Will the Biotech Industry See Its Own Shadow at JPMorgan?
Podcast: January 4, 2010

The biotechnology industry is gearing up for the annual JPMorgan Healthcare conference, the key annual meeting that kicks off the New Year for the industry. Last year the dismal economy cast a long shadow at the normally upbeat conference, but much has changed since then. We spoke to the Adam Feueretein, Senior Columnist for TheStreet.com about how far the industry has come during the past year, what he’ll be looking for at this year’s conference and whether or not biotech executives will be in a celebratory mood once again. Read More Here

Gazing Into The Crystal Ball
G. Steven Burrill's Predictions for 2010.
This year saw a gradual recovery in the capital markets and G. Steven Burrill, CEO of the San Francisco-based life sciences merchant bank Burrill & Company says the worst of the global economic dislocation seems to be behind us. From their lows in March 2009, the markets have gained about 60 percent. Both the Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 hit 13-month closing highs following Thanksgiving. As a prelude to the release of Biotech 2010-Life Sciences: Adapting for Success – the 24th edition of Burrill & Company’s annual report on the biotechnology industry (February 2010), the biotech visionary provides his predictions for what lies ahead for biotech in the new global financial environment. Read More Here

Pfizer Will Discontinue Late-Stage Cancer Drug
The weekly round-up of failed trials, missed targets and other business mishaps.
Pfizer said it is discontinuing its late-stage study of the cancer drug figitumumab (CP-751,871) as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer because the study met predefined boundaries for early termination. An analysis by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Committee showed that the addition of figitumumab to paclitaxel pluscarboplatin would be unlikely to meet the primary endpoint of improving overall survival compared to paclitaxel plus carboplatin alone. Read More Here

IPO Queue is Growing
Biotech Companies lining up to go public in 2010. 
In a sign that the biotech IPO window may be opening, four more companies this week have filed to go public. Codexis, based in Redwood City, California hopes to raise $100 million. The company is a leading provider of optimized biocatalysts for industrial and biopharmaceutical applications. Its products are used by pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Pfizer and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, and by companies working to develop advanced biofuels with partners such as Royal Dutch Shell. Codexis is also developing biocatalysts to use in other bio-industrial markets, including green chemicals, carbon management, and water treatments. Read More Here

Darlings and Dogs
The biggest winners and losers in 2009 among publicly traded life sciences companies.

Big Bucks
A list of the largest life sciences financings of 2009.

Commentary: Healthcare Appendix
An up-close-and-personal interface with the American healthcare system.
In the debate over healthcare reform, I’ve often considered the old saw that “the plural of anecdote isn’t data.” Sure, but what is it? Having just had an up-close-and-personal interface with the American healthcare system – I have a suggestion: the plural of anecdote is ... reality. Read More Here

And, if you missed it in 2009, be sure to view:

A list of the largest life sciences financings of 2009.

The Burrill Report Podcast:
Listen to past shows you may have missed from 2009.

Video: The oddest of 2009
Some of the bizarre moments of the life sciences in the news.

Free sample of The Burrill Report
View a sample copy of our monthly publication.