The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research blazes new trails in bioscience. The organization, funded by both the public and private sectors, investigates such diseases as Parkinson's and cancer and dives into the depths of biology, genomics, and genetics to gain new understanding about disease and health. The Whitehead Institute contributed to the international effort to map the human genome, and is actively researching stem cells. Other achievements include discovering a system for multiplying adult stem cells and creating the first genetically defined human cancer cell. The institute was founded in 1982 by philanthropist Edwin "Jack" Whitehead and draws researchers from MIT.

AVI BioPharma, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Corvallis, Oregon. AVI BioPharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery and development of therapeutic products based on antisense and cancer immunotherapy technology. The company's products under various development stages comprise AVI-4658, a Phase I human clinical trial product to restore, prevent, or slow deterioration of muscle function; AVI-5038, a preclinical stage product to skip exon 50 and restore a range of associated mutations; AVI-5126, a Phase II clinical trial product for the treatment of cardiovascular restenosis; and AVI-6002 and AVI6003, which are in Phase I clinical trials to treat diseases caused by Dengue, Ebola, Marburg, and Junín viruses. It has strategic alliances with Chiron Corporation; Cook Group Incorporated; Ercole Biotech, Inc.; Eleos Inc.; Charley's Fund, Inc.; and the United States Department of Defense.

Rx for Africa Inc., formerly Diamond Entertainment Corporation, doing business as e-DMEC, markets and sells a variety of digital video disc (DVD) and videocassette titles to the budget home video and DVD market. The Company's DVD and videocassette titles include certain public domain programs and certain licensed programs. Public domain programs are video titles that are not subject to copyright protection. Licensed programs are programs that have been licensed by DMEC from a third party for duplication and distribution, generally on a non-exclusive basis. DMEC markets its video programs to national and regional mass merchandisers, department stores, drug stores, supermarkets and other similar retail outlets. Its video and DVD products are also offered by consignment arrangements through one mail order catalog company and one retail chain. On May 4, 2007, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Diamond Entertainment Acquisition, Inc., acquired Rx for Africa, Inc. through a merger.

Sandoz, Inc. makes it easier to swallow the cost of prescription medicines. As the US arm of Swiss giant Novartis' generic Sandoz International division, the firm is one of the largest generic drug makers in the US, manufacturing more than 200 generic oral-dosage drugs. Sandoz's product portfolio includes drugs to fight infections, arthritis pain, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders, and central nervous system disorders. Sandoz markets its products to wholesalers, drug stores, government agencies, HMOs, and hospitals. Sandoz company operates three manufacturing facilities in the US.

Aldagen's work stems from the need for tissue repair. The biopharmaceutical company develops cell regeneration therapies using adult stem cells. It uses a proprietary technology that isolates an enzyme known as aldehyde dehydrogenase, or ALDH, which it believes can target a number of diseases. Aldagen hopes its products will be used to treat hereditary metabolic diseases in children, leukemia, and cardiovascular diseases; all its drugs are in the development stage. The company does its own manufacturing and plans to do its own marketing. Venture capital firm Intersouth Partners holds about 42% of Aldagen, which filed an IPO in late 2009. The company is led by CEO W. Thomas Amick.

GlaxoSmithKline S.p.A. (GSK Italy), the Italian unit of global pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. GSK Italy promotes and sells the therapeutic products of its parent company in the Italian market. The company also makes antibiotics, vaccines, and other injectable drugs at its manufacturing facilities in Parma and Verona, and it has a Milan-based division that sells consumer health care products and over-the-counter drugs. In addition, GSK Italy boasts a research and development unit in Verona that targets neurological drug development, including treatments for depression, addiction, schizophrenia, and sleep disorders.

Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing novel small molecule drugs for the treatment of diseases with high unmet need, including cancer and HIV infection. Its pipeline includes clinical and pre-clinical product candidates with mechanisms of action and novel chemical structures. The company's product candidates in clinical development include Azixa (MPC-6827), which is under Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme and metastatic melanoma; MPC-4326 for HIV-1 infection under Phase IIb clinical trial; and MPC-3100, a Phase I clinical trial product candidate for cancer treatment. Its products in preclinical programs comprise MPI-443803, an orally available, brain penetrant, microtubule destabilizing agent for the treatment of cancer; and MPI-461359, an orally available maturation inhibitor for the treatment of HIV-1 infection, as well as MPI-479605 for the treatment of cancer. The company also offers ProNet, a proprietary database of protein-protein interactions, which encompasses interactions between approximately 10 million protein fragments constructed from various organ tissues, including heart, brain, kidney, liver, breast, and prostate. Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Apotex Inc. company is Canada's leading generic drugmaker, producing some 300 generic drugs in thousands of varying dosages and formulations. Its product line includes generic equivalents of Merck's Claritin (allergy medication) and Pfizer's Norvasc (hypertension). Apotex markets its drugs throughout Canada and the US, as well as in about 115 other countries in the Asia/Pacific region, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Apotex company also has a manufacturing agreement with The Harvard Drug Group.

MerseyBIO is an incubator for young biotechnology businesses. Backed by the University of Liverpool and National Health Service, the company provides office and laboratory space, as well as business, investment, and technical support services to biotechnology entrepreneurs. MerseyBIO, which can incubate up to 15 biotechnology businesses, also networks its member biotechnology companies with other biotechnology firms and resources around the world. Provexis plc became the first flotation of a MerseyBIO-based company.

Peplin, Inc. company is developing drugs aimed at treating potentially cancerous skin conditions. Its lead drug candidate, a topical gel, is intended to serve as a less-costly alternative to surgical treatments for a common pre-cancerous skin condition known as actinic keratosis (AK). Derived from a plant known as petty spurge or radium weed, the product will be used to treat AK (characterized by rough patches of skin resulting from excessive exposure to sunlight) before it develops into skin cancer. Peplin was acquired by pharmaceutical giant LEO Pharma in late 2009 for $285 million.

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