By Monica Chen

Cree LED to light up Wal-Marts

DURHAM — Light maker Cree Inc. has been selected to provide energy-efficient LED lighting to Wal-Mart for new stores and renovations.

The discount retail giant plans to install the company’s LRP-38 LED light bulbs in 650 stores during the first year, replacing ceramic metal halide in the produce and electronics departments.

The light-emitting diode lamp was selected for energy efficiency, long lifespan and other attributes, according to Cree. The lamps should last 50,000 hours and consume 82 percent less energy than the 70-Watt ceramic metal halide bulbs they replace.

BioCryst gets $7M with filing

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced Wednesday that its partner, Shionogi & Co. Ltd., has filed a new drug application in Japan to seek regulatory approval for intravenous peramivir for flu patients.

As a result, BioCryst will receive a regulatory milestone payment of $7 million under its agreement with Shionogi.

This was the first application for approval of peramivir in any country, according to Jon P. Stonehouse, president and CEO of BioCryst. The company also has research and development facilities in Durham.

Peramivir is an intravenously administered anti-viral agent that delivers high plasma concentrations to the sites of infection. Peramivir has shown activity against pandemic H1N1 swine flu origin viral strains, according to BioCryst.

The company is developing peramivir with funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, which also authorized emergency use of peramivir as a swine flu treatment. Late-stage U.S. trials started in the third quarter and are expected to last until 2011.

Inspire drug trials complete

DURHAM — Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc. has completed patient enrollment in three of its late-stage clinical trials, the Durham biopharmaceutical company announced Wednesday.

Trials for denufosol, Prolacria and Azasite, the company’s treatments for cystic fibrosis, dry eye and blepharitis, are now complete.

Prolacria and denufosol were both in Phase 3 development. Azasite was in Phase 2 trials.

Reichhold India facility launches

DURHAM — Reichhold has launched a new manufacturing facility in India, the Durham-based producer of polyester resins announced Wednesday, bringing its total of manufacturing sites around the world to 19.

The company, which is headquartered in Durham’s Research Triangle Park, also has four technology centers worldwide.

The new facility in Ranjangaon/Pune, India, will have an annual production capacity of 13,200 metric tons, making unsaturated polyester resins for wind turbines, chemical equipment, automobiles, among others.