Nature Publishing Group and Biocentury launch joint publication

The publisher of Nature, the world’s most prestigious science journal, and Biocentury, a leading provider of intelligence on the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, have joined hands to create a publication that provides timely analysis of translational research that will impact the pharma and biotech industry.

“SciBX…. unites the scientific acumen of NPG with the business intelligence of BioCentury Publications to provide timely, concise, and understandable analysis of the scientific content and commercial potential of the most important translational research papers with the potential to transform human therapeutics and diagnostics”

Nature, the world’s leading science journal, has a long and illustrious history extending back to its foundation in 1869. Until 1992, there was only one journal Nature, but in less than two decades the portfolio of Nature-branded journals has expanded to over 30 titles in the life sciences, biopharma, chemistry, physical sciences and clinical medicine (see www.nature.com). Among the newest titles to be launched by Nature Publishing Group (NPG), publisher of Nature, is a unique publication for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, investors, government and academia produced jointly by NPG and Biocentury Publications, a US West Coast publisher highly respected for its newsletters, databases and events. BioCentury is recognized as the essential provider of independent, informed business intelligence that regularly affects decisions made by bioindustry leaders and investors throughout the world. BioCentury's mission is to provide value-added information and analysis for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, investors, academia and government on the strategic issues essential to the formation, development and sustainability of biopharmaceutical ventures.

NPG has long had had a presence in the biopharma sector. Nature Biotechnology re-launched from the former Bio/Technology in 1996 is a must read for the biotech industry and all those interested in biotechnology. More recently, in 2002, NPG launched Nature Reviews Drug Discovery to cater for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and this jourmal has quickly become widely respected in both industry and academia. SciBx: Science-Business eXchange is the latest addition to the biopharma division of NPG.

SciBX is a weekly publication that unites the scientific acumen of NPG with the business intelligence of BioCentury Publications to provide timely, concise, and understandable analysis of the scientific content and commercial potential of the most important translational research papers with the potential to transform human therapeutics and diagnostics
SciBX is staffed by an experienced global team of researchers, analysts and writers. By using the established best practices of both companies to identify and evaluate high-quality scientific research and provide commercial context via industry-shaping reporting and analysis supported by in-house databases, SciBX provides a unique service.

Each week the editors of NPG, headed by Gaspar Taroncher-Oldenburg, former scientific editor of Nature Biotechnology, scan the literature for scientific papers of relevance and interest to the target audience of SciBx. Then, together with the editors of Biocentury, led by Karen Bernstein, co-founder of Biocentury and Editor & Editor-in-Chief of BioCentury, they distill the flood of life sciences literature down to the 25 key scientific developments of the week, and provide in-depth analysis of the most important findings. SciBX thereby provides a unique scientific and commercial perspective on today's breakthrough science.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and the financial community, are being driven to make strategic and investment decisions further and further upstream in the value chain. These decisions concern translational science—the early high-risk work required to create commercial value from new science and technology—and focus on which therapeutic approaches, product pipelines and technology platforms justify continued and future investment. This decision-making pressure is further exacerbated by the accelerating pace and diversity of medical research and the rapidly changing commercial landscape. Understanding the scientific and business context surrounding each piece of new research is the key to lowering the risk associated with these decisions.

SciBX provides a solution by providing a timely, comprehensive and understandable analysis of the most promising science and technology from a science and business perspective. By providing the scientific context, commercial impact and critical next steps for the most promising research on a weekly basis, decision makers and knowledge-management systems are empowered like never before.

SciBX enables:
• Management of business/investment risk
• Identification of new projects/assets for investment
• Identification of new partners and emerging competition
• Identification of enabling technology
• Validation of existing technology and research strategy
• More efficient knowledge management

Here is a typical table of contents drawn from the 30 July issue to give a flavour of what SciBx publishes:

A double knockout against malaria   
American and Australian researchers have designed a genetically attenuated Plasmodium falciparum that could enable a vaccine to arrest the malaria parasite's route to increasing pathogenicity. The vaccine will enter Phase I/IIa testing early next year.
 
TOMMorrow's AD marker     
The scientist who first detected APOE's role in Alzheimer's disease has now formed a company, Zinfandel Pharmaceuticals, to pursue a new target he thinks is a key contributor to AD-a mitochondrial protein called TOMM40.

Signaling insulin resistance in obesity  
Monash University researchers have made a case for PEDF as a missing link between obesity and insulin resistance that leads to diabetes. However, the adipose-secreted cytokine has many biological roles, which could make it difficult for scientists to develop an inhibitor that only alters PEDF's insulin-resistance effects in obesity.
 
Targeting toxic RNA     
University of Rochester scientists have used an antisense molecule to reverse muscular defects in a mouse model of the most common form of adult muscular dystrophy. The approach may be applicable to other diseases that are characterized by expanded RNA repeats


SciBX is now available as a full text html site for institutions keen to provide access via a sitewide license. For librarians serving academic and corporate research institutions, the new html site is integrated with the familiar services provided through www.nature.com and the Cover Story articles can be viewed without charge for a limited time.
 
View the full text SciBX html site and to learn more about SciBx please visit www.nature.com/scibx/index.html

All SciBX articles have been integrated into BioCentury's Business Intelligence Platform via the newly upgraded BioCentury Archives 4.0. Individual subscribers and group accounts who receive the PDF version now can combine the entire BioCentury family of publications to conduct product, competitive and investment analysis.

View SciBX PDFs and the BioCentury Archives 4.0 at www.biocentury.com/BCApp/BioCenturyCommon/BCPublications.aspx?ss=5