Find out more about San Diego life science companies as we explore the latest technologies, drug discoveries, financing, IP updates and more.
A safe harbor is a provision of a statute or a regulation that reduces or eliminates a party's liability under the law, on the condition that the party performed its actions in good faith. A recent decision by the Federal Circuit court has interpreted the scope of a safe harbor from patent infringement for companies pursuing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) product approval, including pharmaceutical drugs, protein drugs, many medical devices and food additives.
On the surface, fruit flies don't appear to have a lot to do with stem cell research. But Dr. Leanne Jones of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies thought she could learn a lot about the complex human system by studying the more basic structures of the tiny winged insects.
Stakeholders across the biotech industry have varied viewpoints about funding and industry trends, but all agree on two aspects -- the economic crisis will only have a marginal impact on the industry, and change is imminent across the board, from the approach to funding to strategic partnerships.
Building One of the Nexus University City Science Center, currently under construction at the northwest corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Interstate-805, is ready for tenant improvement work. Nexus University City Science Center is a two-building biotech/R&D development, totaling approximately 161,871 square feet, located in the heart of the UTC life science cluster. Building One totals 58,924 square feet.
The quality of scientific research within the field of biotechnology often depends on the caliber and capability of the industry's labs and research facilities. Quality science and quality construction converge at Rudolph and Sletten, one of the state's leading builders of biotechnology facilities.
With more than 700 manufacturing, diagnostic and traditional biotech firms in San Diego County, this region has become one of the leading centers for the biotechnology industry. An integral part of that growth is San Diego's Reno Contracting, founded in 1993 by CEO Matt Reno. The general contractor has been a major contributor in San Diego's biotech, commercial and retail building growth. Walt Fegley, president of Reno Contracting, noted that his company has been at the forefront in biotech because "we have the preconstruction, technical and building experience to deliver complex projects on time and on budget."
As the old saying goes, there is safety in numbers. When a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company hires Fish & Richardson, it is hiring a 130-year old law firm with almost 500 attorneys, including 80 who have Ph.D.s, 12 offices worldwide, the experience of a firm that files 5,400 patent applications annually and handles more patent litigation than any other law firm in the world, and the expertise that will keep a company's inventions and business interests safe and secure.
Oncologists at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla are hoping to stave off advanced lung cancer by treating patients with a novel kind of cancer vaccine. While many vaccines attempt to pump up the immune system to fight off a cancer, the new vaccine, Lucanix, is genetically engineered to also trick the cancer into turning off its immune system-suppressing activities.
As the volume of global patent filings rises, patent offices around the world continue to face increasing patent administration demands. Currently, applicants for U.S. biotechnology and organic chemistry patents can expect an average of close to two years before a first action by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and a total average patent application pendency of close to three years. As part of an effort to address the challenges presented by such backlog, on Sept. 22, the USPTO announced the establishment of a one-year Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program between the USPTO and the European Patent Office (EPO), effective Sept. 29.
For nearly 20 years, Prevost Construction has played a key role in the biotech industry by offering a highly specialized approach to the construction process, by combining its deep understanding of these complex facilities with its ability to perform cost-effective tenant improvements in the remodeling of existing facilities.
At a time when many commercial real estate sectors are slowing, the San Diego County life sciences market continues to grow with biotechnology and market research ranking among the region's top performing industry sectors.
In 2004, the voters of California approved Proposition 71, which provided $3 billion dollars over 10 years to support stem cell research not funded by the federal government. Since then, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has made two moves affecting businesses: finalizing rules regulating the intellectual property (IP) rights of for-profit grantees of CIRM funds ("rules") in December 2007, and approving an outline of a plan to set aside $500 million in loan funds for companies on Sept. 25. Now that IP rights are clearer and funds are becoming available, how do San Diego stem cell-focused companies make the decision as to whether or not to apply for CIRM funds?
Carlsbad-based Synteract was founded in 1995 by Ellen Morgan, the president and CEO of the company, who won the Athena Pinnacle award for the services industry this year and by Russ Holmes, the executive vice president.
San Diego-based Confirm BioSciences manufactures and distributes the kind of products that bring either peace of mind or confirmation of a suspicion for many parents of teenagers across the country -- diagnostics test kits such as HairConfirm that discreetly test for drugs using a hair follicle, thereby eliminating the need for arguments and trips to a laboratory.
Carlsbad-based Invitrogen Corp. (Nasdaq: IVGN) has filed a patent lawsuit against Oxford Biomedical Research Inc. and Vanderbilt University in the U.S. District Court in western Wisconsin.
While a room full of scientists and academics gathered this morning to recognize University of California San Diego Professor Roger Tsien for winning a Nobel Prize, he recognized jellyfish.
Recent judicial action along with some changes in the patent office have begun to weaken the U.S. patent system, according to a panel of intellectual property experts hosted by Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear last week.
Global healthcare company Cardinal Health announced plans Monday to spin-off its clinical and medical products businesses as a separate public company to be based in San Diego.
An awards luncheon Tuesday by Qualcomm Inc. highlighted the company’s growing interest in combining its wireless technology with the medical and life science fields.
Leading pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) has reportedly leased property in University Towne Center for its West Coast biotech center.
San Diego Tech Coast Angels, a member of the largest angel network in the United States, announced that Tech Coast Angels and Life Science Angels have partnered to close a Series A financing for Amplyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Menlo Park-based drug development company focused on creating best-in-class small molecule drugs.
According to Alan Hammond, chief intellectual property counsel for San Diego biotech company Invitrogen (Nasdaq: IVGN), in the mid-1970s, roughly 20 percent of all market value was in intangible property, including assets like intellectual property. Today, that number is roughly 80 percent.
What lifestyle changes would you make today if you knew you had a predisposition for heart disease? Would you exercise more? Eliminate "double bacon," "double shot" and "extra cheese" from your eating and drinking lexicon? What about stress? Would you find ways to simplify things, to spend less time in the trenches and more time enjoying life with family and friends?
Long known for its genetic analysis business, San Diego-based Sequenom is hoping to soon cash in on a second endeavor.
In mid-August, the employees of NuVasive (Nasdaq: NUVA) finished up moving into another new office site. The company was previously in La Jolla and Miramar, and most recently moved to a two-building site overlooking Sorrento Valley, with plans for a third building in the works.
Learn about innovations and trends in San Diego’s thriving biotech and life science industries.
Take an in-depth look at San Diego's vibrant life sciences sector with our annual publication, Inside Biotech.
Explore the latest technologies, newest medical and drug discoveries, financing, IP issues and more.
The Daily Transcript takes an in-depth look at the biotech sector, including financing, educational needs and the latest research coming out of local companies.
This special report takes an in-depth look at the biotech sector of our local economy. We'll discuss what's going on in the biotech arena from many angles and explore the latest technologies used in drug discovery. We'll also review the latest intellectual property news.
The Women's Business Center of California Business to Business Expo is all about women-owned businesses showcasing their products and services to other women and the business community at large. The event will be held Thursday, Oct. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at National University, 9388 Lightwave Ave.
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