Article Listing - Debiopharm and Aurigene select development candidate under cancer drug collaboration
Canadians have access to fewer new medicines than in most OECD countries
14 June 2013
Compared to 32 other developed countries, Canada's public drug plans perform poorly in providing access to new medicines and vaccines, according to the 2011-2012 International Report on Access to Medicines released by Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D).
Royalty bid for Elan could be withdrawn; J&J sells 25.4 million Elan shares
14 June 2013
Ireland-based hostile takeover target Elan (NYSE: ELN) fell 5.2% to 9.29 euros on June 13, the most in four months, after Royalty Pharma said it may be forced to end its $6.7 billion bid to take over the biotechnology company. Elan shareholders may approve a share-repurchasing program at their meeting on June 17, Royalty Pharma said in a statement after reviewing votes cast as of the day earlier.
Boehringer Ingelheim's all-oral interferon-free combination achieved 95% viral cure rates in genotype-1b hepatitis C
14 June 2013
New data from German family-owned drug major Boehringer Ingelheim's interferon-free SOUND-C3, presented during the APASL Liver Week in Singapore, showed strong results for the firm's investigational all-oral interferon-free combination in the treatment of genotype-1b hepatitis patients.
Data on Novo Nordisk's Victoza further supporting safety presented at expert workshop
14 June 2013
Danish Insulin giant Novo Nordisk (NOV: N) presented data further supporting the safety of Victoza (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) at a scientific workshop in the US arranged by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Lilly stops Ph II study of Alzheimer's candidate LY2886721 due to abnormal liver tests
14 June 2013
US drug major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) says it has stopped its Phase II study (BACC) for LY2886721, a beta secretase (BACE) inhibitor being investigated as a once daily treatment for its potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The decision was due to abnormal liver biochemical tests. The cases of abnormal liver biochemical tests were identified as part of routine monitoring. Lilly will continue to monitor all participants with abnormal liver biochemical tests.
FDA backs Amgen's Xgeva for new use, to treat giant cell tumor of the bone
14 June 2013
The US Food and Drug Administration late yesterday (June 13) expanded the approved use of biotech major Amgen's (Nasdaq: AMGN) Xgeva (denosumab) to treat adults and some adolescents with giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB), a rare and usually non-cancerous tumor.
US Supreme Court issues mixed ruling on DNA patents
14 June 2013
The US Supreme Court yesterday (June 13) delivered its unanimous decision regarding the Association for Molecular Pathology versus Myriad Genetics case on patent claims on isolated DNA molecules, stating that companies cannot patent specific DNA, but that synthetically produced genetic material can be patented.
Bionor Pharma leaps on positive trial results of HIV vaccine Vacc-4x with Revlimid
14 June 2013
Norway-based Bionor Pharma (OSE: BIONOR) saw its shares leap 16% to 3.67 kroner on June 13, after the company revealed that the first part of its phase II clinical study combining the HIV vaccine, Vacc-4x, with Celgene's immunomodulator, Revlimid (lenalidomide), has been successfully completed.
NICE says "yes" to Alimera's Iluvien for treatment of diabetic macular edema
14 June 2013
In draft guidance published today (June 14) by UK drugs watch dog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) it is recommending US ophthalmic biopharma specialist Alimira Sciences (Nasdaq: ALIM) Iluvien (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies, reversing a prior draft guidance last summer (The Pharma Letter August 8, 2012).
Genetics and genomics industry in the USA has a trillion dollar impact, new Battelle study shows
14 June 2013
A new Battelle study released this week by United for Medical Research illustrates the genetics and genomics industry's impact on the US economy has reached nearly a trillion dollars. The study is based on new data collected over the previous two years, and represents an update to the highly-cited Battelle 2011 report tracking the growth of the industry and its links to the federally funded Human Genome Project (HGP).
- US Supreme Court says patent settlement can "sometimes" be illegal
- InSite Vision joins Merck & Co and Pfizer in patent infringement law suit against
- Highlights of EHA meeting: Novartis' Jakavi; Bristol-Myers and AbbVie's elotuzumab; Janssen's ibrutinib
- Daiichi Sankyo files for Japanese approval of Prasugrel
- Osteoporosis drug bazedoxifene stops growth of breast cancer cells, even in resistant tumors
