Recent executive-level hires and director appointments at venture capital firms and biopharma and medtech start-ups.

According to Gene Logic, there's value in failed Phase II candidates-so long as safety's not the problem. The company claims that repositioning a compound in a new indication creates an asset worth 27% more, in net present value terms, than an equivalent in-licensed drug.

By pulling together 35 publicly available gold-standard animal models, Melior Discovery has built a stable of what it calls privileged compounds. The repurposing company augments its VC funds with service deals and is aiming to progress its lead compound into Phase I studies in 2007.

In Vivo briefly summarizes the technologies of these recently founded companies: Carbylan BioSurgery, KAHR Pharmaceuticals, Melior Discovery, Myomo, Nanonucleant, Pelican Life Sciences.