Sequencing and Analysis of the Hydra Genome
Chapman, Kirkness et al., Nature
An international research collaboration reports their sequencing and analysis of the Hydra magnipapillata genome, and compare it to the genomes of several other organisms. "The Hydra genome has been shaped by bursts of transposable element expansion, horizontal gene transfer, trans-splicing, and simplification of gene structure and gene content that parallel simplification of the Hydra life cycle," the authors write. They team suggests that comparisons of the Hydra genome to the reported sequences of other animals have helped them to elucidate the evolution of several of the organism's characteristics.
'Pay for Delay'
July 09, 2009
The EU's competition commissioner issued the final report from investigating the delays in generic drugs coming to the market, reports the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog. The report acknowledged that innovation difficulties and regulation affect the time it takes to get a generic to market and suggested that the EU have a single patent and litigation system. However, the report also calls for keeping a sharper eye on pharmaceutical companies, "particularly the practice known as 'pay for delay', where generic makers strike a deal with branded companies to delay entry of generic competition into the marketplace," the Health Blog says, adding that separate antitrust investigations have begun into generics makers Les Laboratoires Servier and Teva.
