Since December 2001, only two privately held antibody firms have raised more than $15 million in a round of financing. Moreover, the older public companies founded on the promise of disruptive antibody development technologies, principally Abgenix and Medarex with fully human antibodies, and Human Genome Sciences with its antibody-driven genomics discovery science, have yet to validate those platforms through successful clinical product development. Even antibody humanization specialist Protein Design Labs, which has marketed antibody products from which it's getting royalties, is still selling for not much more than its cash value. Yet despite a fall-off in investments in this core area of biotech drug development, VCs still say antibodies will provide a range of successful new therapies.

Japanese firm says it will end SHP647 development after trying unsuccessfully to find takers for GI drug similar to its blockbuster Entyvio, first flagged by European authorities over competition worries.

The Environmental Working Group and US PIRG suggest that beauty and personal-care firms should avoid using talc in loose powders, if not all cosmetic products, and that the US FDA should consider banning the ingredient due to the potential for asbestos contamination, among other concerns.