Business Roundup

DuPont will close a solar module joint venture, DuPont Apollo, that conducts R&D in Hong Kong and produces thin-film photovoltaic modules based on amorphous silicon in mainland China. DuPont says it is ending the venture because it failed to meet financial expectations.

Sigma-Aldrich will manufacture and supply zinc finger nuclease reagents for use with Dow AgroSciences’ Exzact Precision Technology, a tool that enables targeted genetic modification in plants. The tool is based on zinc finger technology that Dow licensed from Sangamo BioSciences.

Kemira has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a civil lawsuit in Helsinki, Finland, stemming from hydrogen peroxide price-fixing from 1994 to 2000. Kemira earlier paid more than $40 million in fines to settle the case with the European Commission.

Cellulac, an English industrial biotech firm, says it has achieved the world’s first industrial-scale continuous production of lactic acid from deproteinized whey. The firm says the process solves a pollution problem for dairy processors while creating a raw material for bioplastics.

Accelrys, a supplier of chemical and life sciences research modeling and lab management software, is now part of Biovia, a new unit of Dassault Systèmes, which acquired Accelrys last year. Biovia includes Accelrys and other Dassault activities in life sciences and material sciences software.

Ajinomoto has wonFDA approval for advantame, a new high-intensity sweetener. The agency says advantame is the sixth sweetener it has approved after saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), sucralose, and neotame.

Neurotrope will work with Stanford University chemist Paul A. Wender to develop bryostatin analogs as treatments for neurological disorders. Neurotrope has licensed the rights to use the “bryologs” for central nervous system disorders, lysosomal storage diseases, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and cardioprotection.

Beryllium has been formed as a new drug discovery service company out of assets from Emerald Bio and the bankrupt deCode Genetics. UCB, which had a multiyear drug discovery pact with deCode, has acquired a minority stake in the new Bedford, Mass.-based firm.

Novartis and Servier are joining to develop small-molecule drugs from Servier’s oncology research program. The collaboration covers selective inhibitors of BCL-2 proteins that are now entering clinical development. The proteins regulate programmed cell death.