Bio Job Blog

The Bidding War is Over: TEVA to Acquire Ratiopharm

BioJobBlogger — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:40:00 -0500

After months of speculation and a nine month-long bidding war, Teva not Pfizer has emerged as the winner to purchase Ratiopharm; the financially-troubled, German generics manufacturer. Ratiopharm was Germany’s second largest generics manufacturer.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ratiopharm, Germany's second largest generics producer (Novartis AG’s Hexal unit is first and Stada Arzneimittel AG is third) and the sixth largest generic drug company worldwide, for €3.625 billion ($ 5.0 billion). Teva expects to complete the transaction by year-end 2010.

The acquisition will position Teva as the leading generic pharmaceutical company in Europe. Ratiopharm's extensive product portfolio includes 500 molecules in over 10,000 presentation forms covering all major therapeutic areas marketed in 26 countries. Also, Ratiopharm has valuable know-how in biosimilars (a market that Teva has entered and is extremely bullish on) which consists number of products in advanced stages of development and a well-established sales and marketing team. The combined company will have 40,000 employees worldwide, of which 18,000 will be based in Europe. The purchase will bolster Teva’s visibility and standing in European markets.

Late last month, Ratiopharm board members implored Pfizer to enter a new bid, after it had rejected an earlier offer by the company. Apparently, the new bid was not sufficient to prevent Teva from acquiring the highly sought after generics manufacturer. Iceland-based generics manufacturer Actavis also put in a failed bid to acquire Ratiopharm.

BioCrowd New MultiMedia Upload Feature Is Up and Running

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:55:24 -0500

We previously announced that BioCrowd, an online bioprofessional networking site, was going to launch a new feature which allows members to upload any type of multimedia files ranging from videos to podcasts to poster presentations to their profile page and the BioCrowd network. Also, members can view videos or listen to podcasts, comment on them and let others know whether or not you liked them. Like most other websites that support videos, we offer an embed feature that allows you to copy the code of videos that you like and post them to other website, blogs or YouTube.

We hope to run contests for best video, podcast, PowerPoint or poster presentation in the very near future. If you are already a BioCrowd member, please visit the site and upload your favorite multimedia files to the network. For those of you who are not members yet, please drop by, check us out and join if you like! If you have any problems or identify any bugs with the new upload feature please e-mail me.

I hope to see you at the BioCrowd!!!!

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

The Job Interview: The Top 50 Questions Asked and 50 Behaviors You Must Avoid

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:07:32 -0500

The two most popular and well-attended career development seminars that I offer are about resume writing and face-to-face interviewing strategies. Because many of the participants are first time jobseekers, interest is largely and rightfully focused on resume writing. After all, a well crafted resume is an essential first step in any job search. However, if you are lucky enough to advance to the interview stage, you must be aware of the rules, regulations and terms of engagement of the interviewing process.

First, as many veteran jobseekers know, you will be asked a lot of seemingly irrelevant and whacky questions. Second, people who are interviewing for a job are expected to behave in professional and socially accepted manner. In other words, there are certain attitudes and behaviors that must be avoided at all costs if you want to get a job offer from a prospective employer. To that end, I found a couple of lists on the Internet—“The Top 50 Interview Questions that Employers Ask” and “50 Worst of the Worst (and Most Common) Job Interview Mistakes"—that are likely to be helpful to persons who may be preparing for an upcoming face-to-face job interview.

While many of the recommended behaviors to avoid may be fairly obvious to most of you, crafting appropriate answers to some of the questions on the Top 50 list may not be. By now, some of you may have googled “answers to the top 50 interview questions” and found a variety of lists that supply answers to some of the questions. However, while it may be helpful to look at those lists for guidance, I strongly advise that you come up with your own personalized responses. This is because prospective interviewers, like you may have found the same lists!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

A Troubling Trend: Genital Herpes Infections are on the Rise

BioJobBlogger — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:24:39 -0500

While studying the pathogenesis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Portland, OR in the early 1980s, genital herpes had replace gonorrhea as the scourge of the sexually transmitted disease community. To help to combat the spread of genital herpes, my labmates and I joined the Portland Venereal Disease Action Committee, a grass roots organization that provided public outreach and education about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A few years later, the Regan Administration finally admitted to the American public that HIV/AIDS was real and that HIV infections were likely to reach epidemic proportions. While genital herpes can be painful, uncomfortable and often emotionally debilitating, the unprecedented morbidity and mortality of HIV/AIDS almost pushed genital herpes into infectious diseases obscurity. Now that HIV/AIDS is more treatable than ever before, epidemiologists and sexually transmitted diseases experts have begun to reexamine the infection rates and incidence of other STDs (including herpes, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and syphilis) among Americans. To that end, I read today a very troubling article about the infection rates and incidence of genital herpes among sexually active Americans. Here are some of the facts gleaned from a recent CDC report on genital herpes:

One in six Americans aged 14 to 49 are infected with genital herpes, making the virus — herpes simplex 2 — one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States
Research shows that people with genital herpes are two to three times as likely to acquire H.I.V. as those without herpes
H.I.V.-infected individuals also infected with genital herpes are more likely to transmit H.I.V. to others
Infection rates for women are almost twice the rate of men
Blacks are three times as likely to be infected as whites
Black women have the highest rates of infection, with almost half infected

Looking back, it is understandable why HIV/AIDS took precedent over genital herpes infections. After all, most people usually don’t die from genital herpes. However, the rising infection rates of the disease suggest that the American public needs to be better educated the spread and prevention of genital herpes infections. There is no question that discussions about STDs are embarrassing and often difficult. However, these days, they can be the difference between live and death!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!

A Eureka Moment...Of Sorts

BioJobBlogger — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:12:18 -0500

Most scientists fantasize about that so-called eureka moment when, after years of hard work, academic challenges and mental anguish, it all makes sense. While I have experienced these moments from time to time during my career as a scientist, it has happened less frequently as a lay person. This morning, while reading a Science Times article on Thomas R. Friedan , former New York City health commissioner and current head of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA, I had one of those moments.

After reading the passage:

campaigns to ban trans fats, post calorie counts in chain restaurants, reduce salt in processed food and tax high-calorie sodas. He had a supportive boss in Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and a receptive populace in New York, but if he were to try anything similar at the C.D.C., tough Congressional hearings could be in his future because conservative lawmakers on Capitol Hill often oppose such measures

it finally dawned on me that conservatives, in general, don’t give a damn or care about human health. Or perhaps, the underlying message may be: “don’t tell me how to eat or take care of myself; it’s my life and I know what is best for my health and me.” Unfortunately, since over half of the American population is obese or overweight and the incidences of diabetes and hypertension among younger and older adults has reached unprecedented epidemic proportion it is becoming increasingly evident that most Americans, regardless of their political affiliations, don’t know how to adequately manage their health. And, to make matters worse, the inability or unwillingness of these individuals to maintain their health increases the cost and may block access of otherwise healthy Americans to adequate healthcare.

As an American, I strongly believe in individuals’ rights and freedom of expression. However, I also believe that summarily opposing unobtrusive measures to improve human health—based almost exclusively on political philosophy or personal financial gain—is morally bankrupt and overtly un-American!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Eating!!!!

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising: Have We Got a Deal for You!

BioJobBlogger — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:33:12 -0500

Medicis Pharmaceutical, the maker of Dysport a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to smooth skin furrows between the eyebrows, recently introduced a marketing campaign that offers people who use Dysport drug discounts and a patient satisfaction rebate guarantee. The campaign, which runs through April 30, was intentionally designed to elevate Dysport’s image and cannibalize market share in the anti wrinkle market from Allergan the maker of Botox and the market leader.

The Dysport promotion, running on the product’s Web site and in a few glossy magazines like Us Weekly, offers a $75 rebate check on an initial Dysport treatment for wrinkles between the eyebrows, a procedure that can cost consumers $300 to $500. Satisfied customers can receive a $75 rebate on a follow-up Dysport treatment, while dissatisfied customers who want to switch can receive a $75 rebate on a Botox treatment.

While this is an unprecedented and novel campaign, it demonstrates the lengths that Medicis is willing to go through to garner market share from Botox which enjoyed a monopoly on injectable toxins in the US until the introduction of Dysport last year. Last year, worldwide sales of Botox were roughly $1.3 billion. Industry analysts estimate that Medicis may be able to capture a 20 to 25 percent share of the US market.

While the marketing campaign may seem a bit odd and brash, Medicis isn’t the first pharmaceutical company to use rebates and drug discounts to inspire patient brand loyalty. For example, Sepracor offers a seven-day free trial of its popular sleeping pill Lunesta. Merck is running a print ad with a voucher for a free 30-day supply of its Januvia tablets for Type 2 diabetes. Another Merck ad carries a $20 coupon for the allergy and asthma drug Singulair. However, the use of product rebates and drug discounts is mostly used to market so-called vanity medicine drugs (like Latisse, Botox and Dysport) which have been approved by FDA for clinical use but are not covered by medical insurance. Patients who use these drugs are paying out of pocket and, in essence, are buying from physicians. Many worry that this practice may induce doctors and patients to make medical decisions based on money not safety or efficacy.

In the case of Botox and Dysport neither product is entirely risk free. For those of you who may not know, both are purified forms of botulinum toxin — a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum that interferes with nerve transmission and involuntary muscle contractions. The injections cause temporary cosmetic problems like droopy eyelids or uneven eyebrows. And these drugs now carry federally mandated “black box” warnings on their labels stating that botulinum toxins have been associated with rare but potentially life-threatening health problems.

Although promotional programs like the one being offered by Medicis may be inappropriate or seemingly reckless, it—like those of Sepracor and Merck—are permissible under current direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising regulations. Isn’t it time to reevaluate regulations that allow powerful, potentially-dangerous prescription drugs to be treated as consumer goods where price, not medical need, safety or efficacy, promotes their acceptance and use?

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Looking!!!!!!!!!!

Astra Zeneca Jumps on the Generic Drug Bandwagon

BioJobBlogger — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:43:39 -0500

Astra Zeneca announced today that it has agreed to market 18 of Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.’s branded generic drugs in 9 emerging markets, marking the U.K. drugmaker’s first generic-drug partnership.

Unlike some its competitors, Astra Zeneca is very vulnerable to generic competition as many of its best selling products such as Nexium for ulcers, the antipsychotic Seroquel and Crestor for cholesterol. are near patent expiry. Industry analysts expect the company to lose as much as 25% of its sales revenue to generic encroachment by 2014.

The company joins a growing list of big pharma companies including Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis and GlaxoSmithKline that view generics as a viable replacement for revenues lost to generic competition for it top selling brands.

Last year, GlaxoSmithKline entered into joint ventures with the generic manufacturers Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (India) and Aspen Pharmacare Ltd (South Africa). Also, the company paid $246.5 million for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Pakistan and Egypt drug units and acquired UCB’s drug portfolio in Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America for $702 million; clearing signaling its intention to more aggressively pursue emerging global markets.

Likewise, Sanofi-Aventis bought Zentiva NV of the Czech Republic, Helvepharm AG of Switzerland, Medley SA of Brazil and Laboratorios Kendrick SA of Mexico to bolster its branded generics portfolio. The company also took control of the Indian vaccine and biologics manufacturer Shantha Biotechnics which suggest that Sanofi may be looking to biotech in the future.

Finally, Pfizer continues its pursuit of the financially-troubled German, generics giant Ratiopharm. Actavis of Iceland and the Israeli generics manufacturer Teva have also put in bids to purchase Ratiopharm. However, there are signs that Ratiopharm's board would prefer to be purchased by Pfizer rather than Teva or Actavis.

Look for other big pharma companies to enter into deals with or purchase branded or conventional generics manufacturers.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

The Life Sciences Industry: China Begins to Turn Up the Heat

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:50:52 -0500

Until recently, there was little or no mention of business activity within the emerging Chinese life sciences industry. However, as the Chinese middle class continues to grow, the need and demand for pharmaceutical and biotechnology drugs (including vaccines and other biologics continues) to grow at a frenetic pace. Further, a growing abundance of US-trained scientists has allowed the Chinese life science industry to develop much more quickly than anticipated. Also, many major pharmaceutical companies like Merck, Roche and Novartis have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in China and have already established world class Chinese R&D facilities. Finally, unlike in most Western countries, the Chinese government controls roughly 80% of the pharmaceutical and biologics manufacturing that takes place in China. Together, this suggests that China has quietly established itself as a life sciences power to be reckoned with! To that end, there were two reports that came across the transom this morning that piqued my interest.

The first report was about a company called Lotus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

"Lotus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a growing developer and producer of prescription drugs and licensed national seller of pharmaceutical products in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"), reported the groundbreaking ceremony on March 9 to construct a new building complex on the grounds of its production facility in Beijing.

Officials of Beijing municipal and Chaoyang district governments, officers of the China State Food & Drug, and representatives of both state-owned and private pharmaceutical companies attended the ceremony. CEO, Zhongyi Liu, welcomed the guests. "After a year of planning, we are pleased to start the construction of the new building complex and expect to finish the construction by July, interior decoration by September and GMP certification by December of this year," he said. "This is a new page for Lotus' development and it will provide important impetus to profitable growth, which is anticipated to reach $150 million in annual sales during the first year after the facility, is fully operational."

The second reported on plans to build a venture-back, “private” contract manufacturing facility that specializes in biomanufacturing in metropolitan Beijing.

"AutekBio, Inc., SUMA Ventures and Beijing E-Town Harvest International Capital Management Corporation, a venture capital group from Beijing Municipal Government announced a joint investment of more than US$100m to develop a new contract manufacturing organization (CMO) for biopharmaceutical industry in China. This joint effort led by AutekBio represents strong interests from both private investment sector and government to establish world quality capability and capacity in biopharmaceutical manufacturing in China.

The new joint venture will build up a world class R&D and manufacturing center in southern Beijing to service international biologic developments, with combined volumes of bioreactors up to 20,000 liters in multiple production lines (trains). The firm will also benefit from financial, regulatory and other supports from the Chinese government for the biotech industry."

It is becoming increasingly apparent that China has clearly set its sights on establishing itself as player on the global life sciences stage. After spending a week in China during the country’s preparation for the Beijing Games, I discovered that China can achieve any goal that it sets for itself in very short order.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (try China)!!!!!!

Another Biotech Company Bites the Dust

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:58:12 -0500

Abbott Laboratories yesterday announced that it will buy Facet Biotech Corp. for about $450 million in cash. Facet, along with its development partner Biogen Idec, had planned on moving a potential monoclonal antibody (MAb) treatment for multiple sclerosis called daclizumab into late stage clinical development in the second quarter of this year. The company is also developing several different cancer treatments with other pharmaceutical partners.

Abbott’s purchase of Facet signals Abbott Laboratories’ ongoing commitment to biotechnology or protein-based drugs. The company launched Humira (a fully human MAb treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases) several years ago and it has managed to glean market share from older competitor’s products including Remicade (Johnson & Johnson) and Enbrel (Amgen/Pfizer) to become a blockbuster drug. MAbs are viewed by many as the “drugs of the future.” At present, there are over 350 MAb-based products in various stages of discovery and clinical development.

Earlier in the year, Biogen Idec offered to purchase Facet for $17.50 per share. Company executives and shareholders rejected the offer citing that they thought it was too low. Abbott offered $27 per share which represented a 67 percent premium to Facet’s closing stock price of $16.21 on Tuesday. Both companies’ boards of directors have already approved the deal which is expected to close some time in the second quarter. It is not clear how the purchase will affect Facet employees but expect to see layoffs and a mass exodus by company executives.

Look for more cash purchases of biotech firms by pharmaceutical companies as debt continues to accrue and venture money remains scarce and difficult to come by.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!

Downsizing: Biotech Companies Are Catching Up to Big Pharma

BioJobBlogger — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:28:59 -0500

For the past year or so, I have been focusing on the downsizing and layoffs taking place at big pharmaceutical companies. The unprecedented size and scope of these massive layoffs have overshadowed the downsizing and job loss taking place at small to mid-size public and private biopharmaceutical companies. In contrast with most fully-integrated vertical pharmaceutical companies that are flush with cash, most biotech companies—even the likes of Amgen, Genentech, Gilead and others—don’t have the cash reserves to maintain operations in a down economy or when a drug candidate fails in clinical development. This coupled with the lack of venture and private equity capital has been causing biopharmaceutical employees to lose sleep in recent months.

Over the past few days, two CA-based biopharmaceutical companies announced major layoffs. The first, San Jose-based Xenoport, announced that it plans on cutting its 222 person workforce by 50% over the next few months. According to company executives, the layoffs are necessary because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) failed to grant approval to its lead drug candidate Horizant, a treatment for restless leg syndrome. This will allow the company to annually save about $15.6 million and focus its development efforts on other products that are in Phase II clinical development.

San Francisco-based Exelixis today announced that it would cut about 40% of its workforce or 270 employees to focus on development of its late stage drug candidates. The biotechnology company, which expects to reduce its 2011 cash expenditures by about $90 million, said it would focus on the development of its anti-cancer drugs XL184, XL147 and XL765. These layoffs are occurring less than a year after the company announced a potential $1.0 billion deal with Sanofi-Aventis in which Sanofi invested $140 million upfront to license two of its oncology drug candidates.

Things are also not going well for the numerous small to midsize biotechnology companies in the Seattle area. According to Xconomy, a company that tracks layoffs in and around Seattle, the region has shed 4,500 biopharmaceutical industry jobs since 2008.

Finally, BNET compiled a top biotech layoff list for 2009. The notables that made the list are shown below.

Sepracor (530). The layoffs represented 20 percent of Sepracor’s workforce, and another 410 contract sales reps also got the axe. The restructuring apparently worked and Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma the company later in 2009.
Allergan (460). This represented a five percent reduction in the company’s workforce.
Genmab (300). Arzerra (ofatumumab) the company’s leukemia drug won FDA approval a week before layoffs were announced (go figure). But Genmab wanted to cut manufacturing and late-stage clinical work to refocus on antibody discovery.
Oscient Pharmaceuticals (280). Oscient cut about 100 jobs in February, 2009 to entice acquisition partners. When that didn’t work, the firm cut another 180 in June as it dumped the sales force for its two marketed products. Cornerstone Therapeutics later picked up Oscient’s antibiotic Factive during bankruptcy.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals (200). After cutting 340 jobs at the end of 2008 amid declining diabetes drug sales and regulatory delays, Amylin eliminated 200 sales reps in mid-2009.

While these represent the largest layoffs that occurred in 2009, thousands of other biopharmaceutical employees also lost their jobs. If the life sciences sector is the part of the economy that has been relatively unscathed during the economic downturn, imagine what life must be like for employees in other sectors that have been hard hit!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting ????

Why Five Years of Data Exclusivity Makes Sense for US Follow-on Biologics Legislation

BioJobBlogger — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:04:31 -0500

In case you did not know, the 12 years of market exclusivity proposed for follow-on biologics by supporters and lobbyists for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries is part of the impending US healthcare reform legislation currently pending in Congress. While President Obama has publicly announced that he supports a five year period of data exclusivity for biologics (the same as the exclusivity period for generic small molecule drugs, it is unlikely that the President will be able to convince or coerce legislators to reconsider the 12 year data exclusivity provision. However, there was a brilliant Op-Ed piece in today’s New York Times written by Anthony So and Samuel Katz at Duke University which offers a plethora of financial and business reasons why the five year period makes a lot of sense!

Generic small molecule drugs have been estimated to save the American healthcare system as much as $734 billion over the past 25 year or so since the inception of the Hatch Waxman Act.
Biologics cost on average 22 times more than equivalent brand name prescription small molecule drugs
In 2008, 28% of sales of the life science industry’s top 100 products came from biologics and biotechnology products: by 2014 that share is expect to rise to about 50%
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found that the top six selling biologics which include Epogen (Amgen) Avastin (Genentech) and Remicade (Centocor) accounted for $7.0 billion (43%) of Part B drug spending in 2007 (Part B covers the cost of doctor spending and outpatient visits)
Between 2006 and 2007, Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) spending on biologics increased by 36% as compared with a 22% increase in spending for small molecule drugs
Prices for biologics and biotechnology products have increased more rapidly than those for small molecule drugs
While industry leaders and their lobbyist contend that it costs more and takes longer to develop biologics and biotechnology products than small molecule drugs, based on reports by various industry trade groups it costs about $1.2 billion to develop biologics and roughly $1.318 billion for small molecule drugs
The US Federal Trade Commission, the independent federal agency whose main goals are to protect consumers and to ensure a strong competitive market by enforcing a variety of consumer protection and antitrust laws, recommended that the data exclusivity period for follow-on biologics should not exceed six years.

Despite the likelihood that follow-on biologics will substantially reduce prescription drug costs and healthcare spending, Congress has chosen to support questionable legislation that will delay access of Americans to less costly, efficacious follow-on biologics until at least 2020.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting

BioCrowd, An Online Network for Bioprofessionals, Unveils New Features

BioJobBlogger — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:48 -0500

It's official; BioCrowd was one year old on Monday. During the past year,Vincent and I have been surveying the bioscience social media space to come up with ideas to keep BioCrowd fresh and relevant. To that end, we redesigned the BioCrunch section of our home page to include a bulletin board feature, a weekly video pick and RSS-driven news, video and podcast feeds. Also, we created a feature called the Career Corner that will showcase the interests, careers and lives of featured BioCrowd members. The inaugural career vignette is about me. So, those of you who want to learn more or can’t get enough of me, check it out!

Next week, we hope to launch a new user-generated, multimedia file upload capability. The new functionality will allow members to up load any type of multimedia file (videos, podcasts, PowerPoint presentations, poster etc) to website. Uploaded files can be read, viewed or listened to at the website and members can rate the content (like vs. dislike). Finally, multimedia files will be aggregated according to type and linked to the profiles of members who generated and uploaded the content.

We hope that BioCrowd members enjoy the new features and continue to visit the site. Also, please tell your friends, colleagues, mentors or other bioprofessionals about the site.

Both Vincent and I look forward to seeing and chatting with you at the BioCrowd.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Networking!!!!!!!!!!

Online Biotechnology Training

BioJobBlogger — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:34:02 -0500

In case you haven’t heard by now, biotechnology is no longer one of the best kept secrets of the pharmaceutical industry. Because small molecule blockbuster drugs are few and far between, every major pharmaceutical company in the world has announced plans to increase the percentage of protein-based drugs in their development pipeline.

As strange as this may sound, most people working at pharmaceutical companies have little or no understanding of the science behind the biotechnology industry, its products and the skill sets required to compete in the industry. I learned this while working as a contract writer at a pharmaceutical company that was trying to transition from an emphasis on small molecules to biotechnology drugs. Shortly after management publicly announced its intention, signs began appearing in the building where I worked with messages like “Are you biotech to the core” or “Got biotech.” Not surprisingly, I found myself explaining the different between small molecules and biotechnology products to large numbers of colleagues during group lunches. Their lack of understanding about biotechnology was both surprising and troubling. I mean where have these people been for the past 35 years?

While I thought that this phenomenon was unique to the company where I was working, it turns out —based on many conversations with employees at other companies—that it is pervasive in the pharmaceutical industry! Put simply, there are large numbers of pharmaceutical employees (and aspiring students for that matter) who know little about biotechnology and must quickly learn about an industry that they are being forced to work in so that they can keep their jobs! This presents time and logistical issues for many full time pharmaceutical employees—they simply don’t have the time or where-with-all to learn about biotechnology via traditional bricks and mortar training opportunities, e.g. undergraduate, graduate or certificate programs.

Recognizing a growing need, several academic institutions now offer online biotechnology courses and degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. While these programs may not enable participants to work as bench scientists at life sciences companies (this requires hands-on wet laboratory training), they certainly provide students with the fundamental scientific and business underpinnings of the biotechnology industry.

Below you will find descriptions of a couple of online degree biotechnology programs and links to online undergraduate and graduate level biotechnology courses.

Online Biotechnology Degree Programs

The Johns Hopkins University – a prestigious brick-and-mortar research university – offers three online degree programs in advanced biotechnology: the M.S. in Bioinformatics, the M.S. in Bioscience Regulatory Affairs, and the M.S. in Biotechnology. (The M.S. in Biotech may involve a limited amount of on-campus instruction in Baltimore.) Students have up to five years to complete their degrees, but those who enroll for full-time study typically finish in two years.

The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is among America’s largest providers of distance education. UMUC's Biotechnology Studies Program has been designated a “Professional Science Master’s Degree Program” by the Council of Graduate Schools. The program’s three specialization areas include: bioinformatics, biotechnology management, and biosecurity/biodefense. A dual online degree option is also available: students can earn an MBA in addition to the Master’s in Biotechnology by completing just a few additional courses.

Online Biotechnology Courses

Purdue University’s Department of Continuing Education frequently features online courses in horticulture and related fields that can help students prepare for careers in biotechnology. New choices are offered every semester.

MiraCosta College, a community college in Southern California, offers a number of online courses in biotechnology. The school’s website includes a five-year projection of course offerings.

While the current list of online biotechnology offerings is short, expect the number of online courses and degree programs to continue to grow in the future. If you are aware of or participate in other online biotechnology courses and degree programs, please feel free contact me about them.

Hat tip and thanks to Chesca and her colleagues at OnlineDegreeReviews.org for research and writing of this post!

Until next time,

Good luck and Good learning!

Input on Social Media Regulatory Guidelines Continues to Trickle in from Life Sciences Companies and Trade Groups

BioJobBlogger — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:43:56 -0500

Mark Senak, author of the incisive EyeonFDA blog and de facto watchdog of all things social media in the life sciences, has assiduously been tracking company and trade organization input to the docket for the Part 15 meeting on medical product promotion and the internet and social media. To date, according to Mark, the following companies and trade groups have officially submitted their comments and viewpoints to the docket

Covidien
Johnson & Johnson
Bayer Healthcare
Sanofi Aventis
AstraZeneca
Eli Lilly
Medtronic
Pfizer
Abbott
Novartis
Genentech
Sepracor
Merck
Medtronic
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
PhRMA
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

As you may recall, industry input was lacking and surprisingly absent from the public hearings held by FDA on the topic earlier this year. While news analysts and bloggers were incredulous that companies didn’t actively participate in the earlier public hearings, this behavior is typical of life sciences companies that like to do things quietly and, when possible, behind closed doors. Ironically, this lack of transparency and inclination to secrecy is the antithesis of social media. Is it any wonder then, that life sciences companies are suspicious and wary of the impact that social media may have on their ability to conduct business?

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

AstraZeneca Offers New Details About Its Global Layoff Plans

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:15:59 -0500

Ed Silverman, who runs the Pharmalot blog,reported today that AstraZeneca provided more details about its plan to layoff 8,000 employees or 12% of its workforce by 2014.

According to the post, the company will R&D programs in thrombosis; acid reflux; ovarian and bladder cancers; systemic scleroderma; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety; hepatitis C and vaccines (other than respiratory syncytial virus and influenza).

The company will shutter research facilities throughout the UK and Sweden and shed about 3,500 R&D jobs. About 550 jobs will be eliminated at AstraZeneca’s US headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware; adding to the massive numbers of unemployed pharmaceutical workers in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware region. The company is also looking for a buyer for its Arrow Therapeutics business.

AstraZeneca joins a growing number of big pharma companies that are jettisoning internal R& D programs in favor of licensing and merger and acquisition deals to sure up drug discovery pipelines. The lack of innovation in small molecule drug discovery and the loss in 2011 of patent protection for some of the industry’s largest blockbuster drug franchises is forcing big pharma companies to eliminate or outsource most of their R&D functions and capabilities to cut costs.

I wish I could say that things will get better. But, the shift in the business model that has guided big pharma for close to 100 years is likely to be a permanent one. Now is the time to begin to consider alternative career paths!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (“Go West young man/man!”)

BioJobBlog Makes a Top 50 Biotech Blog List

BioJobBlogger — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:08:48 -0500

Emily Johnston of Medicareer sent me a message last night to inform me that BioJobBlog made its top 50 biotech blog list. While I don’t know much about Medicareer (nor does BioJobBlog have a business or financial relationship with the organization) this is a first for the blog and it is quite an honor to be included on the list. I guess spending hundreds of hours over the past three years writing blog posts is actually beginning to pay off!

A quick perusal of the list reveals some very interesting and useful biotechnology blogs that are worth reading. And, surprisingly, there are a couple of blogs on the list that I previously didn’t know about.

Hat tip to Medicareer!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Blogging

100 Useful Career Development and Job Seeking Sites

BioJobBlogger — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:29:04 -0500

Kitty Holman over at sent over a fairly comprehensive list that first time and experienced jobseekers may find useful. A quick perusal of the list revealed a few online career development and job board sites and services that I didn’t know about.

Having said that, the list is worth a quick read.

General

These sites cover a lot of ground when it comes to networking and finding a job, so they’re a great place to start.

Jobster: Sign up through this site to create a free career profile, allowing you to search for jobs and for employers to find you.
JobFox: JobFox is a bit like a dating site, but for jobs, not singles. Create a profile and it will match you up with the job listings you’re best suited for.
Monster: As one of the largest job sites on the web, Monster is a great place to start seeing what kind of work is out there.
CareerBuilder: Sign up with this site to create and share your resume, search for jobs, and get help and tips with your search.
Ning: With Ning, you can search for social networks that meet your interests or if you don’t find one, create your own.
FD Career: With this site you’ll create a profile, learn about companies, find helpful articles and join a lively community of professionals.
SimplyHired: This site lets you search for jobs from all over the web, then quickly and easily send your stored information to listings that you find interesting.
Beyond.com: Find loads of niche career communities on this site, as well as a powerful job search tool.
BrightCircles: Stay in touch with your coworkers and business connections using this social network.
Koda: Use this site to contact employers you’re interested in working with, look through listings and meet others looking for work.
Jobirn: This insider referral network helps give you a leg up in the job search by hooking you up with someone who can actually put in a good word for you and get you job interviews.
indeed: Search for jobs worldwide on this site and use it to share and store your work information.
Climber.com: If you’re already doing well at work, check out this website that will put you in touch with recruiters and companies looking to hire.

College Grads

These sites cater to those who have their degrees, connecting them with alumni and setting up helpful recruiting connections.

Alumwire: Join this online community for information about jobs and career fairs as well as useful tools for getting in touch with alumni in your field.
MyWorkster: Go through your college community to find out about job and networking opportunities in your area using this site.
Doostang: Those with an Ivy League education can make a variety of useful alumni and business connections through this grad-focused site.
Alumni.net: Connect or reconnect with those you knew in school to turn acquaintances into business opportunities through this social network.
Brazen Careerist: Young professionals can create a profile, find jobs, network and meet potential collaborators through this site.
Zumeo: Join this online network to get connected with internships and find loads of networking opportunities.
iHipo: This site is a great place to search for work near home or even a bit more far flung, with networks connecting you with internships and jobs alike.
AfterCollege: Sign up for this site to get access to listings and networks for loads of entry level positions.

Resume Help

Make sure your resume is in top shape and accessible to potential employers with help from these social sites.

Razume: Upload your resume to this community site and you’ll get access to help and criticism from others who can help you create a better resume.
VisualCV: Join this site to make a better, more technologically savvy resume you can send and share with anyone.
Emurse: Use this social site to create, store and share your resume as well as enjoy networking and job search opportunities.
ResumeBucket: Need a place to store your resume online? This site does just that and more.
ResumeSocial: Post your resume to this community and you’ll be able to get free, and hopefully helpful, feedback on improving how you look on paper.
Ziggs: This site lets you take control of your online presence, from how you appear in searches to the state of your resume.
YaaZe: Create a resume using this site, publish it, and you’ll get updates when jobs that meet your needs become available.

Job Prep and Research

Learn more about companies, job search sites, pay and more through these helpful sites.

InterActive Applicant: Join this site to get access to recruitment that lets you not only show off your resume but who you really are as well.
InterviewBest: Use this great site to make sure you’re prepped and ready for your next interview.
JibberJobber: This site lets you easily manage your job search, with great online tools and opportunities for networking.
Job Board Reviews: Find out if the job board you’re visiting is legit with reviews found on this site.
Salary.com: Are you being paid what you deserve? Find out from this site.
VirtualJobCoach: Job seekers can join this site and get help organizing and managing their job search.

Networking

Why not use social networking for what it was designed to do–network? These sites make it easy to connect with colleagues, fellow workers and potential employers.

LinkedIn: This business networking site is a must for those trying to connect with others in their field or just make it easy for people to find out what they do.
Facebook: Facebook can be fun for talking to friends, playing games and posting funny pictures but it can also work for business if you create a serious, professional profile.
Twitter: Send out daily updates and follow those in your field or who have job openings using this tool.
iMantri: Need a mentor to get you on the path to success? This networking site will hook you up with someone who can show you the ropes.
Company of Friends: As one of the oldest business social networks, this site has an extensive network of contacts for you to use.
Ecademy: With this site you can make connections, share what you know and build your personal brand as you go.
Meetup: Find out about professional events, networking opportunities and more through this great social tool.
Plaxo: Create a listing of contacts on this site so you can carry your business connections with you everywhere.
Xing: Manage your existing business contacts and make new ones through this site.
Networking for Professionals: If you’re a professional looking to expand your immediate circle of contacts, give this great networking site a try.
WorkNT: Find jobs and employers, post your information, and talk with others on this great networking site.
Cofoundr: If you’re more of the type who wants to start their own business, consider using this site as a way to make a myriad of great, useful connections.

Freelancing

If you feel like freelancing is a direction you’d like to go, then check out these sites to find great opportunities and connections.

Elance: Find employers looking to hire freelancers for a variety of different projects through this helpful social site.
Guru.com: This site is not only a good place to find a job but a great place to get answers to all your freelancing questions as well.
Sologig: If you’ve been working in your field for quite some time, you can use this site to find great job listings that require your level of experience.
Go Freelance: Through this site you can find work, read articles and promote your skills as a freelancer.
MeetingWave: With this online tool you can find people who are interested in your business and decide whether or not you want to meet them in person.
iFreelance: Create a portfolio on this site and use it to find employers who are looking for freelancers with your skills.
FreshWebJobs: Those who freelance on the web can find programming, development and design jobs on this site.
Freelancer.com: Join this site and browse through the listings to find a job that suits your needs.
ContractedWork: There’s all kind of short term work to be found through this site, just register and start searching.
PowerLance: This freelancer-focused site allows you to search for projects and bid on ones that you’re interesting in pursuing.

Creative

Those working in a creative field can find art- and writing-focused jobs and communities on these sites.

Coroflot: Post your portfolio on this design site to showcase your work and help you find jobs.
Media Bistro: Connect with others in the content development and media industries on this site, as well as get updates about jobs.
Krop: With blogs, a database, and job listings on this site, it’s a great resource for designers looking for work.
PoeWar: The Writing Career Center is a great place to find career advice and also find jobs that will advance your career.
DesignCrowd: If you want to gain some recognition and even earn a few cash prizes, use this site to find and enter design contests from around the globe.
WriterLance: Writers out there who love what they do but also want to make a living can use this site to hook up with and work with potential buyers.
Authentic Jobs: Find both full-time and freelance creative jobs on this site or just read what the blog has to say.
AltPick: Promote your creative talents and find those looking to pay for them on this community-based site.
FreelanceWriting.com: Find links to contests, events, jobs and more on this writing site.
CreativeHeads: From animation to programming, you’ll find a wealth of creative-oriented jobs through this site.

Business

Get your foot in the door to the corporate and entrepreneurship world with these resources.

Jigsaw: Find a huge collection of B2B contacts on this site that you can use to find work and promote your business.
Ryze: Create your own homepage and start networking with other business professionals on this site.
Fast Pitch: Got a great business idea? Pitch it to potential investors on this site.
Meet the Boss: Those in upper management can make great business connections that can be useful in working collaboratively or changing jobs.
Spoke: Using this site you can share your professional info and get hooked up with people that might be good to know in your line of work.
NetParty: Those who are young and want to make valuable business connections should consider using this site. It lets you know where and when networking events are being held.
InboundMarketing: Find marketing news, training and an online community on this helpful site.
JaseZone: Try out this site to create your own personal profile and share your business expertise with others.

Technology

Put your IT, programming and computer knowledge to good use through the job offers found on these sites.

Dice: This site lets you search for all kinds of tech jobs and engage in discussions in an online community to boot.
37Signals: Use this job board to find computer related work that fits your needs.
ITLance: If you prefer to freelance, advertise yourself or find existing projects through this site.
CoderCaste: Find out about jobs, read articles and join in techie talk in the forums on this site.
ScriptLance: This site will help you to connect with companies that are looking for programmers.
LimeExchange: Ideal for web developers and programmers, this site is full of great job opportunities.
nPost: Find tech-related jobs on this site’s job feed and keep up with the latest news on the blog.

Small Jobs

Whether you need part time work, want to work from home or just need a little extra cash, these social sites will help you find it.

Care.com: Find work as a nanny, tutor, housekeeper, special needs caretaker and more through this site.
HireaHelper: If you’ve got some skills that can help someone out around the house, you can use this network to find a job in your area.
Sitters.com: With availabilities for sitters of all kinds–from pets to houses–this site is a great place to find some part-time work.
Book a Lesson: Those who want to share their skills and make a little profit at the same time can use this site to book music, sports and arts lessons.
TutorLinker: If you’ve got the skills and expertise to tutor students, why not do it in your spare time? This site offers a wealth of networking opportunities to find you a job.
TutorNation: Connect with students in need of a little help in their studies through this site.
NannyAvailable: Those looking for a more long-term commitment can find a wide variety of nanny and au pair jobs on this network.
OneHourTranslation: If you know more than one language, don’t let your skills go unused. Check back with this site frequently to find quick translation gigs.

Miscellaneous

From niche job sites to helpful job search tools, these sites are well worth a visit.

Inovahire: Prefer to interview online? This innovative site gives you the option of meeting with employers right on the web.
LayoffSpace.com: Out of work? You’re not alone. This site lets you talk to and network with others who are in the same boat.
SkillWho: Show off what you can do with this online community designed to let professionals showcase their years of experience, education or whatever else lets them stand out.
TalentSpring: Enter your skills and expertise into this network and it will match you up with employers looking for those qualities and abilities.
TwitHire: This site proves that Twitter can be a valuable tool in finding a job, letting you track job listings sent out through the site.
WhotoTalkto: Want to work for a particular company but aren’t sure who’s important enough to get you a job? This site will show you the way.
FindLaw: Use this site to find law jobs aplenty and learn about lawyers and firms in your area.
LatPro: Hispanic job hunters who are bilingual can put their skills to use through the postings found on this site.
YourOnRamp: Designed with moms in mind, this social network helps women who want to return to the workforce do it in style.
MedHunting: Use this site to connect and search for medical jobs in a wide range of fields.
PoliceOne: Not finding police work in your area? Try out this search tool to find where the best law enforcement jobs are and to read more about the field in general.

I hope that some of you found the list helpful.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Seeking!!!!!!!!

Merger Mania Continues in the Life Sciences Sector

BioJobBlogger — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:24:14 -0500

Merck of Germany announced on Sunday that it had agreed to purchase Millipore, an American supplier of laboratory products and reagents for biotechnology companies for $7.2 billion. The offer comes in the wake of the $6.0 billion offer made last week by Thermo Fisher Scientific one of the largest supplier in the world of laboratory reagents, supplies and equipment. While somewhat of an unconventional move for a healthcare company, Merck executives hailed the acquisition as a strategic move for customers, stakeholders and share holders of both companies.

In other news, Astellas Pharmaceuticals, Japan’s second largest pharmaceutical company said today that it tendered an offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Long Island, NY-based OSI Pharmaceuticals for $52.00 per share or approximately $3.5 billion in cash. OSI, which manufactures and sells Tarceva (erlontinib) a treatment for non-small cell lung and pancreatic cancer (which it co-markets by Genentech in the US and globally with Roche), has a strong oncology pipeline and is also developing treatments for diabetes and obesity. Despite early success with Tarceva, cash-starved OSI has been struggling of late. The acquisition of OSI provides Astellas with a strong pipeline and entrée into the growing US oncology market. OSI would also complement Astellas’ existing strength and franchises in urology and immunology.

While mergers and acquisitions were largely anticipated in the US biopharmaceutical sector over the past few years, the acquisition of American companies like Millipore and OSI Pharmaceuticals by foreign companies suggests that there may be chinks in the armor of once dominant US biotechnology companies. The economic crisis coupled with America’s waning innovation in the life sciences sector suggests that other US-based biopharmaceutical companies may be at risk. Although most foreign governments stumbled when attempting to develop the own internal biotechnology expertise, many cash-rich foreign companies recognize that purchasing US companies with marketed products offers them an opportunity to quickly and strategically gain a foothold in the ever-expanding biotechnology market.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Buying!!!!!!!!!

The New Bacterial Threat

BioJobBlogger — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:24:44 -0500

For the past decade or more multiple drug resistant strains of bacteria such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), enterococci and other Gram positive cocci have been highlighted and showcased in the medical and lay press. While the incidence of infections caused by MRSA and other Gram positive cocci has steadily risen, antibacterial drug discovery experts have long known that the greatest disease threat in the future will be from emerging multiple antibiotic resistant strains of Gram negative bacteria including Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Last Spring, in an interview that I conducted with Barry Eisenstein, MD, Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Cubist Pharmaceuticals and an antibacterial drug discovery expert, he indicated that there are currently no drugs in development to treat infections caused by antibiotic resistant Gram negative bacteria. He warned that this, coupled with the loss of interest in antibiotic development by large pharmaceutical companies, will cause infections caused by multiple drug resistant Gram negative bacteria to become a serious unmet medical need in the not so distant future. The appearance of an article in the New York Times this past Saturday chronicling the rise of infections caused by antibiotic resistant Gram negative bacterial suggests that the not so distant future may have already arrived! For the record: would newspaper and television reporters please refrain from identifying bacteria as “germs.” It is an anachronistic term which was coined in the 19^th century before bacteria and viruses were conclusively identified as the cause of most infectious diseases.

Despite the media hype about antibiotic resistant Gram positive bacteria, a variety of new drugs have been developed to treat infections caused by these bacteria. Interestingly, because of greater public awareness about MRSA infections and improved hospital infection control and surveillance programs, the incidence of disease caused by MRSA and other Gram positive bacteria is finally beginning to wane. Unfortunately, the same is not true for infections caused by antibiotic resistance Gram negative bacteria.

For those of you who may not know, the cell wall architecture of Gram negative bacteria (and a multitude of antibiotic resistance mechanisms) makes it much more difficult and costly to develop new antibiotics to treat Gram negative infections. Consequently, research in this area has been largely ignored for the past 15 years or so. This means that in the future the morbidity and mortality associated with infections caused by antibiotic resistant Gram negative bacteria is certain to rise. With this in mind, persons at the greatest risk of developing these infections include patients in hospitals and long term care facilities and individuals receiving implantable medical devices.

Because most large pharmaceutical companies abandoned antibiotic drug discovery in the mid to late 1990s, it is unlikely that new Gram negative antibiotics will come from the pharmaceutical sector. While there are several small biopharmaceutical start ups working on antibiotics for Gram negative bacteria (KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Calixa Therapeutics and Novexel) the increasing regulatory scrutiny and rising development costs suggests that these companies may have trouble bringing new antibiotics to market. Sadly, this places the onus of new Gram negative antibiotic discovery squarely on the shoulders of the US government. To that end, as much as it pains me to say this, it will likely take the death of government official or family member before sufficient resources are allocated to address this rapidly growing unmet medical need. Maybe the Obama Administration ought to think about allocating stimulus monies to begin to address the problem!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

Looking for a Postdoctoral Position? Check Out the Top 40 List

BioJobBlogger — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:55:15 -0500

While I don’t advocate postdoctoral positions for individuals unless they plan on doing bench science for the rest of their lives, postdoctoral training is a fact of life for those interested in pursuing academic careers. To that end, The Scientist.com conducts an annual survey that ranks the best 40 places for postdoctoral associates to work. The survey ranks the strengths and weaknesses of individual training institutions based on funding, facilities and infrastructure, benefits, training and mentoring and family and personal life. Surprisingly, institutions are also ranked on networking, career development and mentoring and training and mentor and training that they offer to their postdoctoral trainees.

The institution that snagged the top spot on the 2010 list was the Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake, NY. Nestled in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY, the not-for-profit Trudeau Institute has a deserved international reputation in immunology, infectious diseases and vaccinology. When I was a graduate students (back in the dark ages), some of the greatest minds in infectious diseases held positions at Trudeau. These days; not so much—but I bet the skiing is great! Interestingly, one of Trudeau’s strengths is networking opportunities (how much networking can take place at a secluded institute on a lake in the Adirondacks). Curiously, however, one of its major weaknesses is the lack of career development opportunities. Based on my life experiences, I always thought that networking was a crucial part of career development. But then again, what do I know?

The top 10 of the list featured a couple of Massachusetts-based institutions including the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (3) and the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research Institute in Cambridge (4) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole, MA (9). Two national laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (8) and Rocky Mountain Laboratory, NIH Hamilton, MT (6) cracked the top ten. By all accounts, the fly fishing is outstanding in Hamilton.

As usual, there were some surprises. These included Samuel Robert Noble Foundation (2) in Ardmore, OK, the University of Colorado, Denver (7) and the Mayo Clinic (10) in Rochester, MN (not exactly cities on my top ten list). Not surprisingly, there were only two life sciences companies that made the Top 40 list; Genentech (5) in South San Francisco and as mentioned above at number 3, the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research. Once a mainstay, industrial postdocs are becoming increasingly scare and difficult to land. In many cases, these positions are not advertised and generally filled by word-of-mouth recommendations to principal investigators who are looking for postdoctoral fellows.

A quick perusal of the list revealed, as expected, that most of the 40 institutions excelled in categories that included funding, facilities and infrastructure, benefits and family and personal life. In marked contrast, many of the institutions on the list were disappointingly weak in the areas of networking, career development and training and mentoring. Of the top 40, six got kudos for networking (15%), 11 for career development (28%) and only 6 for training and mentoring (15%). These abysmal statistics are somewhat shocking given that postdoctoral fellowships are mainly intended to train and prepare aspiring individuals for lifelong careers as scientists. The fact that only 25% of the nation’s best places to perform postdoctoral research offer career development training and support for postdoctoral trainees suggests that the future of the American life sciences industry may be in serious jeopardy!

Hat tip Ed at Pharmalot.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!