Article Listing - Pharmaceutical
China’s Sinovac completes acquisition aimed at expanding production capacity
16 February 2010
Sinovac Biotech, a leading China-based vaccine manufacturer, has announced the completion by its subsidiary, Sinovac Beijing, of the acquisition of buildings and land use rights. The total consideration for the purchase is approximately 120 million renminbi ($17.6 million), which will be financed from working capital. The initial payment of 56.5 million renminbi will be paid before February 20, and the balance in three instalments within three years.
UK trade body to lead delegations to India focusing biotech industry
16 February 2010
The UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), a government investment services organization, will focus on promoting trade and investment relation between the biopharmaceutical industry in the UK and India by arranging business meetings in next month or two.
First results of UK national medicine use review audit show benefit of MURs
16 February 2010
In the UK, 80% of the patients who took part in the first audit of Medicine Use Reviews (MUR) said their knowledge on medicines and how to use them had improved because of an MUR. The service consists of accredited pharmacists undertaking structured concordance centered reviews with patients on multiple medicines, particularly those receiving drugs for long term conditions.
USA’s PhRMA chief Tauzin quits post, amid internal disputes over pact with White House
15 February 2010
Billy Tauzin, one of Washington DC's highest-paid lobbyists, and a former Louisiana Congressman, is resigning as president of the US drug industry trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) – a post he has held since 2005, effective June 30 -amid internal disputes over its pact with the White House to trade political support for favorable terms in the proposed health care reform, according to The Washington Monthly as well as other US media reports.
UK’s NICE backs use of Novo Nordisk’s Victoza for diabetes, but only as triple therapy
15 February 2010
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) this morning issued a preliminary recommendation for the use of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk’s Victoza (liraglutide), a once-daily injection, for the treatment of type-2 diabetes as part of triple therapy regimens in the National Health Service in England and Wales.
OXiGENE restructures after failed merger with VaxGen, focusing resources on key programs
15 February 2010
US cancer and eye disease drug developer OXiGENE has revealed a restructuring plan designed to focus resources on the company's highest-value clinical assets and reduce its cash utilization. The move follows the failure of its previously-announced merger with VaxGen, which failed to receive the majority of the latter shareholders’ backing earlier this month.
Merck & Co returns rights to anti-fungal drug to Anacor
15 February 2010
California-based Anacor Pharmaceuticals says that US drugs giant that Merck & Co has returned full worldwide development and commercialization rights for AN2690 to Anacor, a topical anti-fungal therapy being developed for onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed, estimated to affect around 35 million people in the USA.
Vernalis to re-acquire EU frovatriptan royalties; Isogenica gains rights to commercialize drugs with MRSA potential
15 February 2010
UK biotechnology firm Vernalis has announced the placing of £30 million ($46.3 million) in new shares to fund the reacquisition of European Union royalties on its antimigraine drug frovatriptan (trade name Frova) from Paul Capital, and to progress its development pipeline. This placing and transaction substantially strengthen Vernalis’ cash position, ahead of IN STEP trial data in March, enabling the company to become debt free and to extend its cash runway beyond 2012, commented analysts at Edison Investment Research.
India’s DCGI, Pharmexcil to meet regularly to address problems of pharma exporters
15 February 2010
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) to put forward any policy changes, if needed, to help pharmaceutical exporters, as both the sides decided to meet regularly to discuss and mitigate the problems faced by the exporting community, reports the Indian firm PharmaBiz.
Curis and Bioniche each get $8 million milestones in respective deals with Debiopharm and Endo
15 February 2010
Massachusetts, USA-based drug developer Curis is set to receive an $8 million payment from Switzerland’s Debiopharm SA after the latter gained French regulatory approval to begin human studies on a potential cancer treatment.
- Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Victoza produced 8% weight loss in Ph III obesity trial
- Is the diabetes market facing a blockbuster-free future?
- Alchemia and Merck Serono collaborate on HA-Irinotecan with Erbitux
- Positive new data on Novartis' Galvus in elderly type 2 diabetes patients
- Johnson & Johnson expects 10 NDA filings by 2017, saying pharma sector poised for growth
