Carmel-based Dormir Inc. acquired a string of sleep-study centers and equipment stores in California, Oregon and Utah, making it the nation’s second-largest provider of sleep-diagnostic services in the country behind SleepMed Inc., headquartered in Columbia, S.C. The sleep centers and equipment stores were part of two subsidiaries of Australia-based Avastra Sleep Centres Ltd. They give Dormir 85 locations in 16 states. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Eli Lilly and Co. said it won approval for a new long-acting version of its bestselling antipsychotic Zyprexa. The new version has patents that could extend until 2018. Investors have shunned Lilly's stock this year because they say Indianapolis-based Lilly does not have enough new drugs to offset the loss of Zyprexa revenue that will occur after the drug loses its patents in 2011. Lilly issued a forecast for 2012-2014 that suggested its profits could fall by as much as one-third from their present levels.

Lilly Endowment Inc. will give $60 million to the Indiana University School of Medicine to implement its new Indiana Physician Scientist Initiative that aims to turn discoveries that could improve human health into products and treatments that benefit patients and produce new businesses. Dr. David Wilkes, executive associate dean for research affairs at the IU School of Medicine, will direct the Indiana Physician Scientist Initiative. Its biggest goal is to recruit 20 physician-scientists to the IU med school to focus on cancer, neurosciences and diabetes/vascular disease.

Scientists have made chemotherapy drugs better at reducing side effects by engineering them to bind only to cancerous cells. But researchers at Purdue University are taking an entirely different approach. They used cold and magnetic particles to create nanorods—about 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. They then coated these rods with the breast cancer drug Herceptin and inserted them into breast tumors. Professor Joseph Irudayaraj and graduate student Jiji Chen wrote about their work in the journal ACS Nano.

The Eli Lilly and Co. Foundation gave $1 million to Indiana University to form a school of public health at IUPUI. Indiana University will build the school using faculty from its medical school and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Two Fort Wayne consulting firms are joining forces in an attempt to do more work for financially strapped doctors and hospitals. MedOptima and Ruffolo Benson LLC now offer expertise in improving billing and other processes, as well as finding capital.

In the latest combination of fitness and physicians, St. Vincent Health has opened a rehab therapy clinic at the Fishers YMCA. The 3,900-square-foot clinic will offer orthopedic, neurological and general rehab care. The first local example of such a partnership is the Westview Healthplex Sports Club on Guion Road operated by Westview Hospital. Also, Hendricks Regional Health is working with YMCA to build a joint facility in Avon.

Southpark Real Estate LLC bought a 9,600-square-foot industrial building at 16525 Southpark Drive. The buyer was represented by Jon Shuel of Resource Commercial Real Estate. The seller, Irwin Union Collateral Inc., was represented by J.D. Graves and Patrick Lindley of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. The sale price wasn’t disclosed.

-PricewaterhouseCoopers leased 21,945 square feet of office space at National City Center in downtown Indianapolis. The tenant was represented by John Vandenbark and Zane Brown of CB Richard Ellis. The landlord, REIT Management & Research, was represented by Rick Trimpe of CB Richard Ellis.

-PrimeCo Development, doing business as Cadillac Ranch All American Bar and Grill, leased 20,000 square feet on the ground floor of Union Station. Michael Cranfill and Larry Davis of Sitehawk Retail Real Estate represented the tenant. The landlord, the city of Indianapolis, was represented by Mary Hauser of Browning Investments.

-Ent & Imler leased 13,052 square feet at Five River Crossing, 8555 River Road. The tenant was represented by Jack Esselman of J.F. Esselman Inc. The landlord, PK Partners, was represented by Dan Richardson of CB Richard Ellis.

-Stacked Pickle leased 4,313 square feet at Providence Shoppes, 12545 Old Meridian St., Suite 150, Carmel. The tenant, a restaurant and bar, was represented by Brian Epstein of Urban Space. The landlord, Thompson Thrift, was represented by Susannah Gershman of Thompson Thrift and Natasha Evans of Buckingham Companies.

-The law firm Plunkett Cooney leased 4,000 square feet of office space at 300 N. Meridian St. The tenant was represented by Bill Ehret and Katie Gray of Summit Realty Group. The landlord, REI Real Estate Services, represented itself.

-Fox’s Pizza Den leased 1,600 square feet at Marketplace at Anson, 6579 E. State Road 334, Zionsville. Scot Courtney, Bart Jackson and Cindy Hoskinson of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. represented the landlord, Duke Realty. The tenant represented itself.

-ReMax at the Crossing leased 1,800 square feet of office space at Sycamore Springs, 4735 Statesman Drive. The landlord, MSE Realty LLC, was represented by Ralph Balber and Ashley Bussell of Halakar Real Estate. The tenant represented itself.

-Indy Spine & Rehab leased 1,236 square feet at Carmel Drive Executive Office Park, 755 W. Carmel Drive, Carmel. Mark Holtzlander of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. represented the tenant. The landlord, TIC Properties Management LLC, was represented by Matt Jackson of Halakar Properties.

-Deering Cleaners leased 1,300 square feet at Chapel Hill Shoppes, 7301 W. 10th St. Scot Courtney and Bart Jackson of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. represented the landlord, GSR LLC. The tenant represented itself.
 

-Sylvie Williams has joined Resource Commercial Real Estate LLC as an adviser on the industrial team. 

-Craig Ramsay has joined Sitehawk Retail Real Estate as a senior leasing associate.

-Michael Cranfill has been promoted to senior leasing associate with Sitehawk Retail Real Estate.
 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the pace of mortgage loan activity increased 8.5 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rates for 30-year loans increased to 4.88 percent from 4.79 percent the previous week. Fifteen-year mortgages increased to 4.33 percent from 4.27 percent.

-TMG Construction Management Inc., Noblesville, has started a 1,500-square-foot tenant build-out for Jackson Hewitt at 55 S. Raceway Road.  It is scheduled to be completed by the end of December.

-TMG Construction Management Inc., Noblesville, recently completed a 1,000-square-foot office remodel project at 5455 W. 86th St. for Polaris Real Estate.

Actuarial analysis for state says health reform would force it to raise Medicaid payment rates to doctors by 33 percent.

Dhan Shapurji, an Indianapolis-based health care consultant for Deloitte, advises hospitals, health insurers and others on how to meet looming challenges and opportunities in the health care industry. He discussed the potential impact of health reform bills pending in Congress.

NICO Corp., Clarian Health Ventures organize event to get neurosurgeons, inventors, investors talking about commercializing new products

St. Vincent Foundation named six new directors: Todd Rokita, Indiana secretary of state; John Marshall, midwest development director at BremnerDuke Healthcare Real Estate; Todd Maurer, principal at Halakar Properties Inc.; Jim Powers, a managing executive at Crowe Horwath LLP; Mary Clare Broadbent, a community activist who sits on numerous not-for-profit boards; and Roberta Walton.

Dr. Sheila Stewart-Whack was promoted to medical director of the pediatric clinic at the St. Vincent Joshua Max Simon Primary Care Center.

Dr. John Palmer Snook has joined Franklin Township Family Medicine and the St. Francis Medical Group. He was staff president at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.

Pierceton-based Paragon Medical plans to invest in a bio-skills campus in the Warsaw area. The northern Indiana supplier of surgical instruments said the lab would support the OrthoWorx project recently launched by Indianapolis-based BioCrossroads to help the Warsaw orthopedics industry transition to biology-based products that could render the sector’s current products obsolete.

Orthopedics implant makers have seen their business embraced more by Wall Street lately. Warsaw-based Zimmer Holdings Inc. has watched its share price rise about 20 percent in the past three months. Its competitors, such as Michigan-based Stryker Corp., have also experienced nice gains. Paul Nolte, managing director at Dearborn Partners, told MarketWatch, "It's been a slow progression as investors realized that even with "ObamaCare," people are still going to want to have knee replacements.”

The impact of health reform on innovation will be the topic at the next Life Sciences Lunch at the downtown offices of Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburgh LLP. Allison Giles, vice president of federal affairs at Cook Group Inc., will speak. Bloomington-based Cook is among the medical-device firms that have complained loudly that a tax on medical-device companies’ revenue would force companies to cut jobs and slow down on innovation. Additional speakers have yet to be named. The lunch is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 11: 30 a.m.

Dec. 12-13

Second Presbyterian Church

The complete version of Handel’s “Messiah” focuses much more on Easter events than Christmas ones. But that hasn’t stopped one of the world’s best-known oratorios from becoming a powerful December tradition.

This version is a joint effort of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Encore Vocal Arts and the Second Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir. They’ll be joined by soprano Serena Benedetti and other soloists for two performances at Second Pres. Details here.

Dec. 15-Jan. 17

Indiana Repertory Theatre

A.R. Gurney has written many plays, (including “The Dining Room,” “The Cocktail Hour” and “The Middle Ages”) but he truly became a friend to theaters across the country when he wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winner “Love Letters.”

Why? It’s easy to stage. The set is only a desk and two chairs, and the play requires just two actors, neither of whom has to memorize lines or be of a particular age. Since its premiere, “Love Letters” has been performed by a who’s who of actors, including such pairs as Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl Jones, Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst, Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels, and Hal Linden and Barbara Eden (better known as Barney Miller and Jeannie).

In the IRT’s production, the letter-writers will be Patrick Clear and Priscilla Lindsay, who also appeared together in 2004’s “Plaza Suite.”
Details here.

Dec. 12

Conseco Fieldhouse

Say what you want about the last three (or first three, depending on how you are counting) “Star Wars” movies. Say what you want about the recent “Clone Wars” television spinoff. Say what you want about Jar-Jar Binks.

But has anyone said anything less than positive about John Williams’ now-iconic music for the science fiction saga? That orchestral score is the focus of this event, in which a symphony plays, accompanied by scenes from the films on three-story video screens.

To sweeten the deal, Anthony Daniels (who appeared in all six films as C-3PO) narrates live and in person. Details here.

Mickey’s Corner presents an interview with David Wolf, Dec. 15 at the JCC. Details here.

Lewis Black, Dec. 12 at the Murat Theatre. Details here.

The Music Within presents “The Season of Giving: A Holiday Celebration,” featuring Stacie Sandoval, Clifford Ratliff, Keith Hayes and more, Dec. 16 at The Church Within. Details here.

-Annette Douglas-Akinwande bought a 7,900-square-foot office building at 1935 N. Capitol Ave. The purchase price was not disclosed. Darrin L. Boyd and David A. Moore of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker represented the buyer. The sellers, Ruth B. Properties LLC, JRR Properties LLC, DGR Properties LLC and JH2 Properties LLC, were represented by Caroline Karanja of Spectrum Management & Development.

-Magnum Logistics bought a seven-acre industrial site in the Plainfield Business Park, where it plans to build a 15,000-square-foot office/warehouse headquarters building. Kevin B. Kempf of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker represented the buyer. The seller was Duke Realty. The price was not disclosed.

-Wilcoop LLC bought a 1.3-acre outlot at Geist Corner Shoppes, 9641 Olio Road, McCordsville. James Mount of Hokanson Cos. represented the buyer. The seller, 96th & Olio LLC, was represented by Jacque Haynes of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. The price was not disclosed.

-Jones Lang LaSalle has been named exclusive leasing and managing agent for Chase Tower, 111 Monument Circle.  John Robinson and Adam Broderick of Jones Lang LaSalle will be in charge of leasing the 1.1-million-square-foot, two-building property, which is 99 percent leased. Jeff Reynolds, who has managed Chase Tower for six years, will retain that role and will become an employee of Jones Lang LaSalle, which will open an office in Chase Tower. The property is owned by Macquarie Office Trust.

-Aurora Bank leased 33,000 square feet of space in Castleton Park, 5920 Castleway West Drive, for a call center. Dan O’Neil, John Robinson and Julie Kilpatrick of Jones Lang LaSalle represented the tenant.  The landlord/owner BREOF Castleton Park LLC, was represented by Dave Moore of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker.

-The Marion County Democratic Party leased 3,000 square feet of office space at 148 E. Market St. Rebecca Baer of Summit Realty represented the tenant. The landlord, Center Township Investments LLC, was represented by Ralph Balber and Ashley Bussell of Halakar Real Estate.

-Astbury Environmental Engineering Inc. leased 10,000 square feet at 5755 W. 74th St. Ashley Bussell of Halakar Real Estate represented the tenant. The owner/landlord, Duke Realty, was represented by Kate Willen of Duke.

-MSP Seals Inc. leased 10,495 square feet at the Mount Comfort Commercial Park, 6169 W. Stoner Drive. The landlord/owner, Precedent Commercial Development, was represented by Larry Siegler of Precedent. The tenant represented itself.

-Innovative Therapy Solutions leased 12,400 square feet at the Mount Comfort Commercial Park, 6169 W. Stoner Drive. The landlord/owner, Precedent Commercial Development, was represented by Larry Siegler of Precedent. The tenant represented itself.

-Auctor Corp. leased 6,137 square feet at The Precedent Office Park, 9225 Priority Way West Drive. The landlord/owner, The Precedent LLC, was represented by Darrell Pike of Precedent Real Estate Services LLC.  The tenant represented itself.

-Wells Fargo Advisors leased 4,724 square feet at National City Center. The tenant, which is relocating from Pan Am Plaza, was represented by Bill Ehret  and Katie Gray of Summit Realty Group. The landlord, REIT Management & Research, was represented by John Vandenbark of CB Richard Ellis.
 
-Caren Pollack PC leased 2,912 square feet at Three Meridian Plaza, 10333 N. Meridian St., Carmel. Spero Pulos of Grubb & Ellis Harding Dahm & Co. represented the tenant. Dan Richardson and John Vandenbark of CB Richard Ellis represented the landlord, ARI Commercial Properties.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the pace of mortgage loan activity increased 2.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 27, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rates for 30-year loans decreased to 4.79 percent from 4.82 percent the previous week. Fifteen-year mortgages decreased to 4.27 percent from 4.32 percent.

-Herman & Kittle Properties has started construction of Lynhurst Park II, the second and final phase of an apartment complex at 3215 Joey Way, on the southwest side. Construction of the 62-unit project began following the purchase of tax credits by Wells Fargo Community Lending and Investments. Completion is scheduled for late summer or early fall of 2010.

-Shamrock Builders-Commercial completed a 6,612-square-foot office for Phillip Montefalco DDS at 8445 S. Emerson Ave., Suite 100.

-Shamrock Builders-Commercial completed a 2,520-square-foot tenant build-out for Bradley Consulting Inc. at 1620 W. Oak St., Suite 200, Zionsville.
 

Brad Skillman will succeed Larry Koenes as president of The Skillman Corp. Skillman, who joined his family’s construction company in 1993, previously launched Skillman offices in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio.

If Congress passes health reform, the number of people buying insurance on their own will more than double by 2016, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office, as health reform requires all Americans to have health insurance.

<p><strong>Dr. Denise L. Johnson Miller</strong> has been named director of the St. Francis Breast Surgery Program, effective
                     Dec.1. Miller comes from Stanford University Medical Center in California, where she directed cancer outreach and melanoma
                     surgery programs.<br /><br /><strong>Jeff Smulyan</strong>, CEO of Emmis Communications                      Corp., has been
                     named co-chairman of Hoosiers Work for Health, an industry-funded group promoting awareness of social and               
                     economic impacts of the health care industry. Smulyan replaces former Indianapolis mayor <strong>Bart Peterson</strong>,
                     who took a job as a senior vice president at Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. The group's other co-chairman is <strong>Jim
                     Morris</strong>,                      president of Pacers Sports and Entertainment.</p><p><strong>Dr. Anh-Danh Phan</strong>
                     has joined the Eugene and Marilyn                       Glick Eye Institute at Indiana University School of Medicine's Department
                     of Ophthalmology as a visiting assistant clinical                      professor of ophthalmology. Phan received her medical
                     degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.</p>
                 

<p><strong>Dow AgroSciences LLC</strong>, which seems to sign a new deal every week, announced two, in fact, in the past eight
                     days. The Indianapolis-based developer of agricultural products announced Nov. 24 that its Canada subsidiary acquired the
                     assets                      of Hyland Seeds, a division of Thompsons Ltd. of Blenheim, Ontario. Dow Agro is adding distribution
                     capacity for the 2010 launch of its SmartStax variety of genetically modified seeds.                      Then on Dec. 1,
                     Dow Agro invested an undisclosed amount in Ontario-based Agrisoma Biosciences Inc. The companies have been collaborating
                     since 2004 to genetically engineer plant traits, and now will expand their work into field crops, such as corn and soybeans.
                     Dow Agro&rsquo;s investment secured it a commercial license option for Agrisoma technology.</p><p>The <strong>Indiana   
                     Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute</strong> has received $2.5 million to help it turn laboratory discoveries into
                     treatments faster. The money will be used to bring the <strong>University of Notre Dame</strong> into the institute, now a
                     partnership of Indiana and Purdue universities. Other funds will go to build up the institute&rsquo;s Web site          
                     and to figure out best practices for community-health efforts. Nearly $1 million of the funds will be used to recruit patients
                     to participate in clinical trials conducted by physicians at the Indiana Clinic, a new joint venture of the <strong>IU  
                     School of Medicine</strong> and the Indianapolis-based <strong>Clarian Health</strong> hospital system.</p><p>Officials of
                     <strong>Wishard Health                      Services</strong>                      released details Tuesday of their first
                     request for bids on construction of a new Wishard                      hospital downtown.                      Hospital officials
                     are looking for contractors to build a 2,300-space                      parking garage, the first of five buildings to  
                     house the new hospital. Marion County voters agreed&nbsp;                      Nov. 3 to back bonds that&nbsp; Wishard&rsquo;s
                     parent organization will sell                      to fund the $754 million project.                      A meeting about
                     the bid process will be held Dec. 17. The new hospital is scheduled to open                      in December            
                     2013.</p>
                 

In the blogosphere, health-policy experts have given the Senate health reform bill kudos for trying everything under the sun to reduce health care spending, but there are lingering doubts about whether it will really work.

Dec. 4-23
Hilbert Circle Theatre

Maureen McGovern, the hostess of this year’s “Yuletide Celebration,” is no stranger to Hilbert Circle Theatre, having joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra there earlier in the season for a pops concert.

Best known for her pop hits “The Morning After,” “We May Never Love Like This Again,” and “Can You Read My Mind” (featured in, respectively, “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Towering Inferno,” and “Superman,”) McGovern evolved into a well-respected cabaret artist with a string of Great-American-Songbook recordings, high-profile nightclub gigs and Broadway appearances. 

Like Santa’s pouch, “Yuletide Celebration” is always a very mixed bag. Joining McGovern in this annual mix of the sacred and the playful will be a Liberace impersonator, a dog act, and the Yuletide debut of the ISO’s new Wurlitzer pipe organ. Details here.