Forum at UCI University Club in Irvine -- Focus: Unfolding Growth Opportunities in the Orthopedic Implant Market

Coming This Fall

September 19, 2008

Apply for a Presentation Slot
Click Here to Register Online
Sponsorship & Display Opportunities Available

October 13, 2008

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Recommended

9^th Annual UC System-wide 
Bioengineering Symposium

June 20 - 22, 2008
University of California, Riverside
http://www.bioeng.ucr.edu/2008UCBES

Utilize SoCalBio Resources
Support Vendors & Service Providers Investing in SoCalBio

Group Purchasing Benefits

• VWR Offers GE Healthcare Products to its Customers
  SoCalBio Group Purchasing Program users would be able to buy discounted GE products from VWR including radiochemicals, film, electrophoresis and chromatography products .. read press release.

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