BMS Future rests...on Mice?

Bristol Myers Squibb recently purchased 90% of the shares of a company called Medarex. What does Medarex do? Well, they make it easy for pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs from mice for use in humans. Why should you care? Well, it just so happens that many of the blockbuster drugs manafactured by Novartis, Amgen and BMS are manafactured by "humanizing" antibody-excreting mouse cell lines, and if Mederex's method of doing this, dubbed UltiMab, proves effecient enough, it could speed up the development time for BMS drugs, giving them a head up on the competition. Why else should you care? Well, It should also be noted that pharmaceuticals derived from cell lines are the exact same drugs being targeted by the 12 year "generic ban" being talked about in the Senate nowadays (and that weve talked about in previous articles), so any new drugs developed from cell lines will be exclusive to the company that develops it for a long time, meaning big money for the pharmaceutical companies. BMS stock is only $20 a share, now might be a good time to buy...[Article Link] [UltiMab Link]

The Zen of Zappos

What does Zappos, an online shoe retailer and Amazon.com have anything to do with Biotech or Business? Everything. I read this article a couple of months ago about Tony Hsieh, and how his unique management style has pushed Zappos to the top of its game in online shoe sales. I was really intrigued about how he employs unique ways of keeping his employees motivated and making sure they are dedicated, such as offering new trainees $2000 to walk away from the company (read the article to find out why). Every company should read this article (especially Biotechs, which are plagued with antiquated management systems) and really re-evaluate their management style, maybe they can learn a thing or to from Tony. Apparently Amazon.com thought Tonys method of management was so intriguing and worked so well that they bought Zappos for $900 million dollars., yet will let it remain an independent company, which is pretty rare for a buyout. [Link]

Shocking Facebook News

I love those studies that prove something that 99% of people already knew, like the fact that Facebook sucks up worker productivity. The people at Nucleus Research published a study that says that workers check their Facebook an average of 15 minutes a day, resulting in a loss of 1.5% productivity. If i were a betting man, i would wage that the actual number is even higher! BusinessWeek argues that it may be that instead of taking "real breaks", people now take "virtual breaks". [Link]

How to leave your job...gracefully.

Considering the tumultuous economic environment we live in, a lot of you have either been laid off recently or have been hired by another company. Here's an article that talks about the best way to leave a company, and leave your ex-employees and managers happy. No matter how much you would love to tell off your boss, kick over your cubicle, or steal the office fax machine and smash it in the park, its probably better you dont. You never know, the Manager of the company that fires you today could be the CEO of the company that hires you in 5 years...Check out the article. [Link]

Virus Batteries, wave of the Future.

Talk about cool, some MIT Graduate students have genetically engineered viruses to form batteries! The viruses (a harmless bacteriophage) are able to produce both the cathode and anode portion of a battery, and have been used by the grad students to power small LED displays. Eventually the technology could be refined to power such everyday items as TV's, Cars, etc, but how long until they are available commercially? That remains to be seen, but since this is a U.S. Army funded project, i doubt it will be available (to consumers) anytime soon. Check it out! [Article]

Exxon investing in Algae

A couple of days ago we posted an article on Broken Beaker about algae possibly being an alternative source for jet fuel. Well apparently, Exxon Mobil thinks that algae derived Bio fuels could be a thing of the future, because today they announced they have $300 million dollar deal with Synthetic Genomics. What does Synthetic Genomics do? Their goal is to start looking for a genetically modified species of algae that will be able to produce commercially viable quantities of fuel. Whenever Exxon Mobil throws money at a "green energy alternative", that's a big deal. Read the article here! [Link]

Coal for the Future?

At least that was what the Germans thought in the late 70's! German scientists at the time were trying to figure out a way to design a process for deriving gasoline from coal, due to fluctuating petroleum prices. The idea never really took off, but it provides a great example of how now matter how well you might think you can predict a trend (i.e. German scientists seeing coal gasoline as the wave of the future), you could be tottaly off the mark. [Link]

Cloud Computing and Biotech

A lot of pharmaceutical and biotech companies require a large IT infrastructure to handle the amount of data a biotech produces, which at times, can be daunting. Experimental data, patents, complex biochemical applications all require computer usage, which can be costly for a company (buying servers, hiring IT staff, upkeep, etc.). However, some larger companies like Eli Lilly and Pfizer are looking to cut those costs with cloud computing. Cloud computing basically offsets any worlkload that a computer might do locally to a server offsite. This way, a company doesnt have to worry about IT maintanace and can focus on research. Cloud computing is actually pretty affordable and scalable too. Now that larger biotechs have adopted cloud computing, can this market penetrate into low and mid-level biotechs?

Generics Drug Companies Take on Big Pharma

It looks like generic drug makers and traditional pharmaceutical companies are planning to duke it out in the next couple of months, and the results could have long lasting effects on the health care industry. One of the most hotly-contested issues right now among pharmaceutical companies is the time frame for which companies can start developing generic drugs. Right now the big pharmaceutical companies like J&J, Amgen, and Pfizer are recently pushing for a 14 year(!) exclusivity for moneymaking drugs such as Lipitor and Celebrex because the companies are claiming anything less than 14 years will "crush innovation". Why? Because they argue smaller companies, before they are acquired, take many years to develop a drug. Generic drug makers are arguing that 7 years is fair for both types of pharmaceutical companies and will allow people who cant afford name brand drugs to get the proper health care they need. What do you think? Are the traditional pharmaceutical companies being to greedy, or do they have a point? [Article 1][Article 2]

Hey GPCR Researchers!

G Protein-coupled receptors. You've probably never heard of them, but around 50% of pharmaceuticals target GPCR's, making research regarding them crucial. Biocompare has a great article on where the GPCR industry is headed and some equipment to help you researchers along the way. [Link]

Is the Obama Administration reaching out to Scientists?

MSNBC has an article on the Obama administration and its recent pushes for stem cell reform and "green power" initiatives. Is the so called "War on Science", which plagued the Bush presidency over? Was there even a war on science during the Bush years, or just a lack of public interest? Is the Obama Administration signalling an end between the dischord between the average American and Scientists, or will scientific theory continue to rile the public? Do Obamas effort signal a push in the scientific sector? The article discusses a lot of these points, and basically concludes the problem is a lot more complex. Its a very interetsing read. [Link]

Dark Times = New Startups

Bad news abounds recently. Dismal job reports, a sagging economy, and record unemployment rates have got everyone down. But fret not, for now is a great time to create a start-up! Inc magazine makes some great arguments for starting a company now-adays, even going as far to say that "there's never a bad time to start a health care company". Read the full article here. [Link]

The Nano-Space Race!

Nanotech and particle accelerators could make near-light speed travel a reality one day. This article on MSNBC discusses how that one day (within our lifetimes) we could be sending tiny satellites into space capable of reaching other solar systems! Looks like nanotech has been getting a lot of media attention recently (over 4 articles have been posted here in the last month), along with space travel! Read the article here. [Link]

Google Chrome OS...how will it effect Biotech?

So in a move thats sure to challenge the long dominant Microsoft Windows (and irk Google ally, Apple), Google has officially announced the Google Chrome OS. Why should Biotechs care? Because every Laboratory uses computers to some extent, and a lot of those computers use Windows. Also, because every single PC needs its own copy of Windows XP/Vista/7, most companies are going to fork out a lot of cash for a Windows upgrade every couple of years. Whats different about Googles Chrome OS? Well, at first it will only be targeted at netbooks (i.e. a stripped down OS), but if my assumption is correct, like most other software from Google. Chrome OS will most likely be free. Yes free. And that means a lot less money spent on Windows upgrades, and more money spent on R&D. Do you think Googles Chromes OS will be able to handle the needs of most low to mid-level biotech companies? [Link]

What came first, the chicken or the...T-Rex?

This months Wired has an interesting article on the battle between biologists and geneticists when in comes to interpreting genetic information found in fossils. Apparently, a biologist had discovered that once run through a mass spectrometer, T-Rex collagen had matched the collagen present in chickens, and had an article published in Science magazine with his discovery. This lead to a huge uproar from people in the field of bioinformatics who said that Asara's paper did not include enough statistical data to back up his claim. Who knew there could be so much drama in science? I wont ruin the ending, but the story is great, and people are arguing its giving a lot of credibility to the field of bioinformatics. Read it here. [Article]

Solar Power catching on to cargo ships!

A solar powered cargo ship, the M/V Auriga has been unveiled! A joint effort between NYK Lines and Toyota, the M/V Auriga can generate as much as 10% of the ships power! This is a great first step for solar enthusiasts and environmentalists, as shipping is one of the most pollutant industries. If this is the start of a trend, I would like to know where NYK buys its solar panels (and invest in that stock...). [Article]

Algae powered F22 raptors...coming soon?

An article over at MSNBC talks about the future of Biofuels, and algae could be powering military vehicles soon. A Utah university is growing algae in huge batches to see if the lipid excreting creatures can make a suitable replacement for gasoline, which is problematic for many reasons (supply is limited, and as we saw last summer the price of gasoline can skyrocket). So far, results are promising, and blends of algae and gasoline have even been used in commercial jets! Could this be the start of a new industry? [Article]

What the hell is going on at NASA?

Chances are you know 2 things about NASA...they landed a man on the moon in 1969, and...well actually that might be all you know about NASA. Ever since that historical moment in the summer of 69', Americans (and the world) sort of lost that sense of wonder that space travel used to offer, and have really not paid attention to the American space agency. (Keep in mind NASA drove the tech behind advanced devices such as cell phones and GPS). Well hopefully, public opinion is starting to turn. There is a whole article in this months GQ that sums up the answer to the question that most taxpayers (who spend around $18 Billion a year keeping the program afloat) are asking, "What the hell is NASA doing now?" In short, some pretty cool stuff, like setting up a colony on the moon, and hopefully, a manned trip to Mars. Does this mean a renewed interest in space? Will the Obama administration throw more money at NASA, and thus, more money for aerospace contractors like Lockheed-Martin and Boeing? [Article]

Tax Breaks to the Rescue?

A recent article in Business Week talks about State Tax Incentives, and how they actually dont help the national economy very much, because usually states that offer tax incentives for a corporation are pretty much just stealing jobs from another state. If you guys recall, a couple of days ago I posted an article about Michigan building a huge GE plant (which will employ a lot of engineers and scientists) and I asked if you guys thought that this would be a trend in Biotechs, i.e. Jobs moving from expensive states that are traditionally Biotech Hubs (San Francisco, Boston, San Diego) to cheaper states (i.e. Michigan). Well apparently, this article thinks so. Check it out here! [Article]

Scientists and Investors Clash with C.E.O.'s

A new article in the Wall Street Journal talks about the next sector to be hit by "Bonus hungry CEO's"...Biotechnology. After the banking, auto-industry, and hedge-fund sectors fell to much public scrutiny for its bordering-on-insane executive bonuses, investors are looking at some executive payouts for Biotechnology, and seeing the same trends. The WSJ article even talks about some executive payouts for small pharmaceutical companies that representeded over 10% of the companies market-cap. Shouldnt these companies be spending the vast majority of their money on R&D, and less on executive bonuses and marketing? Check out the full article, and tell us what you think. Do these executives deserve these payouts, or is it a load of BS? [Link]