The latest pacts from the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Scottsdale, AZ (Aug. 20)— AstraZeneca (London) selected Axway's "Synchrony" supply-chain integrity suite to enable track-and-trace as part of product safety data management (PSDM) initiative. AstraZeneca's PSDM initiative implements a global infrastructure and strategy across multiple packaging lines and production sites. The initial scope of PSDM includes 25 packaging lines and 12 worldwide sites, not including the US sites or supply chain.

Deerfield, IL and London (Aug. 16)— Baxter International announced that its subsidiary in the United Kingdom entered into an advanced supply agreement with the UK Department of Health that contains an option to purchase pandemic influenza vaccine in the event that the World Health Organization declares a pandemic. Baxter will manufacture its pandemic vaccine in a serum-free, vero cell-based system at a cell-culture vaccine facility.

London (Aug. 20)— Chi-Med's Hutchison MediPharma R&D Limited (Hutchison MediPharma) entered into a drug-discovery and development agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, IN). Lilly and Hutchison MediPharma will initially collaborate on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical agents focused on targets in oncology and inflammation. Hutchison MediPharma will assume primary responsibility for the discovery phase activities necessary for the identification and selection of several clinical candidates, and Lilly will be responsible for ongoing technical advice and the subsequent Investigational New Drug filing and clinical development of these candidates

Billerica, MA (Aug. 15)— Millipore expanded its agreement with Novo Nordisk to provide the biopharmaceutical market with recombinant human insulin, a key cell-culture supplement used to manufacture biologic drugs. Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore will have exclusive worldwide rights to market and sell Novo Nordisk's recombinant human insulin, branded by Millipore as "Incelligent SG" and "Incelligent AF," for cell-culture media applications.

Research Triangle Park, NC (Aug. 14)— Icagen signed a worldwide collaboration and licensing agreement with Pfizer (New York) for the discovery, development, and commercialization of compounds that modulate three specific sodium ion channels. Pfizer will provide $38 million to Icagen during the first two years of the collaboration, including a license fee of $12 million, as much as $15 million through an equity commitment, and research and development funding. The equity commitment comprises a $5-million initial investment in Icagen common stock on the effective date of the agreement and an equity put option that would permit Icagen to sell as much as $10 million of common stock to Pfizer at fair market value during the first 18 months following the signing of the agreement. In addition, Icagen is eligible to receive $359 million in research, development, regulatory, and commercialization milestones for each product.

The ion channel targets of the collaboration help generate electrical signals in nerve fibers that mediate the initiation, transmission, and sensation of pain. Icagen identified compounds that have demonstrated efficacy in pain models during preclinical studies. Icagen also accumulated intellectual property in this area that includes several promising compounds that target sodium channels.