Hepatitis C Treatment
Quote of the Week
"People call it the People's Republic of Cambridge—it's a hotbed for
free thought."
TIMOTHY J. MCDERMOTT, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, PFIZER CAMBRIDGE NORTH. – p. 20
May 3, 2010
In This Issue:
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Highlights
Cover Story
Hepatitis C
Imminent approval of small-molecule drugs may completely change treatment of the disease. (pp. 12-17)
Government & Policy
Obama's Energy Plan Stirs Mixed Reaction (Member Content)
Offshore drilling is being used as a political chip in an effort to secure a climate deal. (pp. 32-33)
Science & Technology
Time For Tau (Member Content)
Long overshadowed by amyloid-β, tau protein is gaining ground as a therapeutic target in alzheimer's disease. (pp. 36-39)
Table of Contents
Cover Story
The Waiting Game pp. 12-17
In the next year, the expected approval of small molecules targeting hepatitis C will usher in a new era in treatment.
Alternative Interferons Web Exclusive
Small molecules aren't the only new drugs in development to treat hepatitis C.
News Of The Week
Earnings Jump In First Quarter p. 7
Recovery: Return of consumer demand brings chemical results closer to prerecession level.
Biotech Alfalfa Ban Questioned p. 8
Biotechnology: Supreme Court hears first case involving a genetically modified crop.
Breaking Up Biofilms p. 8
Microbiology: Amino acids dismantle bacterial communities.
Charles River To Acquire WuXi p. 9
Contract Services: $1.6 billion deal creates an integrated drug discovery and clinical development services company.
New Editor For Organometallics p. 9
Publishing: Texas A&M's John Gladysz succeeds journal's founding editor.
Renewing America Competes Act p. 10
Legislation: House committee clears bill to continue investment in science, innovation, and education.
Academy Elects New Members p. 10
Honors: Ninety scientists join the ranks of the National Academy of Sciences.
Creating Fuel From Water p. 11
Sustainable Energy: New materials aim to improve the path to dihydrogen.
Eastman Aims To Sell Its Polyester Unit p. 11
Plastics: A sale would complete the firm's exit from the PET business.
Business
Big Pharma Comes To Town pp. 20-24 (Member Content)
When in Cambridge, major drug companies play by Cambridge rules in a quest for breakthroughs.
Novartis Postdoc Program Takes An Academic Track Web Exclusive
Researchers gaining exposure to industrial science are encouraged to publish.
Making It Here pp. 26-28 (Member Content)
Some small custom chemical companies survive the recession and defy the move offshore.
Business Concentrates pp. 18-19 (Member Content)
- Evonik Picks Saudi Arabia For Superabsorbents
- Evonik Industries has signed a letter of intent to build a superabsorbent polymers facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia...
- LyondellBasell Ready To Leave Bankruptcy
- A Manhattan bankruptcy court has given LyondellBasell Industries the go-ahead to emerge from bankruptcy on April 30...
- BASF And IBM Claim New Plating Chemistry
- BASF has created what it calls an advanced copper-plating chemistry for semiconductor manufacturing...
- Cleantech Companies Attract Investors
- Biocatalyst developer Codexis sold 6 million shares for $13.00 per share in an initial public offering, raising $78 million...
- Solutia Exits One Line, Expands Another
- Beginning in the second half of the year, Solutia will stop making the rubber chemicals known as primary accelerators at its site in Antwerp, Belgium...
- Wacker Starts Up More Polysilicon
- Wacker Chemie has opened more polycrystalline silicon manufacturing capacity at its complex in Berghausen, Germany...
- Celanese Eyes Closure Of U.K. Acetate Plant
- Celanese is planning the closure of its cellulose acetate plant in Spondon, England...
- Kraton Adds Rubber Facility In Ohio
- Kraton Performance Polymers plans to spend $27 million on its Belpre, Ohio, facility to add production of polyisoprene rubber for U.S. medical industry customers...
- Mitra Biotech Launches In India
- Bangalore, India-based Mitra Biotech has snagged funding and a partner in its first days of business...
- Merck To Shutter New Jersey Sites
- Merck & Co. plans to close three sites in New Jersey as part of a consolidation following its 2009 acquisition of Schering-Plough...
- Executives Change At Bayer Units
- Bayer has named new executives to head its CropScience and HealthCare groups...
- Biotage Acquires MIP Technologies
- Biotage has acquired MIP Technologies, a privately held developer of molecularly imprinted polymers. Both firms are based in Sweden...
- Purdue Research Parks to Close Chao Center
- Purdue Research Parks is closing the Chao Center for Industrial Pharmacy & Contract Manufacturing, in West Lafayette, Ind...
- Business Roundup
- H. B. Fuller, Sasol, AkzoNobel, Novozymes, Perstorp, GE Power & Water, Sigma-Aldrich Fine Chemicals, Avecia Biotechnology, Bruker, Anacor Pharmaceuticals...
Meetings
NORM/RMRM 2010 p. 49 (Member Content)
Conference will include sessions on solar energy, biofuels, and fuel-cell technology.
2010 C&EN Calendar Web Exclusive
C&EN's latest list of meetings and events of interest to those in the chemical community is for May through December.
Employment
Biotech Trajectories pp. 50-52
Large-molecule research is a warm spot for chemists in today’s chilly job market.
Government & Policy
Obama's Energy Plan Stirs Mixed Reaction pp. 30-33 (Member Content)
Offshore drilling is being used as a political chip in an effort to secure a climate deal.
Government & Policy Concentrates p. 29 (Member Content)
- OSHA Toughens Penalties
- OSHA announced the creation of a new “severe violator enforcement program,” requiring more frequent and targeted inspections and higher fines...
- CSB Seeks Advice On Safe Substitutes
- The Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is seeking public input on the design of a congressionally mandated study...
- Army Destroys Recovered Chemical Warfare Material
- The Army says it has completed disposal work on “nonstockpile” chemical weapon-related materials that were declared when the U.S. joined the Chemical Weapons Convention...
- NIH Approves Additional Stem Cell Lines
- NIH has made 13 additional human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federally funded research...
- Health Effects Of Climate Change
- Numerous health consequences are occurring or will occur as a result of climate change, according to a report released by an interagency working group...
» more government & policy news...
ACS Comment
ACS Speaker Service Changes p. 43 (Member Content)
ACS News
Reach Out In Advance Of The International Year Of Chemistry pp. 45-46
Chemists can gear up for the celebration by getting involved in upcoming outreach activities.
International Chapters p. 47
Chemists abroad can find an ACS community in their own backyard—or they can form their own.
Social Networking And C&EN
You can now follow C&EN on Facebook. Become a fan and track the latest news and discussions at facebook.com/CENews.
Science & Technology
Time For Tau pp. 36-39 (Member Content)
Long overshadowed by amyloid-β, tau protein is gaining ground as a therapeutic target in alzheimer's disease.
The Science Of Feeding Soldiers pp. 40-41
Chemical innovations make tasty battlefield meals, ready-to-eat. With Video
Enzyme's Active Site Sighted pp. 40-42
Methane monooxygenase may use dicopper center to make methanol.
Science & Technology Concentrates pp. 34-35 (Member Content)
- Testosterone’s Manly Role
- New details are out on how sex hormones affect masculine physiology at an early age.
- Stick-To-Itiveness Underemphasized In Drug Design
- Stony Brook chemists say the time a drug remains bound to its target needs closer scrutiny.
- Blood Lead Levels Ebb After Hurricanes
- Flooding in New Orleans after Katrina and Rita reduced lead in soils—and by extension in children.
- Frosty Asteroid Leaks Water Into Space
- An asteroid between Mars and Jupiter is unexpectedly covered in water ice and organic compounds.
- Deoxofluorination Reagents Proliferate
- Fluorine Chemistry: New generation of safer compounds will benefit pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.
- Nanopowders Improve Iron Bioavailability
- Novel materials are a promising means of fortifying foods without changing the color or taste.
- Methyl Lactate From Sugar, Catalytically
- One-pot acid-catalyzed process offers an alternative to standard fermentation processing.
- Nanoruthenium Readily Reduces Aromatics
- Stabilizing Ru(0) nanoclusters within a zeolite framework permits solventless hydrogenations.
» more science & technology news...
This Week Online
Reel Science
"Survival of the Dead"
Inspired by the latest George A. Romero flick, Reel Science explores the science of zombies.
» read more...
Editor's Page
C&EN In The Blogosphere p. 3
The Departments
Letters pp. 4-5
Newscripts p. 56
Really Hot Drink, Centenarian Canines
ACS Meeting News
More On The Meeting
View all of our news coverage from the national meeting in San Francisco in one place at www.cen-online.org/acs/meetings_news.html.
CENtral Science
» News, notes, and musings from C&EN
Check out some of the recent posts from C&EN's blog, "C&ENtral Science"
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