Collaborations and acquisitions

BT Catalyst, July-August, 2005

Adherex Technologies of Durham has in-licensed GlaxoSmithKline's oncology product, eniluracil, while GSK has taken an option on Adherex's lead biotechnology compound, Exherin[TM].

The acquisition of Wilmington-based aaiPharma's pharmaceutical division by Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals of Florence, Ky., has been approved by the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Salix Pharmaceuticals of Raleigh announced plans in June to acquire In-Kine Pharmaceutical of Blue Bell, Pa., for about $190 million in stock.

SAS of Cary, the Constella Group of Durham, Datatrak International of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, and etrials Worldwide of Morrisville have formed a Life Sciences Network that will provide software and services to help companies collect, manage, integrate and analyze their data.

AlphaVax of Research Triangle Park has assumed direct responsibility for vaccine-manufacturing operations using Greer's vaccine production facility in Lenoir.

PPD of Wilmington has signed an agreement to exclusively license to Duke University the development rights to PPD's patented portfolio of geranylgeranyl transferase (GGTase) inhibitor compounds.

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, in collaboration with Edwards Lifesciences of Irvine, Calif., has initiated a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the safety of a novel therapeutic gene transfer compound in the treatment of critical limb ischemia.

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals of Research Triangle Park has retained Merchant-Taylor International of Encinitas, Calif., to provide strategic guidance and regulatory services with respect to clinical advancement of AEOL 10150 and other compounds as they are moved toward clinical development. Aeolus also has retained McManus & Co. of Laguna Niguel, Calif., for accounting and administrative activities and

ThinkEquity Partners of San Francisco to advise and assist it in identifying and evaluating strategic opportunities.

Trimeris of Morrisville and Chem-Bridge Research Laboratories of San Diego have signed a collaborative agreement to discover and develop small molecule entry inhibitors of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).