23 May 2013
21 May 2013
USA-based XenoPort (Nasdaq: XNPT) saw its shares fall 12.7% to $5.89 in mid-morning trading on Monday (May 20), after it revealed top-line results from its pivotal Phase III clinical trial of arbaclofen placarbil (AP) for the treatment of patients with spasticity due to multiple sclerosis (MS), which failed to demonstrate demonstrating that AP provided statistically significant improvement relative to placebo in the co-primary endpoints of the study.
20 May 2013
US generics major Actavis (NYSE: ACT) revealed today (May 20) that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ireland-based specialty drugmaker Warner Chilcott (Nasdaq: WCRX) in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at around $8.5 billion (including $3 billion of debt). Actavis' shares gained 2.6% to $128.70 in premarket trading, while those of Warner Chilcott rose 3.3% to $19.85.
20 May 2013
Danish insulin giant Novo Nordisk (NOV: N) says it has completed paradigm 2, the first Phase III trial with a long-acting FIX derivative, N9-GP (glycopegylated recombinant factor IX), for hemophilia B patients, with successful results. Paradigm 2 is a multicenter, blinded trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of N9-GP when used for on-demand or prophylactic treatment in patients with haemophilia B.
20 May 2013
Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan have recently taken steps to introduce drug reimbursement schemes similar to those functioning in other countries. If introduced, these could completely change the operating environment on both the generic and innovative drug markets in these countries.
20 May 2013
French biotech firms DBV Technologies (Euronext: DBV), creator of Viaskin, a new standard in the treatment of allergies, and Stallergenes (Euronext Paris CAC small), worldwide leader in allergen immunotherapy, have entered into a strategic research partnership.
20 May 2013
Danish CNS specialist Lundbeck (LUND: DC) and partner Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502), Japan's largest drugmaker, are presenting new data on four pivotal studies on Brintellix (vortioxetine), a novel investigational drug, at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in San Francisco, taking place May 18-22, demonstrating efficacy at doses of 15mg and 20mg per day including an improvement of overall functioning.
20 May 2013
In a seminar hosted last week by the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament and the Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Alejandro Cercas (S&D, Spain), six MEPs from various political groups, along with representatives of governments, leading academics, researches and public health organizations met to raise awareness about one of the most alarming issues that European health care systems face - the increasingly inadequate public access to medicines and its dire consequences, according to a web posting by the European Public Health Alliance.
20 May 2013
One of the most important preconditions for Turkey to reach a reformist, sustainable economic growth with high-added-value and to attract more direct foreign investment is to create an effective patent system at international standards, protecting intellectual property rights, comments the research-based Turkish pharma industry group, the AIFD.
20 May 2013
While the risks involved in HIV vaccine development have turned Big Pharma away from pursuing a preventative vaccine, government-funded organizations and smaller biotech firms may provide the answer, a GlobalData analyst has said in a research note as World AIDS Vaccine Day approaches.
20 May 2013
Ireland-headquartered Elan Corp (NYSE: ELN) (Elan) this morning announced a series of transactions designed to decisively transform and advance the company. Upon shareholder approval, the totality of these strategically driven decisions, in addition to the $1 billion Theravance royalty participation agreement and dividend pass through announced last week (The Pharma Letter May 13) and the previously completed $3.23 billion Tysabri (natalizumab) transaction with Biogen Idec, will form a dynamic and unique business foundation for Elan in the years ahead. Elan is at the same time fighting off a hostile takeover approach from Royalty Pharma (TPLs passim).