Feature Articles

J&J’s New Path Forward – An Interview With Alex Gorsky / In his last interview before becoming CEO of Johnson & Johnson, Alex Gorsky talks about the changes that J&J has made recently in its medical device business and discusses his upcoming promotion to head of all of J&J. / IN VIVO April 2012

MS Boon: Many Drugs On The Way, But Will Payors Swallow The Cost? / Several new drugs for multiple sclerosis could launch within the next two years, but amid escalating drug costs, payors are taking a harder look at the therapeutic category. New drugs will face increasing reimbursement hurdles, as payors implement the first prior authorization and step therapy protocols and look for ways to implement further cost reductions. / IN VIVO April 2012

Symetis: Well-Positioned Next-Generation TAVI Player / Now among the most promising of an emerging group of second-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) companies, Symetis didn’t start out that way. It began as a cell therapy company, but its initial technology failed. / IN VIVO April 2012

Branded Life After Lipitor: Pharma Targets Unmet Needs In Dyslipidemia / Statins represent a high standard of care for managing high blood cholesterol, bolstered by a strong evidence base, but new targets like PCSK9 and CETP are nevertheless stealing the spotlight nowadays. Whether new drugs, if they make it to market, will be used beyond narrow, targeted population segments is uncertain and will depend on results from large-scale outcomes studies showing significant efficacy and, importantly, reassurance of a solid safety profile. / IN VIVO April 2012

Smaller Players See Opportunity In Large Joints / The business of selling hip and knee implants is dominated by five principal players whose grips have been impossible to break as surgeons have become comfortable working with these market leaders. But health care reform, the sagging economy and other external interferences are putting pressures on hospitals to save money wherever they can, and these pressures could create openings for smaller players. / IN VIVO April 2012

Scant Intersection Between Patient-Centered Outcomes Research And Personalized Medicine’s Needs / On its face, comparative effectiveness research and its new cousin, patient-centered outcomes research, would seem to support, if not enable, personalized medicine. But as currently established in the US, there is little conceptual overlap. / IN VIVO April 2012

Around The Industry

Merck, GSK, J&J Broaden Strategic LP Relationships, External Discovery Initiatives / In the latest examples of biotech VCs and Big Pharma joining forces to prospect for products, Index Ventures announced in March that it had raised a new €150 million life sciences venture fund, Index Life VI, and said that GSK and J&J had committed a combined 50% of the fund’s total capital. Three weeks later Merck said it added early-stage life science venture firm Flagship Ventures to the roster of venture funds it has joined as a limited partner. / IN VIVO April 2012

Covidien Acquisitions Keeps Buying Spree Alive / Since its spin-out from Tyco, Covidien has spent close to $5 billion acquiring public and privately held device companies, with more than $1 billion of that being spent just over the past six months. The string of purchases bulked up every one of Covidien’s existing medical device businesses. / IN VIVO April 2012

How GSK Is Driving Early Stage Research In Its DPUs / Most of GlaxoSmithKline's early stage research organizations, discovery performance units, survive a three-year review cycle, with co-localization, monetary incentives and career support leading a change of culture. / IN VIVO April 2012

St. Jude Tries To Get Ahead Of Questions On Durata ICD Leads / St. Jude Medical hopes an independent analysis of its Optim-insulated Durata leads will address questions from the clinical community based on concerns with its earlier-generation Riata devices. / IN VIVO April 2012

Deals In Depth

Deals In Depth: February 2012 / Pfizer and Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical together invested $545 million to create a Chinese generics joint venture. Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma expanded its cancer pipeline though the acquisition of Boston Biomedical. / IN VIVO April 2012

Emerging Company Profiles

Out Of The Blocks, April 2012 / Brief profiles of these recently formed companies: 3D Biomatrix, ADC Therapeutics, GeneCentric Diagnostics, IDx, InControl Medical and Intrepid Therapeutics. / IN VIVO April 2012

Start Up Previews

Start-Up Previews, April 2012 / This Month's Profile Group, Vaccine Investment Gets A Shot In The Arm, features profiles of Genocea Biosciences, Imaxio, Selecta Biosciences and TremRx. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, Haldor Advanced Technologies and Targovax. / IN VIVO April 2012

On The Move: A Personnel Database

Execs On The Move, April 2012 / Recent executive-level company changes and promotions in the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. / IN VIVO April 2012

Deals Shaping The Medical Industry

Deals Shaping The Medical Industry, April 2012 / The Dealmaking column is a survey of recent transactions, including strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, and financings, in the life sciences industries. Deals are listed by the following industry sectors: in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. / IN VIVO April 2012

Publishers Spotlight

IN³ Medical Device 360° Boston / Publisher’s Spotlight: Elsevier Business Intelligence is pleased to invite you and your team to join us for Investment in Innovation (IN³) Medical Device 360° Conference, being held June 27-29, 2012 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Boston in Boston, MA. / IN VIVO April 2012