Are biotech and big pharma the perfect match?

Purpose The biotechnology (biotech) and pharmaceutical (pharma) industries have a lot of similarities, particularly regarding their mission to provide lifesaving and life-improving drugs. However, there are some key distinctions between the two industries. It is these differences, however, that make that ideal partners and have resulted in a wave of mergers and acquisitions between the two industries. Design/methodology/approach This research paper offers an insider-outsider approach to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Based on an extensive review of the industries it offers key insights into the reasons for the multiple partnerships that have developed. Findings The findings demonstrate that the different stages of maturity of the business models of biotech and big pharma make them ideal partners. Both rely on the advantages of the other in their development, hence the wave on M&As between the two industries. Originality/value This article clearly shows how two firms or industries at different stages of maturity can be mutually beneficial. This has led to many acquisitions and mergers.

Homophily Attractiveness for Women in Online Dating in Taiwan

Online dating is a significant and worldwide social phenomenon. Whilst research in western countries has provided valuable insights on how users perceive each another when viewing their profiles, little research has been done in Asia, where culture and cultural environments are different. In order to evaluate homophily, in an experimental approach, we evaluated what characteristics single women seek in potential romantic partners. We interviewed 55 young single women who are engaged in online dating. We asked participants to describe themselves in terms of personality, habits, family orientation, and etcetera. In addition, using the same variables, we asked them to describe their ideal partners in a second questionnaire. Women exhibited a low tendency of homophily towards their desired partners, seeking men who are not similar to themselves in life course attributes.

Women would like their Partners to be more Synchronized with them in their Sleep-Wake Rhythm

Men sleep shorter and go to bed and get up later than women, thus they are later chronotypes. This difference between the sexes is most pronounced between puberty and menopause indicating the possibility that morningness is subject to sexual dimorphism related to reproductive aspects. The objective of the study was to compare the sleep-wake behavior of women with their actual partners and with their preferred partners. As a hypothesis, we expect some assortment in mating concerning chronotype (with the actual partner), but we also expect a higher synchronization with a preferred ideal partner. 167 women were analyzed in this study (mean age: 23.0 ± 2.57 (SD) years). Mated women were earlier chronotypes than their partners (t= –2.051,p= .042,d= .34) but the difference was small (11:02 min ± 1:04 min). The results of the present study showed women preferring a partner synchronized to their own sleep-wake-rhythm more than their actual partners were. The above result was true either for single facets of the sleep-wake rhythm (e.g. bed time, sleep onset) or for midpoint of sleep on free days – an indicator of actual chronotype: women’s and their partners’ correlation of midpoint of sleep was lower (r= .513) than women’s and their ideal partners’ correlation (r= .855). Amongst various sleep-wake measures, women particularly preferred a partner going to bed at the same time. Assortative mating according to sleep-wake rhythm exists, but women for long-term pair-bonds would like their partners far more synchronized.

Flow approaches towards sustainability

Green chemistry and flow chemistry are ideal partners for accessing novel chemical spaces and define highly efficient synthetic tools.