The World Health Organization has created a pilot prequalification program specifically for insulin manufacturers to provide greater access to the medication for those with type 2 diabetes around the world. The products to be considered in the program must have been approved by a regulatory authority and have been commercialized in that country or insulin products that have been registered by a non-stringent authority that will be evaluated under the WHO's full assessment pathway.

The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has backed the approval of Consilient Health's bladder pain syndrome treatment Elmiron, or pentosan polysulfate sodium. Consilient Health gained the recommendation after it agreed to a Patient Access Scheme with NICE so that the drug could be made available to the National Health Service.

Allogene Therapeutics has partnered with Notch Therapeutics to gain access to the latter's technology using induced pluripotent stem cells as it prepares to scale up production of its chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies. As part of the deal, Notch will receive an upfront payment of $10 million and will be eligible for additional milestone payments, while Allogene will purchase a 25% stake in the company.

Cell therapy developer Lonza announced that its current CEO Marc Funk, who took on the position only a year ago, will resign from his role for personal reasons. Company chairman Albert Baehny will step into the role temporarily while the company searches for Funk's replacement, and Christopher Maeder is now the board's lead independent director.

Gilead Sciences reported on preliminary data from two early-stage trials assessing its investigational first-in-class inhibitor GS-6207 as a treatment for HIV-1. Data showed the potential of the drug for further development as a component for a durable HIV combination therapy.

An undisclosed upfront payment was made by Merck to acquire Calporta Therapeutics in a deal that could be potentially worth $576 million. The deal will give Merck access to Calporta's preclinical research on possible treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and lysosomal storage.

Marrone Bio Innovations reported positive results from its 2019 field trials that tested MBI-015, its new bacteria-based bioherbicide, against the glyphosate-resistant weed variety called palmer amaranth. Data showed the bioherbicide was able to control the weed's growth seven to 10 days after its application.

Methane-producing cattle, cows and sheep have a major effect on global warming, and scientists are trying to find ways to reduce those emissions with the use of biotechnology in three areas -- the animals' gut microbes, the grasses being fermented during feeding and microorganisms living within these ruminants.

University of Houston researchers have developed an inexpensive device made from non-noble metal nitrides capable of producing hydrogen from seawater using a novel oxygen evolution reaction catalyst. Details of their work were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Illumina has proposed offering licenses to Pacific Biosciences' intellectual property to Oxford Nanopore Technologies or any third party to save its planned acquisition deal of the company following concerns from UK regulators. According to Illumina, the IP would include patents for base calling using n-mers.