Achillion vs. Actelion More Biotech M&A’s to Come

Last week’s announcement by Swiss drug maker, Roche Holding AG, that it was buying biotech firm InterMune, Inc. for $8.3 billlion sparked speculation by industry watchers about who would be the biotechs that might be involved in the next round of M&As. InterMune makes a drug, Esbriet (pirefnidone) that treats a lung condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Esbriet is approved in Canada and Europe. The drug has the potential to become a blockbuster seller. InterMune’s product would join Roche’s Pulmozyme and Xolair to build up its lung drug portfolio.

A number of names popped up such as Achillion Pharamaceuticals, Actelion, Puma Biotechnology, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, and others. Maybe people heard Achillian but were attracted to similar sounding Actelion.

• Achillion Pharamaceuticals makes Phase II hepatitis C virus (:HCV) candidate, ACH-3102.
• Puma Biotechnology is developing its Phase III breast cancer candidate neratinib, PB272.
• Intercept Pharmaceuticals makes its phase II nonalcoholic steatohepatitis drug, obeticholic acid, OCA.
• Actelion Pharmaceuticals makes a cancer drug to treat a rare form of non-Hodgekin’s lymphoma.

Some in the big pharma side are still holding out hopes of buying a biotech that can make their next blockbuster. So which will it be? Achillion? Actelion? Others? To be sure, we will need wait and see.

British Tech Network and New Products at MacWorld/iWorld 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (HighTech Reports), Moscone North, March 27, 2014 – MacWorld/ iWorld 2014. We watched a panel discussion session at the Second Stage presented by the British Tech Network (BTN) with speaker Paul Wheatley, User Experience Consultant and Host at the BTN. Paul and the panelists talked about the pros and cons of a bigger screen on the current or future iPhone, among other topics. He said that consumers are buying bigger iPhones, but the panel still preferred iPhones with smaller screens because they fit better in men’s pants pockets.

The panelists also talked about two interesting new products that they saw at the expo, BearExtender Edge and the Ring. The BearExtender Edge is long range Wi-Fi repeater/ booster that works with Macs, iPad/iPhone, and other devices (PCs with Wi-FI, other phones or tablets with Wi-Fi). The one-piece Wi-Fi repeater block plugs into an AC outlet and has an antenna that repeats/ boosts the Wi-Fi signal in the area. It does not require software or USB connector.  BearExtender also makes a high power standalone USB Wi-Fi radio adapter with an external antenna that increases the range of a Mac’s Wi-Fi signal by nearly four times that of an internal AirPort card. It adds Wi-Fi to older Macs or Windows PCs that do not have a built-in Wi-Fi adapter.

Paul and the panel were very intrigued by a new product called the Ring from Logbar, Inc., a San Carlos, California-based company.  It is a wearable technology product that fits on a finger as a finger ring.  The new Kickstarter funded device transmits hand movements or gestures to an iPhone or other Bluetooth enabled devices. The Ring works as an in-the-air pointing device that drew a largish crowd around its booth. A spokesperson from the Asian firm that is making the device suggested that the Ring is still in beta-test.

MacWorld/iWorld 2014 Returns to Moscone North

SAN FRANCISCO (HighTech Reports), Moscone North, March 27, 2014 – MacWorld/ iWorld 2014. It was refreshing to see that MacWorld/ iWorld returned to Moscone North, MacWorld’s former location of years ago. There were around 30,000 attendees at this year’s MacWorld. The exhibit floor seemed bigger than last year and highlighted more booths that we visited. We spent some time in the MacIT room where companies that had booths gave presentations. While there, we learned about products from Printer Logic, Lantronix, Absolute Software, Parallels, and Crash Plan.

Printer Logic sells an enterprise software app that attaches to Windows 2008R file server. The app replaces print server boxes in the enterprise. A license for up to 50 printers costs $5,000. The spokesperson said that most users have 25-30 printers. Each client driver for Mac/Windows PCs links to the printer app via Wi-Fi that scales very big in the enterprise. For example, the Department of Homeland Security used its service to reduce support calls for print servers that went down. The app solution was more efficient and saved the client money.

Absolute Software makes software that helps organizations manage all types of computer assets: PCs, laptops, tablets, phones, etc. It helps track the life cycle of all IT equipment assets to end-of-life. For example, the software helps Apple track iTunes content licensee IP assets. The firm’s solution helped the Columbine school track tablets, laptops, and thefts from intruders entering its campus. The company puts a special sticker on devices with a phone number to call if a child gets cyber bullied. The victimized child connects to a caring person to talk to and so forth. Absolute Software is also exploring other vertical markets.