Genentech asks for Avastin hearing

Biotechs to U.S. attorney general: Save us from Microsoft

Research Track: UCSF finds new source of immune cells

Corcept Cushing's Syndrome drug does well in late-stage trial

Gilead kills late-stage IPF drug study

Xoma's Xombies: Traders come back to life

UC system, BioTime in stem-cell deal

Xoma shares rocket on diabetes drug research report

Aryx Therapeutics saves money by firing everyone

Novartis moving infectious disease unit HQ from Mass. to Emeryville

Gilead to buy Palo Alto's Arresto, IPF antibody drug maker, for $225M

QB3 looks to spark 'dry kindling' - now if only there was state money involved

New QB3 entrepreneur-in-residence program linking 'Bob Swansons with our Herb Boyers'

Exelixis cuts to the bone to fund pursuit of cancer drug

InterMune lung drug nears EU approval

Gladstone-led HIV prevention study tops Time list

Research Track: Looking under the hood of Bay Area's research centers

Rescinding Avastin: View from the web

FDA rescinds approval of Genentech's Avastin in breast cancer

Genentech's Avastin back in front of FDA for breast cancer decision

Klein to lead California's stem cell agency for up to 6 months

Merck to make lupus drug for Anthera

Vote for me for CIRM chair!

SF's Mission Bay coming of age

California controller: Suspend process of selecting chair of stem cell agency

PacBio: Targeting disease just a small sequence in time

Cytokinetics steps forward with drug to treat ALS symptoms

Pleasanton lab equipment firm QuantaLife raises $17M

Combo of Genentech's Herceptin, Pertuzumab antibody, chemo shown effective vs. early-stage breast cancer

Roche/Genentech plots new pathway into schizophrenia market

InSite eyes FDA approval for two-drug study

Study data helps Genomic Health advances prostate cancer test

Out of stealth, Sequenta grabs $13M

Faster, cheaper and finer DNA sequencing — and a big investment from some well-known venture capital and angel investment names — is positioning an early-stage molecular diagnostics company in San Francisco’s Mission Bay to offer a test providing a much earlier peek at immune system problems.

StemCells wins OK for spinal cord trial

A Swiss researcher will lead a Phase I/II trial using neural stem cells from Palo Alto's StemCells Inc. to repair spinal cord injuries that are less than a year old.

Cancer study boosts Genentech's Rituxan

Some blood cancer patients could use Genentech Inc.’s venerable drug Rituxan earlier to hold the cancer at bay and even shrink tumors.

Life sciences chip developer Fluidigm files for $86M IPO

Fluidigm Corp., a South San Francisco company that makes microfluidic systems for the life science and agricultural biotech markets, filed paperwork for an $86.25 million initial public offering.

Klein tabbed by Schwarzenegger to lead CIRM, again

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated Robert Klein to lead California's stem cell research funding agency for another six-year term.
The nomination is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga revolving around the lay leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a semi-independent agency that could award as much as $3 billion for stem cell research.
Schwarzenegger is one of four executive officers of the state — along with Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Controller John Chiang — to nominate candidates for the chair position. A decision could be made by the board at its Dec. 15 meeting at Stanford University.

GE, UCSF technology IDs aggressive tumors

Technology developed out of a partnership between the University of California, San Francisco, and GE Healthcare is giving prostate cancer patients a real-time look into the aggressiveness of their tumors, potentially changing the course of treatment and lowering health care costs.
The technology, now in an early-stage trial at UCSF's Mission Bay campus, could reduce the time it takes to diagnose prostate cancer and prevent some of the roughly 200,000 men diagnosed each year with the disease from undergoing surgery that may not be necessary.

Report: Stem cell agency chair candidate withdraws

A handpicked candidate to head California's stem cell research funding agency has reportedly withdrawn from consideration.
Alan Bernstein, who outgoing California Institute for Regenerative Medicine chair Robert Klein was pushing to lead the agency as executive chairman, withdrew his nomination, according to the California Stem Cell Report blog.
Klein would not confirm that Bernstein had withdrawn. “That’s possible,” he said, adding that he was waiting for a call from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office regarding the governor’s nomination for chair.

Hana Biosciences digs in to new Talon name

What’s in a name? For the newly dubbed Talon Therapeutics Inc., it’s all about the independent claws.

CIRM leaders push Canadian for chairman post

Backroom politics could vault a relatively unknown and unqualified nominee to the top of the list to head California’s $3 billion stem cell research funding agency, according to a longtime member of the board overseeing the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Pearl Therapeutics COPD drug passes test

A mid-stage trial of Pearl Therapeutics Inc.’s combination therapy to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is helping the company and COPD patients breathe easier.