Dear Colleague

At Dialog we are looking forward to an exciting year for Pharma on Dialog and DataStar. This year brings the MEDLINE reload with new MeSH headings and enhancements to Pharmaprojects and IMS Company Profiles.

Several other articles that we think you will find of interest are related to information on drugs in research and companies and institutions publishing the most new pharmaceutical research.

Bonnie Snow, Director
Pharmaceutical Markets

Pharmaprojects Reloaded with New Data and Features

Pharmaprojects databases on Dialog and DataStar (File 128. 928/PHAR, PHLP, PHDI, PHZZ) were reloaded with additional content. The following data enhancements were implemented:

• Licensing availability for all 40 Pharmaprojects countries (DataStar: PH Dialog: /ST, ST=)
• Multiple patent and priority information included in tabular format (DataStar: PA Dialog: PN=)
• New Target information, including synonyms for the target being covered and additional family groups (DataStar: TG Dialog: /TG, TG=, /TF)
• Indication as to whether the substance is a new chemical entity (DataStar: CI Dialog: NC=)

For complete details about the new enhancements, consult the Base database for Pharmaprojects (BASE-PHAR), the Datasheet or the Dialog Bluesheet.

MEDLINE® Reloaded on Dialog and DataStar

MEDLINE (File 154, 155/MEDL, MEZZ, MEIP) is reloaded every year because the National Library of Medicine re-indexes relevant documents from the whole database with changed medical terms. New additions to MEDLINE include the new descriptors. This year 494 new MeSH® headings have been added. About half of the new descriptors in 2007 MeSH are drugs or chemicals. For more details about the changes, read comprehensive articles at the NLM Web site.

The National Library of Medicine has completed an indexed list of journals for MEDLINE 2007. Check the Web site to see the entire list.

IMS Company Profiles Adds Cost-Effective Features

An invaluable tool when researching the world's major pharmaceutical companies, IMS Company Profiles (IPCP) has been reloaded on DataStar. IMS Company Profiles database contains detailed information on each company's strategic and therapeutic focus, patenting and licensing activities and future prospects.

Here are some changes to make searching the database even more cost effective:

• The database now contains only the current profile for each company covered by IMS; updated profiles replace superseded records.
• The database is updated monthly.
• If a profile has been amended since the last annual release, it will contain the term UPDATE in the company name paragraph. These records can be retrieved using the search command UPDATE=YES, or by selecting the corresponding checkbox on DataStarWeb.
  

Searchers can now select from the profile’s table of contents and display (and pay for) only those parts of the profile that have been changed since the previous release.

Key Drug Pipeline Databases Online Course Updated

Pipeline databases contain comprehensive pharmaceutical information from discovery to post-marketing of a drug. Key Drug Pipeline Databases, the free, online, self-paced course that provides detailed information about the major drug pipeline databases on Dialog, has been updated with the latest information about the files. Each lesson focuses on one pipeline database, including highlights of the database, advantages to using it and detailed remarks about each section of the database record. Drug pipeline databases highlighted in the course include: IMS R&D Focus, Pharmaprojects, Adis R&D Insight and Prous databases.

The course is designed for new or experienced users who are interested in understanding the similarities and differences among the major drug pipeline databases offered by Dialog.

This is an easy way to familiarize yourself with the specific features and strengths of each file and when it is most beneficial to use it. Exercises included with each lesson reinforce your knowledge of the databases. Try the course at http://support.dialog.com/oc/drug_pipeline/.

The Ones to Watch

Thomson PharmaSM has launched a new series of reports, entitled The Ones to Watch, reviews recent phase changes in the pharmaceutical pipeline, bringing you expert insight into the five most promising drugs at each stage: phase I, II or III clinical trials, and reaching the market. Sign up to receive your quarterly free copy of this informative report.

Who is Making the Biggest Splash?

The international pharmaceutical industry is among the most important sponsors of scientific research, so it is understandable that some of the most widely published authors of scientific articles are affiliated with, or sponsored by, pharmaceutical companies.

In this quarterly review of the scientific literature on drugs and therapies, Thomson Scientific has assessed the quantity and quality of the materials published by pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and other non-commercial bodies in the last three months to identify which organization has made the biggest splash.

Sign up to get copies of the latest edition of Who is Making the Biggest Splash? and get future editions delivered direct to your desktop, every quarter.