Related to Shire Licenses Heptares' Adenosine A_2A Receptor Antagonist for CNS Diseases

• Companies Step In to Fill Gap in Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Gaucher’s
  Shortage could lead to more choices for patients sooner than expected.
  
• Big Pharma Adopting Orphan Drug Strategy
  Potential for profitability in small markets is beginning to lure companies away from the failing blockbluster model.
  
• Examining Both Sides of the Sirtuin Coin
  Jury is still out on whether inhibition and/or activation can treat neurodegenerative disorders.
  
• No New Parkinson Disease Drug Expected Anytime Soon
  Drugs acting on nondopaminergic systems have yet to prove their mettle in clinical trials.
  
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors for CNS Diseases at the Research and Discovery Phase
  One company has a clinical candidate, but focus for now is to understand kinase involvement in neurodegenerative pathways.
  
• This Month Last Year: Shire and Thermo Fisher’s Acquisitions and Geron’s hESC Plans
  While Geron’s good news in May 2011 didn’t last long, Shire and Thermo hope their moves strengthen their businesses.
  
• Stakeholders Share Data to Design Better Trials for Neurodegenerative Diseases
  The Coalition Against Major Diseases is pooling clinical data to build disease and drug models.
  
• Slaying the Fungus Among Us
  Meningitis outbreak aggravates concerns about amphotericin B, as study begins shedding light on how the antifungal works.
  
• Is Brain Mapping Ready for Big Science?
  The BAM project will be an expensive undertaking. Will it be worth the cost?
  
• Literature Review: Bacteria Reprogram Host Cells in Order to Survive and Spread
  Researchers describe how leprosy bacilli can change Schwann cells to stem cell-like cells to promote infection.