BioHistory Moment: Iditarod Trail used to transport diphtheria serum to Nome.

In 1925, a life-or-death race to save the children of Nome from a diphtheria epidemic made an international hero of one sled dog, and led to the creation of Alaska's Iditarod sled dog race. A diphtheria epidemic threatened remotely located Nome, and air transportation was unavailable to transport serum from Anchorage nearly a thousand miles away.

The solution: A relay of dog teams transported serum on the Iditarod Trail from Nenana to Nome, and every village enroute provided its best team and driver for the next leg continually moving the serum toward Nome. Gunnar Kaasen, a Norwegian musher, drove the final two legs into Nome behind his lead dog Balto through a blizzard with 80 mph winds to deliver 300,000 units of diphtheria antitoxin to Dr. Curtis Welch, the only doctor in Nome.

The serum arrived in time, prevented the epidemic and saved hundreds of lives. The 20 mushers had covered nearly 700 miles in slightly more than 127 hours in temperatures of minus40° Fahrenheit below zero and strong winds. The serum run received worldwide press coverage and the mushers received special gold medals and other recognition. In 1926, a statue of Balto, the heroic lead dog, was erected in New York's Central Park.

Learn about Seattle's PNDRI Life Sciences Incubator Building

Learn about biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical facilities available for sale, lease or sublease in Oregon, regionally or nationwide.

Industry News...

Free News Release Posting & Archiving Service


• FDA announces new boxed warning on Plavix  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration added a boxed warning to the anti-blood clotting drug Plavix (clopidogrel), alerting patients and health care professionals that the drug can be less effective in people who cannot metabolize the drug to convert it to its active form.
  FDA  March 12, 2010  
  
  
• Sanofi-aventis and BMS announce important updates to PLAVIX U.S. prescribing info  Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Bristol-Myers Squibb announced revisions to the U.S. prescribing information for PLAVIX(R) (clopidogrel bisulfate), which include a boxed warning.
  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company  March 12, 2010  
  
  
• Ligand announces approval for Revolade(R) in Europe  Ligand Pharmaceuticals announced that GlaxoSmithKline was granted marketing authorization from the European Commission for Revolade(R) for the oral treatment of thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) in adults with the blood disorder chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura.
  Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated  March 12, 2010  
  
  
• Monsanto welcomes chance to participate in Dept. of Justice/Dept. of Agriculture workshop  As part of today's first joint public workshop exploring competition issues in the agriculture industry, Monsanto will participate in a panel discussion about the past, present and future of the seed and trait industry.
  Monsanto Company  March 12, 2010  
  
  
• Medicare establishes reimbursement coverage for Vermillion's OVA1(TM) test  Vermillion announced that Medicare will cover OVA1(TM), a test to help assess the likelihood that an ovarian mass is benign or malignant. Highmark Medicare Services is the CMS contractor that will process Medicare claims for OVA1.
  Vermillion, Inc.  March 12, 2010  
  
  

More... | Submit News Release | Advertising...

New Job Postings...

Free Job Posting Trial Offer

• Laboratory Analyst Bend Research Pharmaceutical Process Development (OR)
• Business Development Associate Integrated Diagnostics, Inc. (WA)
• Manufacturing Chemist Cepheid (WA)
• Corporate Communications Specialist Seattle Genetics, Inc. (WA)
• Senior Research Associate Dendreon Corporation (WA)

More... | Job Advertising... | About Job Postings...

New Facilities Available...

ATC clean room constructors...validation guaranteed!

• 890 Embarcadero Road Property -- West Sacramento, CA
• CompleGen Lab/Office Space -- Seattle, WA
• Life Sciences Incubator -- Seattle, WA
• University of Iowa Oakdale Research Park Biotech Building -- Coralville, IA
• University of Iowa Oakdale Research Park BioVentures Center -- Coralville, IA

More... | Facility Advertising...

Upcoming Events...

• 03/13/2010: Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals: Great Opportunity and Great Challenges
• 03/15/2010: Pharmacovigilance
• 03/16/2010: ORCA Monthly Meeting: Requirements & Best Practices for Management Review (Part 3 of 4 in Medical Device Quality System Series)
• 03/16/2010: Pharma & Biotech Supply Chain Asia 2010
• 03/16/2010: Global health as an Investment Opportunity

More... | Submit Event | Event Advertising...