Salix Pharmaceuticals Buys Pepcid Product Rights from Merck

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that it has purchased the U.S. prescription pharmaceutical product rights to PEPCID® Oral Suspension and DIURIL® Oral Suspension from Merck & Co., Inc. PEPCID Oral Suspension is a widely-known prescription pharmaceutical product indicated for several gastrointestinal indications including the treatment of duodenal ulcer, benign gastric ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Under the terms of the agreement, Salix will make a $55 million up-front payment and up to $6 million in potential sales-based milestone payments to Merck.

Commenting on this development, Carolyn Logan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Salix, stated, "The acquisition of such a trusted brand and revenue-producing product as PEPCID Oral Suspension reflects the ongoing execution of the Company's strategy to expand and diversify revenue. These marketed products should generate immediate revenue while requiring minimal promotional expense. PEPCID Oral Suspension achieved net sales in the U.S. of approximately $20 million in 2006. In the near term, this additional revenue should serve to fund ongoing strategic product development efforts and, in the longer term, should contribute to growing EPS.

"PEPCID Oral Suspension and DIURIL Oral Suspension, both liquid formulations of their solid dosage form counterparts, compete in an approximately $150 million market that is concentrated in pediatric and hospitalized patient populations. This acquisition builds upon our recent acquisition of SANVAR®. If XIFAXAN® is approved for hepatic encephalopathy and C. difficile-associated diarrhea, these hospital-based indications, together with PEPCID Oral Suspension and SANVAR, should create an institutional product portfolio that complements our current field-based business."

Salix also announced today that it has entered into a credit facility with Bank of America, N.A. for up to $100 million to help finance the transaction and for working capital, capital expenditures, other acquisitions and general corporate purposes. Salix has borrowed approximately $15 million at this time. Outstanding amounts generally bear interest at the option of Salix at the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate or a base rate, in each case plus an applicable margin of between 1.00 percent and 1.75 percent for LIBOR Rate loans and 0.00 percent and 0.75 percent for base rate loans, each based on consolidated leverage. The facility also includes standard covenants. A copy will be filed with the SEC as an exhibit to our Form 8-K.

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix's strategy is to in-license late-stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete any required development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company's 150-member gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team.

Salix markets COLAZAL®, XIFAXAN®, OSMOPREP(TM), MOVIPREP®, VISICOL®, AZASAN®, ANUSOL-HC® and PROCTOCORT®. Balsalazide tablets, Granulated Mesalamine, SANVAR® (600 ug vials vapreotide acetate powder) and Xifaxan for additional indications are under development.

For full prescribing information on Salix products, please visit www.salix.com

Salix trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol "SLXP".

GE Scientists Discover that Nanostructures on the Surface of Butterfly Wings Exhibit Acute Chemical Sensing Capabilities

GE Global Research, the centralized research organization of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), today announced researchers have discovered that the nanostructures on the wing scales of butterflies exhibit high-performance optical properties that facilitate a selective detection of vapors. The finding could lead to the design of highly acute chemical sensors for diverse vapor-detection applications ranging from security to manufacturing and healthcare.

GE’s research team, led by Dr. Radislav Potyrailo, an analytical chemist in the Chemical and Biological Sensing Laboratory at Global Research’s headquarters in Niskayuna, reported its discovery in the latest issue of the journal, Nature Photonics. The article is this month’s featured cover story and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.nature.com/nphoton/index.html

Dr. Potyrailo said, “Nano-scale features created by nature are providing countless discoveries and stimulate our research into new, exciting technological areas. We have found that nanostructures on the wing scales of tropical Morpho butterflies exhibit optical properties that provide a highly selective response to chemical vapors. The challenge now is finding a way to mimic nature and to design acute and robust chemical sensors that will offer new attractive sensing solutions in the marketplace. That is what we are focused on solving.”

Dr. Potyrailo cited a review article that appeared in the journal Nature in 2003 by Pete Vukusic and J. Roy Sambles, titled “Photonic structures in biology,” which inspired his research on the wing scales of butterflies for vapor detection. The article discussed the nano-scale photonic structures in butterfly wings and the blue iridescence that they produced. “After initial careful experiments, it was clear that the underlying optical properties exhibited by the nanostructures on butterfly wings could offer a promising route to highly selective chemical sensing capabilities,” Dr. Potyrailo said.

Dr. Potyrailo assembled a research team that explored further the origin and details of this unique selective vapor response of butterfly wing scales. The team included Professor Helen Ghiradella from the Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany; and Alexei Vertiatchikh, Katharine Dovidenko, Eric Olson, and James Cournoyer from GE Global Research.

Dr. Potyrailo noted that fabricating the photonic nanostructures found in butterfly wings will be very challenging, but commercial applications could reach the market within the next five years. The discovery is one in a growing list of breakthroughs that GE researchers have made in the field of nanotechnology:

For chemical and biological sensing, GE scientists in the Research Center’s Chemical and Biological Sensing, Nanotechnology, and Microstructural and Surface Sciences Labs have developed a suite of nanocomposite and nanostructured materials. These materials utilize multisize semiconductor nanocrystals in polymer films and core/shell colloidal crystal films to create selective gas nanosensors, highly stable tags for surface-enhanced Raman biosensing and bioassays, and nanostructured metal films for improved label-free biosensing.
In 2005, GE Global Research announced the development of an ideal carbon nanotube diode that operates at the “theoretical limit,” or best possible performance, which will enable smaller and faster electronic devices with increased functionality.
In another example of biomimicry, within the past two years, GE scientists in the Research Center’s Nanotechnology Lab have been able to replicate the super-water repellant effect of the Lotus leaf on both plastic and metal. The super water-repellant effect exhibits a self-cleaning feature of washing dirt and particles from the surface of a material when a water-based liquid hits it. GE scientists are exploring potential applications in aviation and energy, where self-cleaning parts could greatly enhance the efficiency of such products as a gas turbine or aircraft engine.
In the January 2007 issue of the journal, Nature Nanotechnology, scientists in GE’s Nanotechnology Lab reported on a promising breakthrough in nanotechnology they made that provides a direct pathway to making nanoceramic materials from polymeric precursors. Developing processes and a greater understanding of nano-engineered ceramics could lead to future applications in aviation and energy, where products such as aircraft engines and gas turbines could one day achieve new levels of efficiency, reliability and environmental performance.


About GE Global Research:

GE Global Research was the first industrial research lab in the United States and is one of the world's most diversified research centers, providing innovative technology for all of GE's businesses. Global Research has been the cornerstone of GE technology for more than 100 years, developing breakthrough innovations in areas such as medical imaging, energy generation technology, jet engines, advanced materials and lighting. GE Global Research is headquartered in Niskayuna, New York and has facilities in Bangalore, India; Shanghai, China; and Munich, Germany. Visit GE Global Research at www.ge.com/research

Medtronic Announces Succession Plans for CEO And COO

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) announced today the implementation of a succession plan that was developed by the board of directors over the past several years for its chief executive officer and chief operating officer positions. Effective August 23, 2007, at the company’s next annual shareholders meeting, William A. Hawkins, III, currently the company’s president and COO, will become president and CEO. At the same time, Michael F. DeMane, currently senior vice president and president of Medtronic’s business in Europe, Canada, Latin America and Emerging Markets, will become Medtronic’s COO. After Hawkins and DeMane assume their new responsibilities, Arthur D. Collins, Jr., Medtronic chairman and CEO, will remain as a director and chairman of the board until the annual shareholders meeting in August 2008. Also, the board plans to elect Hawkins to the Medtronic Board of Directors in March at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.

In his remarks to employees at the company’s quarterly Chairman’s Briefing earlier today, Collins said that Medtronic has a long history of carefully planning for and implementing smooth CEO transitions, and the process leading up to today’s announcement was no exception.

“Medtronic is well positioned to continue our strong record of success and we are fortunate to have two individuals of Bill’s and Michael’s caliber to step into the CEO and COO positions and work as a team. Both individuals have broad experience and well established track records, and the board is unanimous in its belief that their leadership will continue to successfully move Medtronic forward in the future,” Collins said.

Jean-Pierre Rosso, Medtronic Board member and chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee said, “After Art informed the board of his retirement timetable several years ago, we carefully considered succession alternatives when developing the plan that was announced today.” Rosso added, “Art’s highly professional, steady leadership has been clearly evident as the company expanded and consistently posted strong growth for the more than 13 years he has served as COO and CEO. He has played a major role in representing Medtronic and the industry around the world, and his contributions are well recognized inside and outside the company. The board is also confident that Bill and Michael will work together to further strengthen the company’s leadership position in the future.”

“This is an incredibly exciting and dynamic time for Medtronic and the medical technology industry,” said Hawkins. “I am honored to have the opportunity to continue Medtronic’s strong leadership and commitment to serving our patients and customers, shareholders and employees.”

Collins, 59, assumed the role of chief executive officer of Medtronic in April 2001 and became chairman of the board in April 2002. He was elected chief operating officer and member of the board of directors in 1994 and president in 1996. He joined the company in 1992 as corporate executive vice president and president of Medtronic International with responsibility for all Medtronic operations outside the United States. Collins joined Medtronic from Abbott Laboratories where he had been corporate vice president with responsibility for Abbott’s worldwide diagnostic business units since 1986. He began his 14-year career with Abbott in 1978 and held a number of general management positions in the United States and Europe. Before joining Abbott, he was a consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton and served as an officer in the United States Navy. Collins received a bachelor’s of science degree and a Doctor of Laws honorary degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He also holds a master’s of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he was a member of the undergraduate faculty. He currently serves on the board of directors at U.S. Bancorp and Cargill, and is a member of the board of overseers of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the board of The Institute of Health Technology Studies.

Hawkins, 53, was elected president and chief operating officer of Medtronic in May 2004. Previously, he was president of Medtronic’s Vascular business. Hawkins joined Medtronic in January 2002 from Novoste, where he had been president and chief executive officer since 1998. He started his medical technology career in 1977, and subsequently held numerous positions including corporate vice president and president of the Sherwood Davis and Geck division of American Home Products; president of the Ethicon Endo-Surgery organization of Johnson & Johnson; president, Devices for Vascular Intervention and U.S. Operations, for Guidant; and several executive positions including president of the IVAC division of Eli Lilly. Hawkins received his bachelor’s of science degree in electrical and biomedical engineering from Duke University where he also conducted medical research in pathology. He received a master’s of Business Administration degree from the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia. He is a member of the board of Visitors of the Engineering School of Duke University, the board of Deluxe Corp., and a trustee of the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation.

DeMane, 50, was appointed president of Medtronic Europe, Canada, Latin America and Emerging Markets in August 2005. From 2002 to 2005, he served as president of Medtronic Spinal, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), and Navigation. Prior to that, he was president of Spinal Systems for Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Medtronic’s Spinal business. Before joining Medtronic, DeMane served from 1996 to 1998 as managing director, Australia and New Zealand, for Smith & Nephew. He came to that position following a series of research and development and general management positions within Smith & Nephew. DeMane received his bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from St. Lawrence University, continued his studies in engineering at the University of Texas, and received his master’s of science degree in bioengineering from Clemson University. He later completed an advanced management program at the INSEAD School of Management in Fontainebleau, France.

About Medtronic
Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com ), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology – alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world.

Pfizer Wins Challenge to Norvasc Patent by Mylan

Pfizer Inc said today that a federal court in the Western District of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) has upheld the company's U.S. patent covering the active ingredient in Norvasc, the world's most-prescribed branded medicine for treating hypertension. The patent had been challenged by the generic manufacturer Mylan.

Judge Terrence F. McVerry ruled that the patent (U.S. Patent No. 4,879,303) covering amlodipine besylate is valid, enforceable and would be infringed by Mylan's product. The decision, which is subject to appeal, prohibits Mylan from launching a generic version of amlodipine until September 2007.

"The court decision is another important victory for medical innovators who invest in high-risk research to develop life saving medicines, as well as for the patients who benefit from those medicines," said Allen Waxman, Pfizer's general counsel.

Today's ruling is the latest in a series of favorable decisions for Pfizer and against generics manufacturers who have sought to invalidate Norvasc's U.S. patent covering amlodipine besylate. In January 2006, a federal court in the Northern District of Illinois ruled against Canadian generic manufacturer Apotex; and in August 2006, a federal court in the Middle District of North Carolina rejected a challenge by Dutch generic manufacturer Synthon. Both of those decisions have been appealed.

Pharmos Announces Appointment of Elkan Gamzu as New Chief Executive Officer

Pharmos Corp. (NASDAQ: PARS) announced today that Elkan Gamzu, Ph.D., has been appointed by the Board of Directors to become Chief Executive Officer, effective March 31, 2007. He will succeed Haim Aviv, Ph.D., who will be retiring on that date. Dr. Aviv will continue as Chairman of the Board.

Dr. Gamzu, a Director of the Company since February 2000, is currently a consultant to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and has held a number of senior executive positions in those industries, including Vice President, Project Management Leadership, of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, CEO of Cambridge Neuroscience and senior positions with Warner-Lambert and Hoffmann-La Roche. Dr. Gamzu has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since 1971. He is a graduate of Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and has M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in experimental and physiological psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Gamzu will be based in the Company's corporate headquarters in Iselin, New Jersey. He also will spend a significant amount of his time at the Company's Rehovot, Israel offices, where its research and drug development activities are centered. As part of a brief transition period, Dr. Gamzu started his employment immediately and, after assuming the position of Chief Executive Officer, will devote full time to Pharmos.

Dr. Aviv, the founder of Pharmos, has been its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientist since inception in 1990. Under Dr. Aviv, Pharmos became a public company, raised over $150 million, commercialized three ophthalmic drugs in partnership with Bausch & Lomb, and most recently broadened the Company's product and technology portfolio by acquiring Vela Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Aviv stated that he views this transition as extremely positive for Pharmos. "Elkan Gamzu's drug development, clinical and regulatory expertise, knowledge of our existing technologies and understanding of the biotech and pharmaceutical industries places Pharmos in good hands. Last year the Board gave us a mandate to transform Pharmos; we have assembled a first rate management team, including Alan Rubino as President and Chief Operating Officer and Colin Neill as Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, and have expanded the pipeline with the acquisition of Vela Pharmaceuticals. Elkan Gamzu's appointment as CEO is the final piece of this plan. It is my intention to remain affiliated with Pharmos and support Dr. Gamzu in any way I can."

Dr. Gamzu said that he was excited about the potential of Pharmos' development and discovery programs, particularly dextofisopam for the treatment of IBS, which is entering a Phase 2b trial, and the earlier stage cannabinoid CB2 receptor program for pain and inflammation. He further stated, "Haim Aviv has been a leading figure in the biotech industry for the past twenty years. I am very pleased that Pharmos will continue to benefit from his in-depth knowledge of the Company and our industry. We wish him all the best in his retirement."

About Pharmos Corporation

Pharmos discovers and develops novel therapeutics to treat a range of indications with a focus on specific diseases of the nervous system including disorders of the brain-gut axis (gastrointestinal/irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)), pain/inflammation, and autoimmune disorders. The Company's lead product, dextofisopam, has completed Phase 2a testing in IBS, with positive effect on the primary efficacy endpoint (n=141, p=0.033). The Company plans a Phase 2b study of dextofisopam for the treatment of IBS in 2007. The Company's core proprietary technology platform focuses on discovery and development of synthetic cannabinoid compounds. Cannabinor, the lead CB2-selective receptor agonist candidate, is undergoing Phase 2a testing in pain. Other compounds in Pharmos' pipeline are in clinical and pre-clinical studies targeting pain, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other disorders.

FDA Approves Eli Lilly and Company Cymbalta

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the antidepressant Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition that affects more than 6.5 million American adults in a given year.(1) Because GAD presents with a variety of symptoms, it can be difficult to diagnose(2) and may have a negative impact on a person's ability to function properly in work, family and social situations.(3)

The safety and efficacy of Cymbalta in the treatment of GAD was established in three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in more than 800 non-depressed adults with GAD. In all studies, Cymbalta significantly improved core anxiety symptoms as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), compared with placebo. In addition, Cymbalta patients reported greater improvement in functional impairment associated with the illness, including improved ability to perform everyday activities at work, home, and in social situations.

"If left untreated, symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder may worsen, potentially impacting many aspects of a person's life, including their job and social relationships," said Susan Kornstein, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University. "With this approval, physicians and patients will be happy to know that there is another medication now available to treat this debilitating condition."

Cymbalta, a member of a class of drugs commonly referred to as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI),(4) has been studied in more than 25,000 patients worldwide and is already approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder and management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, both in adults.

"More than 4.5 million adults in the United States have been prescribed Cymbalta for major depressive disorder or diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain," said Mike Detke, M.D., Ph.D, Cymbalta medical director for Eli Lilly and Company. "We are excited to offer a new, approved treatment option for generalized anxiety disorder patients and are eager to continue our research with this medication."

In clinical trials, on average, patients treated with Cymbalta for generalized anxiety disorder experienced a 46 percent improvement in anxiety symptoms compared to 32 percent for those who took placebo, as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. In addition, patients in these studies experienced a 46 percent improvement in function compared to 26 percent for those who took placebo as measured by the Sheehan Disability Scale. The most common side effects in these studies included nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, drowsiness, constipation, insomnia, decreased appetite, hyperhidrosis, decreased libido, vomiting, ejaculation delay and erectile dysfunction. In clinical trials, Cymbalta was studied in a dose range of 60-120 mg per day. While a 120mg/day dose was shown to be effective, there is no evidence that doses greater than 60mg/day confer additional benefit. Cymbalta comes in a capsule, and the target daily dose is 60 mg.

About Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Approximately 6.5 million Americans are diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder each year.(5) Symptoms persist for at least six months and can include exaggerated worry or chronic anxiety, irritability, poor concentration, sleep disturbance and fatigue.(6,7) Generalized anxiety disorder may be brought on, or worsened by, stressful life events. The illness also tends to be chronic with periods of exacerbation and remission.(8)

About Cymbalta

Serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and spinal cord are believed to both mediate core mood symptoms and help regulate the perception of pain. Based on pre-clinical studies, duloxetine is a balanced and potent reuptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine that is believed to potentiate the activity of these chemicals in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). While the mechanism of action of duloxetine is not fully known, scientists believe its effects on depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as its effect on pain perception may be due to increasing the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system.

Cymbalta is approved in the United States for the treatment of major depressive disorder, the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and now the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, all in adults. Cymbalta is not approved for use in pediatric patients.

Important Safety Information

Cymbalta is approved to treat major depressive disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and generalized anxiety disorder. In children and teens, antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. Patients should call their doctor right away if they experience worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide, especially at the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Cymbalta is approved only for adults 18 and over.

Cymbalta is not for everyone. Patients should not take Cymbalta if they have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine) or have uncontrolled glaucoma. Patients should speak with their doctor about all medicines they are taking, including those for migraine to avoid a potentially life- threatening condition. Patients should tell their doctor about their alcohol consumption, if they have liver disease, and about all of their medical conditions.

Patients taking Cymbalta may experience dizziness or fainting upon standing. The most common side effects of Cymbalta include:

-- For MDD: nausea, dry mouth and constipation -- For DPNP: nausea, sleepiness and dizziness -- For GAD: nausea, fatigue and dry mouth This is not a complete list of side effects.

For full Patient Information, visit www.cymbalta.com. For full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, visit http://www.cymbalta.com/

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com

(1) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "Facts About Generalized Anxiety Disorder." Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/gadfacts.cfm. Accessed on February 6, 2007. (2) Gliatto, Michael, F. "Generalized Anxiety Disorder." American Family Physicians, Vol. 62/No. 7, October 1, 2000.

(3) Leon, Andrew et al. "Assessing Psychiatric Impairment in Primary Care with the Sheehan Disability Scale." Int'l J. Psychiatry in Medicine. Vol. 27 (2), 1997, pp. 93-105

(4) Bymaster, FP et al. "The Dual Transporter Inhibitor Duloxetine: A Review of its Preclinical Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetic Profile, and Clinical Results in Depression." Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2005; 11: 1475-1493.

(5) Mental Health America. "Generalized Anxiety Disorder." Available at: http://www1.nmha.org/camh/anxiety/gad.cfm. Accessed on January 17, 2007.

(6) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "Anxiety Disorders." Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm#anx7 December 2006.

(7) APA. "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition." 1994, pp 472-476.

(8) APA. "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition." 1994, pp 472-476.

Microsoft Demonstrates Further Commitment to Healthcare Market With Planned Acquisition of Web Search Company

Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has agreed to acquire Medstory Inc., a privately held company based in Foster City, Calif., that develops intelligent Web search technology specifically for health information. The acquisition represents a strategic move for Microsoft in the consumer health search arena and signals a long-term commitment toward the development of a broader consumer health strategy. Medstory employees will join the Health Solutions Group, a recently formed division at Microsoft that will manage product development and delivery. Financial terms were not disclosed, as part of the agreement between the organizations.

“At Microsoft, we are focused on enabling people to make the best decisions,” said Peter Neupert, corporate vice president for health strategy and leader of the Health Solutions Group. “We were impressed with the ability of Medstory’s unique technology to organize and surface the most relevant online health content, which empowers consumers who are trying to find the right information about an important life event.”

According to an October 2006 study* by the Pew Internet & American Life Project,
8 million people in the United States go online for health information every day, and 53 percent of health-seekers said a recent search had an impact on how they take care of themselves or someone else. Yet 22 percent of respondents said they felt frustrated by a lack of information or an inability to find what they were looking for.

Unlike results from most search engines, Medstory’s results are based on intuitive search technology, which provides prequalified information to consumers and health professionals conducting health-related research. This unique approach provides users with intelligent guides to help refine and better target their searches. Users receive organized content that is more relevant to their search criteria and that enables better health-related decisions.

“Instead of trying to force people to think in terms of the way a computer searches, we’re enabling computers to more intuitively conduct searches in the way that people think,” said Dr. Alain Rappaport, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and founder of Medstory. When the acquisition closes, Rappaport will assume the role of general manager of health search in the Health Solutions Group. “With Microsoft’s global reach and experience, I look forward to this soon becoming a standard for online searches in health and medicine.”

About Medstory

Medstory’s mission is to enable users to search complex fields on the Web intelligently, starting with health and medicine. Medstory’s goal is to provide highly efficient search solutions for consumers and professionals. The company was founded by Dr. Alain Rappaport, who also co-founded Neuron Data (later Blaze Software), a leading global provider of artificial intelligence and Internet software. For more information, visit www.medstory.com

GSK initiates first global Phase III study of Tykerb (lapatinib) in head and neck cancer

GlaxoSmithKline today announced the start of an international Phase III trial of its investigational cancer treatment Tykerb® (lapatinib) in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This announcement follows the International Meeting on Innovative Approaches in Head & Neck Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, 22nd-24th February supported by the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO), where GSK presented results from a Phase I study of lapatinib in SCCHN.


This large adjuvant trial will compare the effectiveness of oral lapatinib versus placebo given in high-risk patients following surgery. SCCHN is the sixth most common cancer worldwide[1]: 600,000 people are diagnosed with SCCHN annually1, 100,800 in Europe alone and 40,000 people die from the disease every year.[2]


The design of this Phase III trial was based on recent results from two large-scale, independent randomized studies that demonstrated the new standard of care in the post-operative treatment of high-risk SCCHN patients with additional use of chemotherapy.[3],[4] However, research suggests that approximately one quarter to one third of advanced head and neck cancers that are primarily treated with surgery and radiation therapy come back following treatment.3,4


“The initiation of this trial represents another exciting step towards understanding the role of lapatinib in other tumour types beyond breast cancer,” says Professor Jean Bourhis, Head of Radiation-Oncology Department, Institute Gustave Roussy, France and principal investigator for this trial. “There is a significant group of patients who are at high-risk of disease recurrence following surgery, and they need new treatments that can be combined with standard chemoradiation therapy.”


This global, Phase III study will enroll 680 high-risk patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (stages II, III and IVa) that have undergone surgery. Patients will receive, within four to seven weeks after surgery, either lapatinib (1500 mg) or placebo tablets once-daily with radiotherapy and cisplatin for seven weeks. After this time, patients will continue with either lapatinib or placebo treatment for one year. The principal objective will be to investigate the length of time without disease symptoms, and overall survival with other clinical factors will also be measured. Side effects will be assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE).


Results from a Phase I dose-escalation study of lapatinib (doses ranged from 500 mg to 1500 mg) plus chemoradiation in 31 head and neck cancer patients were presented at the conference. Results identified 1500 mg of lapatinib taken once-daily with chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the optimal dose for this combination, and this dose was selected for the Phase III study. Additionally, 89% of patients had a tumour response to this combination treatment. The most common side effects in the Phase I study were mouth ulcers (87%), radiation skin injury (65%), nausea (61%), swallowing difficulties (52%) and vomiting (52%).[5]


“Having already shown promise as a breast cancer treatment, we are very excited to continue investigating lapatinib in SCCHN,” said Paolo Paoletti, MD, Senior Vice President, Oncology Medicine Development Centre, GSK. “Lapatinib may represent a new treatment approach to difficult-to-treat tumour types, such as head and neck cancer, offering hope to patients in need of a further treatment option.”


Lapatinib blocks the activation of two key receptors, EGFR (ErbB1) and HER2 (ErbB2), associated with increased growth and development of this type of head and neck tumour. Stimulation of these receptors is associated with multiple processes involved in tumour growth. An excessive presence of these receptors has been reported in a variety of human tumours and is associated with poor outcome and reduced survival.


About SCCHN

SCCHN is the most common form of cancer of the head and neck, and approximately two-thirds of all patients are diagnosed with advanced disease. EGFR and HER2 are two types of receptors found on tumours which play a key role in the development of this type of head and neck cancer. Researchers have found that the excessive expression of EGFR receptors is nearly universal in SCCHN disease, with large numbers of HER2 receptors present in 20 to 40 percent of tumours.[6],[7]


About Lapatinib

Lapatinib was discovered and developed by GSK as an oral once daily therapy, and is currently being investigated in breast cancer and other solid tumours. Lapatinib has proven efficacy in advanced breast cancer. Phase III results of lapatinib plus capecitabine show superior efficacy to capecitabine alone in women with HER2 positive advanced breast cancer who have progressed following prior therapy, including trastuzumab.[8]

The most frequent side-effects related to lapatinib from clinical trials to date are mild to moderate (grade 1 or 2) diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and rash.[9]

GSK is using advanced technologies, including pharmacogenomics, to better define patient populations that may respond to lapatinib.

Lapatinib is an investigational drug that is not yet approved for marketing by any regulatory body.

Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine has been submitted for marketing approval in the United States, European Union and Switzerlandfor the treatment of advanced or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer in women who have progressed despite prior therapy, including trastuzumab. Registration dossiers have also been filed in Australia, Canadaand New Zealand.


GSK in Oncology

GSK Oncology is dedicated to producing innovations in cancer that will make profound differences in the lives of patients. Through GSK’s “bench to bedside” approach, we are transforming the way treatments are discovered and developed, resulting in one of the most robust pipelines in the oncology sector. Our worldwide research in oncology includes partnerships with more than 160 cancer centres. GSK is developing a new generation of patient focused cancer treatments in prevention, supportive care, chemotherapy and targeted therapies.



References:
---------------------------------
[1] Study EGF102988 protocol

[2] Mouth Cancer Foundation. Initiative of the Restorative Dentistry Oncology Clinic: http://www.rdoc.org.uk/ accessed 3rd Jan 2007

[3] Bernier J, Domenge C et al. Postoperative irradiation with or without concomitant chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. NEJM; 2004 May 6;350(19):1945-52

[4] Cooper J, Pajak TF et al. Postoperative concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for high-risk squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. NEJM; 2004 May 6;350(19):1937-44.

[5] El-Hariry, I., Harrington K. et al. A phase I, open label study (EGF100262) of lapatinib plus chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Oral presentation, 1st International Meeting on Innovative Approaches in Head & Neck Oncology, Barcelona, Spain. 22nd - 24th February 2007.

[6] Khademi B, Shirazi FM, Vasei M, et al. The expression of p53, cerbB-1 and cerbB-2 molecules and their correlation with prognostic markers in patients with head and neck tumors. Cancer Letters 2002;184:223-230.

[7] O-Charoenrat P, Modjtahedi H, Rhys-Evans P et al. Epidermal Growth Factor-like Ligands Differentially Up-Regulate Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 in Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma Cells.Cancer Research,2000; 60:1121-1128.

[8] Geyer C, Forster J, Lindquist D, Chan S, Romieu C et al. Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. N EnglJ Med 2006; 355;2733-43.

[9] GSK data on file. Ongoing studies to 15 November 2005

Toshiba secures quantum key distribution

Researchers at Toshiba Corp. have developed a method that they say makes it possible -- barring a change in the laws of physics -- to absolutely secure distribution of encryption keys across a network.

Their system, which was unveiled at this week's Nano Tech 2007 exhibition in Tokyo, builds on quantum key distribution, which has been the subject for research and development work for some time because it promises to make possible the secure distribution of encryption keys across a network. Currently encryption keys must be sent offline, typically on physical media in tamper-proof packages, to ensure their integrity.

"With quantum key distribution, we can guarantee unconditional security of the key," said Andrew Shields, quantum information group leader at Toshiba Research Europe Ltd. "What that means is it's secure from all advances in mathematics, engineering and computing."

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Announces Organizational Change

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth , announced today the appointment of Geno Germano, 46, to President - U.S. and General Manager, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. In this new role, Mr. Germano will continue to report to Mr. Joseph Mahady, newly appointed President - Global Business, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Senior Vice President, Wyeth.

Mr. Germano joined Wyeth in 1984 as a sales representative and has held positions of increasing responsibility in Sales, Marketing, Business Development and General Management, including Managing Director, Wyeth Australia and New Zealand; Executive Vice President and General Manager for Wyeth Global Vaccines; and most recently, Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Business Unit.

Wyeth is one of the world's largest research-driven pharmaceutical and health care products companies. It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and non-prescription medicines that improve the quality of life for people worldwide. The Company's major divisions include Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort Dodge Animal Health.

Pfizer Board of Directors Elects Constance J. Horner to Serve as Lead Director

Pfizer said today that Constance J. Horner, a member of the company's Board of Directors since 1993, has been elected lead director effective February 23. She succeeds Dr. Stanley O. Ikenberry, who has announced plans to retire from the board effective March 22, 2007 in accordance with Pfizer's mandatory retirement age.

Horner will preside over executive sessions of Pfizer's independent directors and will facilitate information flow and communication between the directors and the chairman, in addition to other duties specified by the board. Going forward, the lead director, who will be elected annually, will be expected to serve a multi-year term.

Horner also serves as chair of the board's Corporate Governance Committee.

"Connie Horner has demonstrated outstanding leadership during her 14 years on our board and will bring her experience and insights to this important role," Dr. Ikenberry said.

Horner was Guest Scholar in Governmental Studies at the Brookings Institution from 1993 until 2005. She joined Brookings after serving in the White House from 1991 to 1993 as Assistant to President George H. W. Bush and Director of Presidential Personnel. She was Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1989 to 1991, and Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management from 1985 to 1989. She served in both administrations of President Ronald Reagan, first as Associate Director for Economics and Government of the Office of Management and Budget and then as Head of the Office of Personnel Management.

Horner is a Director of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited and Prudential Financial, Inc.; a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration; Trustee of the Annie E. Casey Foundation; and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Prudential Foundation.

Sartorius AG Combines its Biotechnology Division with Stedim Biosystems

Sartorius AG, a worldwide leading laboratory and process equipment provider, signed a binding agreement today with the biopharmaceutical supplier Stedim Biosystems S.A., a company listed on the Paris stock exchange, and its major shareholders. Under the terms of this agreement, Sartorius acquires a substantial stake in Stedim and combines its Biotechnology Division with Stedim's business. Sartorius will pay 43 euros per share. Upon completion of this transaction, Sartorius will become Stedim's majority owner controlling the combined company.

Through the combination of the Sartorius and Stedim biotech businesses, Sartorius is substantially strengthening its position as a technology provider to the fast growing biopharmaceutical market. Stedim's board supports this deal. The overall transaction, which is subject to approval by Stedim's shareholders and to regulatory clearance, is expected to be completed in summer 2007. The combined company will be named "Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A."

French-based Stedim is the pioneer for disposable bag systems for biopharmaceutical applications. Besides being a market leader in this segment, Stedim also has a product segment consisting of door systems for aseptic transfer technology and a unique proprietary freeze-thaw technology. Both of these technologies offer significant growth potential in the biopharmaceutical industry. In 2006, the company earned 91.4 million euros in sales, 44 percent of which were generated in North-America. Stedim employs some 540 persons at its locations in France, the U.S. and Tunisia.

Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Sartorius, commented: "This transaction significantly accelerates our strategy to offer customers fully integrated solutions for next generation biopharmaceutical manufacturing. It brings together two passionately innovative technology leaders who both have a strong customer base and who share a common vision. Our two companies' product array, technology platforms and regional strengths are highly complementary; therefore, we are a perfect match. Through this transaction, Sartorius is taking the next logical step in our company's development for the benefit of our customers, employees and shareholders. Given the strong double-digit growth rates in the biopharmaceutical markets and the shift in our markets toward disposable solutions, this is the ideal time for our Biotech Division and Stedim to come together."

Bernard Lemaitre, Chairman of Stedim, stated: "It is important to stress that each of the two companies brings a leading market position to this project. In this context, Stedim is a global leader in disposable bag systems and freeze-thaw technology. In establishing this alliance between two companies focused on the same customers and with complementary product portfolios, our first objective will be to implement a strategic and an industrial project with an impact much greater than the sum of the two parts. Once combined, Sartorius Biotechnology and Stedim have the realistic ambition of forming a worldwide market leader for single-use based technologies over the next five years. No other Group can offer the biopharmaceutical market such a broad range of solutions."

Transaction Details

The main steps of the transaction are as follows:

-- Sartorius acquires a substantial stake in Stedim from its founders, who will retain a significant shareholding.

-- Sartorius contributes its Biotechnology Division into Stedim (following the carve-out of this division, which is currently in progress).

-- As a result of this acquisition and contribution, Sartorius becomes the majority shareholder of Stedim Biosystems S.A. and will thus file a tender offer for its entire capital.

-- An extraordinary general meeting of Stedim's shareholders shall approve the contribution of Sartorius' Biotechnology Division into Stedim.

Sartorius invites Stedim shareholders to remain invested in Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A. For each Stedim share, they shall have the option

-- of tendering for 43 euros in cash immediately, or

-- of keeping their shares and being granted a warrant as an incentive:

-- This warrant offers a cash payment after a maturity period of 24 months equal to the difference between the capitalized offer prize of 47.50 euros and the 30-day average trading price of the Sartorius Stedim Biotech shares over the reference period.

-- The guarantee shall not exceed payment of 20 euros per share.

Corporate Governance

The combined company will be headquartered at Stedim's main office in Aubagne, France. However, major global functions will be located at Sartorius headquarters in Goettingen, Germany. The board of Sartorius Stedim Biotech will have seven members, four from Sartorius and three from Stedim. Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO and Executive Board Chairman of the Sartorius Group, will assume the position of CEO and Chairman of Sartorius Stedim Biotech. Bernard Lemaitre, founder and current Chairman of Stedim, and Professor Dr. Arnold Picot, Chairman of the Sartorius AG Supervisory Board, will also be among the board members.

Business outlook for Sartorius Stedim Biotech

On a pro forma basis, Sartorius Stedim Biotech is expected to generate 400-420 million euros in sales revenue and to achieve an operating EBITA margin of approx. 14 percent in 2007. The transaction and integration costs are estimated at approx. 5 -10 million euros for 2007. Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the period of 2007 to 2011 is projected at 14-15 percent, while the EBITA margin is anticipated to further rise in the period up to 2011.

Business outlook for the Sartorius Group

Based on this transaction, Sartorius has adjusted its forecast for 2007 and its five-year plan upward. For 2007, pro forma sales revenue for the Sartorius Group is expected to increase to 660 - 680 million euros; the operating EBITA margin is anticipated to rise to approx. 12 percent (excluding the above-mentioned transaction and integration costs). CAGR for the period of 2007 to 2011 is forecasted to be at 11-12 percent. For the period up to 2011, the EBITA margin is targeted to further increase.

Sartorius in brief

The Sartorius Group is an internationally leading laboratory and process technology provider covering the segments of biotechnology and mechatronics. Its biotechnology division focuses on filtration and separation products as well as fermenters and bioreactors. In mechatronics, the company manufactures equipment featuring weighing, measurement and automation technology for laboratory and industrial applications. According to preliminary figures, in 2006 the technology group earned sales revenue of 521.1 million euros. The Goettingen-based company founded in 1870 currently employs approximately 3,800 persons.

Stedim Biosystems in brief

Founded in 1978, Stedim is the pioneer and a leading supplier of aseptic bag technologies for biopharmaceutical applications. The company also holds leading market positions in controlled freeze-thaw technology for biopharmaceutical systems as well as for single-use solutions for rapid aseptic fluid transfer. In 2006, Stedim earned 91.4 million euros, 44% of which was generated in the North-America. Stedim employs some 540 persons at its locations in France, USA and Tunisia.

Ikaria and Investor Group to Acquire INO Therapeutics in $670 Million

Ikaria Holdings, a newly formed investment company, announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to combine Ikaria Inc., a biotechnology company, and INO Therapeutics, the world leader in gaseous drugs including inhaled nitric oxide for treatment of hypoxic respiratory failure in newborns. The transaction, valued at approximately $670 million, is being financed by a group of private equity and venture capital investors led by New Mountain Capital, ARCH Venture Partners and Venrock Associates. INO Therapeutics is being acquired from The Linde Group (Deutsche Borse: LIN), which will retain an equity position in the new entity. The combined company, which will be called Ikaria Holdings, will have a leadership position in therapeutic gases and critical care medicine, a high-growth, multi-billion-dollar market. Its corporate headquarters will be in Clinton, N.J., with operations in several other locations including a research and development facility in Seattle.

"The merger of Ikaria and INO Therapeutics creates a fully integrated critical care therapeutics company with more than 300 employees, exceptional growth opportunities and the capability to significantly improve critical care for newborns and other patients in thousands of hospitals around the world," said David Shaw, chairman and chief executive officer-designate of the combined Ikaria entity. "From the outset, we will have a great team, substantial revenues and profitability, a well-established market position, outstanding products and technology, a deep R&D pipeline, an extensive commercialization infrastructure and strong financial resources. Each party brings important and complementary strengths in critical care medicine to the transaction, benefiting our customers and their patients, our investors and employees." Shaw is the founder of IDEXX Laboratories, a director of Ikaria, a senior advisor to New Mountain Capital and Venrock Associates and general partner of Black Point Group.

"The technology portfolio of this combined company is remarkable," said Robert Nelsen, co-founder and director of Ikaria and co-founder and managing director of ARCH Venture Partners. "Ikaria brings groundbreaking technology and a therapeutic portfolio based on research on hibernation and metabolic control via hydrogen sulfide from the laboratory of Dr. Mark Roth at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. INO Therapeutics, among other things, has a strong patent and product position in nitric oxide, a signaling molecule with far-reaching medical applications ranging from regulation of blood pressure to fighting infection. The discovery of nitric oxide properties led to a 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine and is the basis of INO Therapeutics' original work on inhaled nitric oxide with Dr. Warren Zapol at the Massachusetts General Hospital."

"We believe that the combination of Ikaria and INO Therapeutics provides a novel and exciting alternative to the traditional biotech model of financing development via sequential private and public fundraisings. Additionally, we see a wide range of attractive opportunities for synergies and collaboration on both sides and look forward to building even greater critical care capabilities, both organically and via acquisitions," said Bryan Roberts, an Ikaria director and managing general partner of Venrock Associates.

Ikaria and INO Therapeutics will continue their broad range of research and development programs in critical care drugs and drug delivery devices, including:

-- Phase III studies of treatments for chronic lung disease in premature newborns and cardiac surgery in adults.
-- Phase I and II studies of myocardial infarction, organ transplantation, ischemic stroke and other disease indications.
-- Preclinical studies of treatment of ischemia/reperfusion injury, vascular disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, circulatory shock, hepatic injury, acute lung injury and autoimmune diseases.

Certain research programs at Ikaria and the Roth laboratory are supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense (DARPA). Beyond its internal R&D programs, Ikaria has an active business development program to acquire pharmaceutical products and medical devices useful in critical care applications.

"This unique, highly customized transaction results in the formation of a new company that combines high free cash flows, a strong capital base and a great pipeline of synergistic and important new products," said Alok Singh, managing director of New Mountain Capital. "We look forward to working with management, our venture partners and with Linde to fully realize the exciting prospects that lie ahead." Singh will join the Ikaria board with two other New Mountain directors including Steve Klinsky, founder and CEO of New Mountain Capital. Other directors will include David Shaw, Robert Nelsen, Bryan Roberts and a representative of Linde.

Dennis Smith, president and chief executive officer of INO Therapeutics, said, "On behalf of the INO Therapeutics team, we are delighted to join with Ikaria to create this category-leading critical care company. The combination will extend our current capabilities into new therapeutic technologies and applications. We will continue to build on our groundbreaking treatment for persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) and hypoxic respiratory failure in newborns, which impacts the lives of thousands of patients every year. We are also pursuing additional indications as well as new drugs and drug delivery devices for a range of medical conditions. Finally, we are pleased that our long relationship with Linde will continue, as both a shareholder and an international distribution partner for our products."

Existing Ikaria investors will continue to be investors in the combined Company and approximately $300 million of new equity capital will be contributed by the investor group, including over $200 million from New Mountain Capital. In addition to the other named investors, the investor group will also include Altitude Life Science Ventures, Washington Research Foundation and Alexandria Equities. Debt financing for the transaction will be provided by Credit Suisse acting as lead arranger. Goldman Sachs served as the financial advisor to Ikaria. Heller Ehrman LLP served as legal advisor to Ikaria; Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP served as legal advisor to New Mountain Capital; and O'Melveny & Myers LLP served as legal advisor to the other venture capital investors. Linde was advised by Morgan Stanley, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer provided legal counsel. The transaction, which is subject to Hart-Scott-Rodino approval, is expected to close by April 2007.

About Ikaria

Ikaria is a Seattle-based biotechnology company focused on developing breakthrough products for critical care. At the forefront of a new research domain in metabolic depression, the company is rapidly pursuing the development of products that would change critical care medicine. The company's technology is based on early research focused on metabolic control performed by Mark Roth, PhD, investigator at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. For more information on Ikaria, please visit http://www.ikaria.com

About INO Therapeutics

INO Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical company with strengths in the development, marketing and sales of critical care drugs and drug/device combinations that improve the lives of patients and fulfill unmet medical needs. The company's core product is INOmax® (nitric oxide) for inhalation. INOmax® is approved in the United States, Europe, Canada and parts of Latin America, and is supported by the INOvent® delivery system, INOcal® calibration mixtures and 24/7 medical and technical service and support. INO Therapeutics is headquartered in Clinton, N.J., and the company maintains a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Port Allen, La. Its parent company is The Linde Group. The Linde Group stock is publicly traded in Europe. For more information on INO Therapeutics, please visit http://www.inotherapeutics.com

About The Linde Group

The Linde Group is a leading global industrial gas and engineering company that boasts a workforce of more than 53,000 employees in over 70 countries across the globe. Following the acquisition of BOC Group, the company's Gas and Engineering segment now generates annual sales of approximately euro 12 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is aimed at generating earnings- based growth. Its primary focus is on the targeted expansion of its international business by developing innovative products and services. For more information on The Linde Group, please visit http://www.linde.com

About New Mountain Capital

New Mountain Capital is a New York-based private equity firm investing for long-term capital appreciation through direct investment in growth equity transactions, leveraged acquisitions and management buyouts. New Mountain seeks out the highest-quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors, and then works intensively with management to build the value of those companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit http://www.newmountaincapital.com

About ARCH Venture Partners

ARCH Venture Partners is a premier provider of seed and early-stage venture capital for technology firms. Over the last 20 years, ARCH has co- founded or led the seed round for more than 115 new ventures. ARCH enjoys special recognition as a leader in the successful commercialization of technologies developed at academic research institutions and national laboratories. ARCH's "concept to commerce" approach gives the firm special expertise in co-founding and building technology firms -- from startup through financial liquidity. For more information on ARCH Venture Partners, please visit http://www.archventure.com

About Venrock Associates

Venrock Associates is a premier venture capital firm with offices in Menlo Park, Calif.; New York; Cambridge, Mass. and Israel. Originally established as the venture capital arm of the Rockefeller family, Venrock continues a seven-decade tradition of funding entrepreneurs and establishing successful, enduring companies. Having invested $1.8 billion in 400 companies resulting in over 120 IPOs over the past 38 years, Venrock's investment returns place it among the top tier venture capital firms that have achieved consistently superior performance. With a primary focus on information technology, healthcare, and energy, portfolio companies have included Intel, Apple Computer, StrataCom, Check Point Software, and DoubleClick; Sirna Therapeutics, IDEXX Laboratories, Centocor, Idec Pharmaceuticals, Sugen, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Illumina. For more information on Venrock Associates, please visit http://www.venrock.com

About 5AM Ventures

Founded in 2002, 5AM Ventures makes seed and early-stage investments in next-generation life science companies. As successful former company leaders and established venture capitalists, the 5AM Team takes a hands-on approach to company building. The 5AM portfolio, built on advanced life science technologies, is diversified among innovative platforms, spinouts from established biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and companies developing near-term products. For more information on 5AM Ventures, please visit http://www.5amventures.com

About Black Point Group

Black Point Group is a private equity partnership with investments in both public and private growth companies. The firm has offices in New York City and Portland, Maine. For more information on Black Point Group, please visit http://www.blackpointgroup.com

About Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.fhcrc.org

GlaxoSmithKline acquires exclusive rights to over-the-counter orlistat for markets outside the US from Roche Group

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) announced today that it has acquired from Roche Group exclusive rights to the weight-loss medicine, orlistat, for over-the-counter (OTC) use in markets outside the US, excluding Japan. GSK anticipates filing orlistat for OTC approval in Europe and certain key international markets by the end of 2007.


Earlier this month, GSK received FDA approval to market OTC orlistat in the USA under the brand name alli™, and expects to launch alli during the summer.


John Clarke, President, GSK Consumer Healthcare, commented, “Today’s agreement strengthens GSK’s innovative consumer healthcare portfolio, and gives us the opportunity to globalise our efforts around OTC orlistat. This exclusive license is also testament to GSK’s ability to successfully switch prescription medicines to over-the-counter status and collaborate well with our partners. Alongside our smoking control franchise, we now have brands dedicated to addressing two of the world’s major health issues: smoking and obesity.”


In another transaction, GSK and Roche have also agreed to settle all arbitration procedures between the two companies relating to the licensing and co-marketing of carvedilol.


Financial terms of both agreements remain undisclosed. As part of the licensing agreement, Roche will receive an upfront payment from GSK; this will be offset by a payment made by Roche to GSK as a part of the settlement agreement.


GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Industrial Nanotech, Inc. completing final stages of audit process

Industrial Nanotech (OTC: INTK.PK - News), developers of revolutionary products that incorporate the science of nanotechnology, today announced that it is completing the final stages of its audit process.

J.R. Lampson, hired as VP of Finance for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. in November of 2006 states, "Our team of CPA's has worked closely with us to conduct a thorough, detailed, and exhaustive analysis of our Company financials since inception in 2004, to review and revise as necessary all policies and procedures relating to Company operations worldwide, and to draft the Financial Procedures Manual and other documents required by our auditors and the regulatory agencies of stock exchanges which our Company considers an important objective."


Stuart Burchill, CEO of Industrial Nanotech, Inc continues, "The facts about our Company are solid. We have a respectable and healthy rate of revenue growth since inception. We have, and have communicated to the investing public through press releases, very large projects and substantial potential revenue sources in the pipeline and at a mature stage of development. We continue to invent new and important technologies and product lines and file patent applications to protect our intellectual property. Our expansion worldwide is striding forward country by country and we have an established record of entering markets, establishing credibility in those markets, and increasing the revenue from those markets."

"This relentless work ethic and the successes it is generating make it a priority for us to position the Company to be able to reach a broader audience of potential shareholders, brokerage firms, and institutional investors," states Mr. Burchill. "Completion of the work by Mr. Lampson, our new VP of Finance with decades of experience at the highest levels of financial operations of major international corporations, combined with the substantial resources and expertise of our accounting firm, puts us in the position to move forward towards that objective in a timely manner."

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Says Chairman And CEO McLain Resigns Under Pressure

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals announced today that Thomas H. McLain has resigned as chairman, chief executive officer and president, effective immediately. By unanimous vote, the Board has appointed Leslie Hudson, Ph.D., a director of the company since 2005, as interim chief executive officer and president, and Geoffrey F. Cox, Ph.D., a director of the company since 2000, as non-executive chairman of the board of directors.

"We would like to thank Tom for his leadership of Nabi. Since he joined the company, he has made a significant contribution and, most recently, has managed a tremendous amount of change in our business," said Geoffrey Cox. "We are pleased that Dr. Hudson has accepted the role of interim CEO and I look forward to working with him to realize Nabi's potential and optimize Nabi's shareholder value. At this critical juncture for the company, we feel that Nabi is poised to take significant strides forward, focus its product development pipeline and identify and pursue the most compelling strategic opportunities for the company," said Cox.

Leslie Hudson will serve as interim CEO for a six-month period. During that time, the board of directors will seek to identify appropriate candidates to assume the role of permanent CEO. Dr. Hudson also will lead the Nabi senior management team to further align the company's activities and expense base with its corporate goals. Further, he will proactively continue the process being conducted by Nabi, the Company's Strategic Action Committee and Banc of America Securities LLC to analyze all strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value.

"I welcome the opportunity to work with the board of directors, the senior management team and all Nabi employees to achieve our collective goals," said Leslie Hudson. "Nabi has mapped out an ambitious corporate strategy to focus on areas where we have competitive advantages and can deliver unique value to physicians and patients, to build a sustainable financial model and to enhance shareholder value. I look forward to actively and collaboratively leading the company's efforts as we work together to deliver upon that strategy," said Hudson.

Dr. Hudson has been a director of the company since August 2005. He is the founder of G&M Princeton Associates, a pharmaceutical commercial development practice. His extensive pharmaceutical experience includes several senior positions at Pharmacia Corporation, including group vice president and general manager of the ophthalmology franchise and, and at Glaxo, where he served as vice president of research. Most recently, Dr. Hudson was chief executive officer and president of DOV Pharmaceutical, Inc. and, prior to that post, served as Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hudson received his doctorate in immunology from the Imperial College and Middlesex Hospital Medical School, University of London and is an associate of the Royal College of Science.

Dr. Cox has been a director of the company since December 2000. He has been chairman, president and chief executive officer of GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, since 2001. From 1997 to 2001, Cox was chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Aronex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company. From 1984 to 1997, he was employed by Genzyme Corporation, a biotechnology company, last serving as its executive vice president, operations. He also serves on the board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. Dr. Cox received a B.Sc (Hon) in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham, U.K., and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of East Anglia, U.K.

Change in release date for 4Q and 2006 year end results.

Nabi previously announced that it would hold a conference call on February 28, 2007 to report its fourth quarter and full-year 2006 financial results. Because of the transition activities anticipated over the next several weeks, this call is being re-scheduled for March 12, 2007. During this call, Nabi also will provide an update regarding the company's 2007 financial performance outlook and strategy. In addition, Nabi announced that unaudited sales of Nabi-HB® [Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human)] were in excess of $11.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.

GlaxoSmithKline successfully completes tender offer for shares of Praecis Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline plc [NYSE: GSK] announced today the successful completion of the tender offer by its wholly-owned subsidiary Pilgrim Acquisition Corporation (PAC) for shares of common stock (including the associated preferred stock purchase rights) of PRAECIS PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED (Nasdaq: PRCS).


The depositary for the offer has advised GSK and PAC that stockholders of PRAECIS have now tendered a total of approximately 9,236,144 PRAECIS shares, representing approximately 85.95% of the outstanding common stock of PRAECIS. PAC has accepted for payment all PRAECIS shares tendered in the offer.


GSK further announced that PAC intends to exercise its option, under the terms of the previously announced merger agreement, to purchase directly from PRAECIS a number of additional shares sufficient to give PAC ownership of at least 90% of PRAECIS’ outstanding common stock, when combined with the shares purchased by PAC in the offer. Exercise of the top-up option thus will permit PAC to effect a short-form merger of PAC with and into PRAECIS under Delawarelaw. PAC will pay $5.00 per share for these additional shares.


After exercising the top-up option, PAC expects to effect the short-form merger as promptly as practicable, without the need for a meeting of PRAECIS stockholders. In the merger, PAC will acquire all other PRAECIS shares (other than those as to which holders properly exercise appraisal rights) at the same $5.00 per share price, without interest and less any required withholding taxes, that was paid in the tender offer. As a result of the merger, PRAECIS will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSK.

Organon and Pharmacopeia enter into discovery, development and commercialization alliance

Pharmacopeia (Nasdaq: PCOP), an innovator in the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics, and Organon, the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel (Nasdaq: AKZOY), today announced that they have entered into a new alliance to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutic products across a broad range of therapeutic indications, including neuroscience and immunology. This alliance builds on over ten years of collaborative work between Pharmacopeia and Organon. Under the terms of the alliance agreement, Pharmacopeia will receive an up-front payment of $15 million and additional payments in research funding over the five-year term of the research portion of the alliance.


Under the agreement, both Organon and Pharmacopeia will work collaboratively to generate development compounds addressing targets of mutual interest by taking advantage of the complementary discovery skills and expertise of each company. The goal is to produce compounds ready to enter development which will be primarily handled by Organon. The agreement provides Pharmacopeia the option to co-develop and co-commercialize therapeutic candidates discovered through the alliance.

For therapeutic candidates that Pharmacopeia does not elect to co-develop and co-commercialize, Organon will retain exclusive development and commercialization rights and Pharmacopeia will receive milestone payments as a result of Organon's successful advancement, if any, of each candidate through clinical development, and up to double-digit royalties based on commercialization of any resulting pharmaceutical products.

"Organon has always been, and will continue to be, committed to the creation of long-term value for patients by investing today in the discovery and development of the medicines of tomorrow," says David Nicholson, executive vice president Research and Development of Organon. "Our new alliance with Pharmacopeia provides Organon with access to industry-leading small molecule discovery capability, and with Pharmacopeia's evolution into a therapeutic products business, enables Organon to continue to build its clinical pipeline with a valued, long-term partner."

"This new alliance, and the option we retain to co-develop and co- commercialize products, is consistent with our strategy of retaining a significant share of the ownership of programs on which we work," said Les

Browne, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Pharmacopeia. "We recently submitted the IND for our internal DARA program, and partnering with leading players in our industry such as Organon enables us to balance the investment and reward of drug development and thereby optimize returns for Pharmacopeia's shareholders."

Microsoft Joins SAFE-BioPharma Association for Creation and Management of Electronic Documents

Microsoft Corp.’s Healthcare and Life Sciences Group today announced it has joined the SAFE-BioPharma Association, a nonprofit association that created and manages the SAFE™ digital identity and signature standard for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

As a SAFE vendor partner, Microsoft has developed a SAFE signing interface capability for use with the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, effectively providing researchers, vendors, regulators and clinicians with a security-enhanced way to verify their identities when creating, managing and sending electronic documents. The reference implementation interface is available as downloadable source code on the Microsoft Developer Network (http://www.msdn.com).

“We are very pleased to have Microsoft further support our efforts to provide one single mechanism of authentication for the life sciences industry,” said Gary Secrest, chairman of the SAFE-BioPharma Association. “Our alliance will have a significant impact on widespread adoption and interoperability.”

With the announcement, life sciences firms will now be able to implement a SAFE-certified public key infrastructure and identity management system leveraging Microsoft software products already used in their IT environments. Because SAFE is an implementation of the X.509 standard — and is supported in Microsoft Active Directory®, Microsoft Root CA Server and the Microsoft Certificate Lifecycle Manager — companies will be able to issue, manage and authenticate using SAFE certificates and a Microsoft-based infrastructure.

With the implementation of the SAFE Signing Interface for the 2007 Microsoft Office system, companies will be able to use SAFE certificates to digitally sign documents from within the Microsoft Office system. In addition, with Open XML as the basis for the 2007 Office system, companies now have an opportunity to digitally sign documents that are standards-based, machine-readable, authored with familiar tools and ultimately verifiable.

“Microsoft is committed to the healthcare and life sciences industry, as evidenced by our participation in HL7, CDISC and other organizations. We are also committed to developing a security-enhanced way to verify identities within the healthcare and life sciences industry,” said Les Jordan, industry technology strategist for life sciences at Microsoft. “We look forward to working as a vendor partner with SAFE, and playing a significant role in providing the healthcare and life sciences industry with a technology platform with maximum security.”

About SAFE-BioPharma Association

SAFE-BioPharma Association is the non-profit association that created and manages the SAFE digital identity and signature standard for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Through the SAFE standard, the association promotes interoperability and integration among researchers, vendors, regulators, clinicians and other pharmaceutical and healthcare stakeholders. The SAFE standard provides a security-enhanced way to verify the identities of parties involved in business-to-business and business-to-regulator electronic transactions. SAFE stands for “Signatures and Authentication For Everyone.” The Association’s founder-members include AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble and Sanofi-Aventis. For more information, visit www.safe-biopharma.org

About Microsoft in Healthcare and Life Sciences

Microsoft provides standards-based products and technology to help the healthcare and life sciences industries break down information barriers between the disparate IT environments across pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, physicians and healthcare professionals, provider organizations, government and private-sector employers, health insurers, and consumers. Microsoft’s vision for knowledge-driven health utilizes the company’s cutting-edge technology to help these groups integrate their systems, dramatically enhance collaboration, and increase information sharing and learning — ultimately resulting in the ability to deliver high-quality products and services to patients and consumers worldwide. More information about Microsoft in Healthcare and Life Sciences can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/healthcare

Locus Pharmaceuticals Completes $30.2 Million Financing Round

Locus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a computationally based drug design and development company, announced today that it has closed on a $30.2 million financing. Novartis Bioventures Ltd., Prism Venture Partners and HBM BioVentures (Cayman) Ltd. co-led the round. S.R. One, Limited and L Capital Partners SBIC, L.P. also participated, as did certain other existing shareholders of the Company. Novartis Bioventures, HBM BioVentures (Cayman) Ltd., L Capital Partners and S.R. One are new investors to Locus. Prism Venture Partners is Locus' founding investor.

The proceeds from the financing, combined with partnering income from external collaborations, are expected to fund Locus' operations for several years during which time the Company anticipates having human clinical data for its lead programs in oncology and inflammation.

"What really seemed to resonate with investors was our combination of being a clinical stage company with multiple internal development programs coupled with, and all derived from, our unique computational drug design pipeline engine," said H. Joseph Reiser, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Locus. "As a result of this funding, we will be moving more programs into the clinic in addition to advancing our LP-261 cancer program already in Phase I," added Dr. Reiser.

In connection with the financing, Markus Goebel, M.D., Ph.D. (Novartis Bioventures), Erich Platzer, M.D., Ph.D. (HBM Partners, Zurich, Switzerland), Joyce A. Lonergan (S.R. One) and Ting Pau Oei (L Capital) will be joining the board of directors of Locus.

Piper Jaffray & Co. acted as placement agent.

About Locus Pharmaceuticals

Locus is a world leader in computational drug design. The Company's core technology is a fragment-based, computational approach, which Locus has combined with highly integrated medicinal chemistry, crystallography and biology capabilities to create a unique drug design and development platform.

Locus is using its capabilities to develop its own compounds and has also entered into drug design/development collaborations with pharmaceutical partners, including Amgen, Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly and Ono Pharmaceuticals. All of the Company's internal development programs emanate from its computational technology and are focused on oral drug therapies, principally in cancer and inflammation.

In its most advanced program, Locus is conducting a multi-center Phase I clinical study with LP-261, an orally administered anti-cancer compound which binds at a novel site on tubulin. Tubulin targeting agents are one of the largest markets in the pharmaceutical industry. In preclinical studies, LP-261 has been shown to be effective in taxol-resistant cells and vinca-resistant cells, both of which also target tubulin, and in primary leukemia cells isolated from Gleevec-resistant patients.

In its lead inflammation program, Locus has created exquisitely selective p38 inhibitors which bind to p38 at an allosteric site and do not involve the ATP site. The ubiquitous ATP site has been the focus of other p38 development programs that have failed in the clinic, principally due to unacceptable side effects. It is Locus' hypothesis that the side effects result from the low selectivity of those ATP inhibitors. By being able to target the highly selective allosteric site, which Locus believes its proprietary technology has uniquely enabled, Locus' approach may offer an improved safety profile compared to other compounds.

Additional programs are expanding on Locus' core competence in kinases for the development of angiogenic inhibitors and other targeted therapies. Locus also has collaborations with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The Locus Technology

Starting with a protein crystal structure, an in silico collection of 40,000 molecular fragments and one of the world's largest privately-owned Linux-based supercomputer clusters, Locus first identifies optimum ligand binding sites and the binding affinity of molecular fragments on protein targets. The fragments are then assembled computationally into virtual drug candidates with accurately predicted binding potency and tailored chemical properties. The result is a 'virtual library' of drug candidates that exceeds the size and diversity of any physical screening library by orders of magnitude. Because of the speed and accuracy with which these virtual libraries are constructed and evaluated, Locus typically needs to synthesize only hundreds of compounds to generate highly potent lead molecules.

Locus is privately-held. Visit www.locuspharma.com for more information.

WHO awards prequalification status to GSK rotavirus vaccine Rotarix

GlaxoSmithKline announced today that the company’s rotavirus vaccine has been awarded prequalification status by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is the first time a vaccine against rotavirus gastroenteritis has received such clearance.


The WHO prequalification endorses the vaccine’s quality, safety and efficacy, and its ability to fulfill tender specifications. This allows UN agencies, such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF and others to make large purchases and to use the vaccine in mass vaccination programs.


Rotavirus infects virtually every child in the world within the first five years of life and it is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in children worldwide1. This virus is the single greatest cause of diarrhea-related deaths among children2.


“The WHO prequalification is good news for millions of children worldwide, particularly in developing countries,” said Jean Stéphenne, president of GSK Biologicals. “GSK has a long-standing commitment to combating disease in developing countries. In keeping with our practice, we intend to offer the vaccine at tiered prices, with lowest prices reserved for the public sector in the world’s poorest countries.”


Dr. Jon Andrus, Lead Technical Adviser for Immunization Unit, Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) said: “This decision signals the importance of rotavirus immunization as a top public health priority. On a concrete level, it will immediately allow PAHO and other multilateral organizations to purchase rotavirus vaccines on behalf of resource-poor and middle-income countries in the region. This will speed their delivery of these vaccines to the children who need them most and start saving more lives now.”


Dr. Ciro de Quadros, president and chief executive officer of the Albert V. Sabin Vaccine Institute, added: “WHO’s decision is especially good news for developing countries, where 90% of the 600,000 annual deaths from rotavirus infection occur. Widespread immunization has the potential to offer protection to millions of children. Prequalification will allow UN agencies to purchase and meet an ambitious goal of immunizing 80% of the world’s children against rotavirus by 2015.”


WHO prequalification is an established mechanism to facilitate the supply of new vaccines to regions where they are most urgently needed. GSK will be the first company to be able to offer their rotavirus vaccine to those organizations for use in mass vaccination programs. The WHO endorsement complements the recent decision by the GAVI board to finance rotavirus vaccines for use in developing countries.


GSK has played a key role in the prevention of rotavirus diseases by pioneering a unique global vaccine model,designed to provide the earliest access to life-saving vaccines to those who need them most. RotarixTM was first approved in Mexicoin July 12th 2004, and was launched there in January, 2005. It is a two-dose, oral vaccine that offers early protection to infants, indicated from the age of 6 weeks for prevention of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis (RVGE) before the peak incidence of disease at 6-24 months of age 3,4. The global clinical development program has proven that RotarixTM protects against the most common circulating strains (G1 and non-G1 rotavirus strains) including the globally emerging G9 strain3. As of today Rotarix™ has been approved in 90 countries world-wide and children in about 50 countries are already benefiting from the vaccine. It is part of national immunization programs in Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, Panamaand Venezuela. Belgiumand Luxembourghave also decided in 2006 to reimburse the vaccine.


GSK has decades of commitment to the developing world. Its vaccines unit, GSK Biologicals, has pioneered a price differentiation policy, by which price levels are adapted to a countries’ financial capabilities, ordered volumes and long-term contracts. This facilitates the availability of vaccines in economically weaker parts of the world. About 30 percent of GSK’s vaccine pipeline is aimed at diseases that affect predominantly the developing world. GSK is the only major pharmaceutical company developing vaccines and drugs for all three diseases that are currently prioritized by WHO: AIDS, TB and Malaria.


GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals

GSK Biologicals, one of the world’s leading vaccine manufacturers, is located in Rixensart, Belgium, where the majority of GlaxoSmithKline’s activities in the field of vaccine research, development and production are conducted. GSK Bio employs more than 1,500 research scientists, who are devoted to discovering new vaccines and developing more cost-effective and convenient combination products to prevent infections that cause serious medical problems worldwide.


In 2005, GSK Bio distributed more than 1.2 billion doses of vaccines to 165 countries in both the developed and the developing world, an average of more than 3 million doses per day.


In the next five years, GSK expects to launch more major new vaccines: an HPV vaccine targeting cervical cancer, a vaccine to prevent pneumococcal diseases, an improved flu vaccine for the elderly, and a meningitis combination vaccine for infants in the US.


GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.



References


1. Parashar UD, et al. Rotavirus. Emerg Infect Dis 1998;4(4)

2. Bresee J, et al. Rotavirus in Asia: The Value of Surveillance for Informing Decisions about the Introduction of New Vaccines. J Infect Dis. 2005; 192 (Suppl 1): S1-S5

3. Ruiz-Palacios GM, et al. Safety and Efficacy of an Attenuated Vaccine against Severe Rotavirus Gastroenteritis. N Engl J Med 2006;354(1):11-22

4. Linhares AC et al. Rotavirus vaccines and vaccination in Latin America. Pan Am J Public Health 2000;8(5):305-331