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BioPharmGuy
How many companies do we list that have operations in California, are working on a small molecule drug, are targeting an oncology indication, and have less than 50 employees? Answer: 107
And if you want, you can purchase our data only for those companies. Or for whatever specific attributes you choose, provided it hits the $149 minimum. The BioPharmGuy data world is your oyster.
Oh hey, we've been in touch with a motivated sophomore chemical engineer from the University of Toledo looking for a life science/biotech-related internship for the summer. If your company may have anything, please send us a message - maybe the magic of BioPharmGuy News can help him out.
Addition & Attrition
We added 270 companies this week, which is the majority of the companies from our latest integration project. We also removed three. Summary available on downloads page.
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Active Moiety
In a blow to drug-tweakers across the industry, President Biden signed into law an amendment to the FD&C Act which strikes references to "Active Ingredient" and replaces them with "Active Moiety".
A moiety is a part of a chemical, and in the case of a drug, the active moiety is the part that leads to the drug's clinical effect.
What drug companies have been doing for years is reformulating a new chemical that utilizes the same active moiety, but also includes altered/added chemical groups, usually to slightly improve delivery or something like that.
That process nets them a new 5-year patent on the reformulated product. Once they have that new product approved, they discontinue the existing product and migrate all their patients to the new formulation. Voila! - no one can swoop in and offer an exact generic to their patients anymore! Then five years later, they try it again.
This amendment is a welcome change to this abusive practice. It would still be good to award a new short term patent for exceptional formulation improvements, but as it stands it's basically all abuse all the time, so good riddins.
Cel-Sci
Recently, someone on Twitter put out a call for the next GameStop-like stock that could be bid up in a short squeeze and Cel-Sci's official Twitter account suggested their company would be a good target. Sooooo the company itself publicly suggested that investors pump their stock for no reason related to the business' fundamentals. No comment yet from the SEC, but Cel-Sci eventually deleted the tweet.
Team Roast
"Hey everyone, we're setting up a company website and we need you to send in a professional headshot. Or a picture of you posing at the beach. Either works. Thanks!"
Honest VC
Venture capitalist David Frankel posted a thread on Twitter where he told founders they should probably sell out earlier than the VCs want them to. Props for the honesty from an insider.
How High
We just added Himalaya Therapeutics to our database. They join other biotechs with lofty aspirations such as Denali Therapeutics, Alpine Biotherapeutics, Alpine Immune Sciences,
Everest Medicines, Matterhorn Biosciences, Eiger Biopharmaceuticals & Bright Peak Therapeutics. (K2 Therapeutics gave up the climb and rebranded as Cidara a few years back.)
Ozark Therapeutics isn't yet taken, but if Netflix has taught us anything, there are definitely some therapeutics companies already operating in the region.
Fountain Therapeutics
This company just brought in a new CEO. Per the press release: "While serving as Fountain’s CEO, Dr. Greene will remain CEO of Iconic Therapeutics..."
Yes, he will now be the CEO of two biotech companies. That's weird to hear for a lot of people, but it's not uncommon in biotech. You see it a lot with venture capital-funded firms who don't really have a need for a dedicated CEO yet or for academic spinouts where professors may be working on several startups. If you look hard enough, you can find people who are simultaneously CEO of four or more biotech companies.
Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals
This outfit is working on "Oral Carbon Monoxide Therapeutics". I think Uncle Chuck was doing similar research after the 2008 housing market crash - luckily the kids ruined his experiment when they got home from school early. Seriously though, what can be a harder sales pitch than oral carbon monoxide? Intranasal capsicum?
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Recall Cashew Brie, Not Fondly
If you're one of the eight people who bought this vegan food product labeled "Cashew Brie" you should throw that out unless you want to die. No, not from the flavor, from the possible salmonella contamination.
Malaria Vaccine
Data are out and we have a new strong contender for "best malaria vaccine ever". This new one was 77% effective in a phase 2 trial in children. The previous best was less than 50% effective. A larger phase 3 trial is now being planned. It's hard to overstate how much of a scourge malaria is in the developing world. 400,000 deaths per year worldwide and countless additional health/social costs. Amazing news.
Vaccine Costs
When it comes to the Covid vaccine rollout, the federal government is basically paying for everything - they're paying for the vaccines and then paying the facilities who are administering them.
In Pfizer/BioNTech's case, the Feds are paying $19.50/injection for the vaccine, and reimbursing clinics $40/injection. So for a two-dose course, the vaccine-maker sees $39, local vaccine clinics/hospitals see $80.
That's interesting considering many local vaccine clinics are staffed by an army of volunteers. It's fair to wonder if they're profiting off this vaccination drive.
Free Stuff
Krispy Kreme isn't the only business exchanging heart attacks for proof of vaccination. White Castle is in on the game giving out a free dessert-on-a-stick to anyone showing proof of prick. Budweiser is also giving out "beer" to any vaccinated party. And if that doesn't cover all your vices, a Walled Lake, MI marijuana dispensary is giving away "Pot for Shots". That's right - a free joint for letting Bill Gates read your mind.
For those of you who actually care about your health, the best free offer is probably the complimentary vaccine card lamination being offered by Staples & Office Depot - two stores you may not have realized still exist.
What. The. Hell.
Excellent article here from the NYT about prepping food for astronauts. Only problem with it is when they tell us that no NASA astronaut has ever eaten "Astronaut ice cream" in outer space. A crushing blow to our 9-year old souls.
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ETC.
THE
When Ohio State insists on referring to itself as THE Ohio State University, it's cringeworthy. Just embarrassingly lame. Everyone outside of Ohio makes fun of them for it. Now thanks to THE, they are engrossed in THE stupidest trademark dispute of all-time.
Back in May 2019, the clothing brand Marc Jacobs got the brilliant idea to apply for a trademark on THE. That aggression could not stand, so THEOSU defensively filed their own trademark on THE three months later. Both applications were initially rejected, but the trademark disputes with the USPTO are ongoing.
Thankfully, the parties have come to a temporary accord which allows both to use THE on clothing until the USPTO kerfuffle is resolved. What a relief. Let's hope logic prevails and a trademark on the most commonly used word in the English language is granted to no one.
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