Astellas is to close down a small research subsidiary in the US by the end of this year, as it looks to control costs and rationalise its corporate R&D effort.

Regulatory risk and a mature market for some indications have driven Big Pharma players from the gastrointestinal space. That signals possible biotech opportunity. In this issue, we profile Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Genetic Analysis, Meritage Pharma and Ventrus Biosciences.

Crunched credit wiped out many biotech firms in 2009, yet some emerged from the wreckage leaner and stronger. How did they do it, asks Dr Sukaina Virji-Jeganathan.

Alnara Pharmaceuticals, a US company developing non-systemic orally delivered protein therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic diseases, has appointed Dr Lee Brettman to the newly created position of chief medical officer. He has almost 20 years' pharmaceutical industry leadership experience; before joining Alnara, Dr Brettman was the founder, president and CEO of Dynogen Pharmaceuticals. He has also worked at Oxford Bioscience Partners and Millennium Pharmaceuticals.