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News » December
2005
Pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical and
NHS news
Obesity could lead to
Alzheimer's
Posted: 30/12/2005
People who are overweight or obese are
more at risk from developing the degenerative brain disease Alzheimer's, a new
study has claimed. US and Australian researchers say they have found a link
between body mass index (BMI) and high levels of beta-amyloid, the sticky
protein which builds up on the brain of Alzheimer's sufferers.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals signs
$400m deal with Progenics
Posted: 30/12/2005
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
and Progenics Pharmaceuticals have announced that they have entered into an
exclusive, worldwide agreement worth over $400 million for the joint
development and commercialisation of methylnaltrexone (MNTX) for the treatment
of opioid-induced side effects, including constipation and post-operative bowel
dysfunction.
Scientists discover why fat causes
diabetes
Posted: 30/12/2005
US scientists say they have pinpointed
why a high-fat, western-style diet can increase risk from type two diabetes. A
team from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute found in studies on mice that
fatty foods disrupt an enzyme which is crucial in the production of insulin,
which regulates blood sugar levels.
Novartis up on Femara study results and
approval
Posted: 30/12/2005
The widely reported news that Novartis'
breast cancer drug Femara is superior for many patients in the treatment of
breast cancer, together with the descision by US regulators to approve the
drug, have pushed its share price up 1.2 per cent. The company's stock has
risen 20 per cent over the year overall.
Drug risk for
descendents of premature births
Posted: 30/12/2005
A new study has
found that glucocorticoid drugs given to women at risk of giving birth
prematurely may affect the brain development and behaviour of the women's
grandchildren. The study by University of Toronto researchers and reported in
New Scientist magazine involved giving the drugs to pregnant guinea pigs. In
humans the drug is used to speed up the development of the lungs in the unborn
child.
Novartis' Femara found to be
most effective for breast cancer
Posted: 29/12/2005
A major study has
found that the breast cancer drug Fermara (letrozole), manufactured by
Novartis, may give many women a better chance of beating the disease. The
study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), showed that
Femara demonstrated a significant advantage in disease-free survival versus
tamoxifen when used after surgery (adjuvant) in postmenopausal women with
hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.
Pfizer's anti-smoking drug wins
priority review
Posted: 29/12/2005
Pfizer has been granted a
six-month priority review for the New Drug Application for its smoking
cessation medicine, varenicline tartrate, which the company intends to market
under the brand name Champix.
Vitamin D 'lowers' cancer
risk
Posted: 29/12/2005
Vitamin D can significantly lower the risk of
developing a number of cancers, according to research by US scientists. The
study by cancer prevention specialists at the University of California found
that 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 daily could reduce the risk
of developing colon, breast and ovarian cancer by up to 50 per cent.
Wyeth
Pharmaceuticals submits extended release antidepressant to FDA
Posted:
29/12/2005
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has submitted a New
Drug Application (NDA) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for
desvenlafaxine extended release (DVS-233) for the treatment of major depressive
disorder (MDD).
Anti-alcoholism drug gets conditional
approval
Posted: 29/12/2005
A new drug to treat alcoholism in adults
has been granted conditional approval by the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Alkermes' once a month treatment, called Viotrol, an injectable form of
naltrexone, is administered monthly to help ward off a craving for alcohol.
Heart risk 'greater among
siblings'
Posted: 29/12/2005
The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)
in middle-aged adults is significantly increased if they have a sibling with
the condition, a new study has revealed. After analysing data from 5,000
people, the scientists in the US Framingham heart study team have discovered
that adults with a brother or sister who suffer from CVD have a 45 per cent
increased risk of it themselves.
More drinkers in
hospital
Posted: 28/12/2005
Record numbers of adults and young
people are being admitted to hospital for drink-related diseases. Official
statistics obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that the number of
alcohol-related hospital admissions has increased by 28 per cent over the past
eight years.
AstraZeneca signs $300
licensing deal with Targacept
Posted: 28/12/2005
AstraZeneca has
announced that it has signed an exclusive global licensing and research
collaboration agreement with Targacept for the development and
commercialisation of Targacept's phase II compound, TC-1734 to treat
Alzheimer's disease, cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and other cognitive
disorders.
Biogen finds early Zevalin
use benefits cancer patients
Posted: 28/12/2005
Biogen Idec has
announced that new data demonstrates that patients may benefit from earlier and
consolidated use of Zevalin (Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) radioimmunotherapy in
refractory and hard-to-treat cancers, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
(DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
(FL).
Eisai
gets approval for Aricept in 12 EU states
Posted:
28/12/2005
Eisai has announced that its UK subsidiary, Eisai Ltd, has
received notification of the completion of the Mutual Recognition Procedure
(MRP) from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for
Aricept orodispersible tablet.
Shire
Pharmaceuticals gets FDA approval for Daytrana
Posted:
28/12/2005
Shire Pharmaceuticals has announced it has received an
approvable letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Daytrana
(methylphenidate transdermal system).
Novartis declines to comment on Serono
bid
Posted: 28/12/2005
Newspaper reports that pharmaceutical firm
Novartis is to make a takeover bid for biotechnology firm Serono have not been
commented on by the company. Switzerland's SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported
at the weekend that Novartis would offer 1,050 Swiss francs a share to public
holders of Serono stock.
AstraZeneca buys cancer
researcher KuDOS
Posted: 23/12/2005
AstraZeneca has agreed to
purchase British cancer researcher KuDOS Pharmaceuticals for £121
million. KuDOS currently specialises in the discovery and development of cancer
treatments, based upon inhibiting the repair of DNA. AstraZeneca said that the
acquisition would improve the company's cancer medication portfolio.
GlaxoSmithKline's
diabetes drugs in vision-deterioration scare
Posted:
23/12/2005
Two type-2 diabetes drugs could cause or exaggerate vision
problems, according to Canada's health authority. Health Canada said that
Avandia and Avandamet, both manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), were found
to cause or worsen macular edema ? a build up of fluid in the eye. The disease
can occur in individuals with poor control of their blood sugar levels.
Fungus breakthrough raises
leukaemia hopes
Posted: 23/12/2005
New research into the gene
code of a family of fungi could hold the key to tackling the leading cause of
death in leukaemia and bone marrow transplant patients. The study by
international scientists into the genome sequences (genetic maps) for the fungi
Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus oryzae has produced
some important results.
Shire Pharmaceuticals seeks
approval for Mesavance
Posted: 23/12/2005
Shire Pharmaceuticals
has filed a US new drug application (NDA) for its Mesavance treatment. The
drug, which is designed to treat mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis, is
currently being studied for its effectiveness in inducing endoscopic and
clinical remission in patients.
NICE provisionally
recommends Taxotere
Posted: 23/12/2005
The National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence has given provisional clearance to recommend
Sanofi-Aventis' chemotherapy drug Taxotere for the treatment of prostate
cancer. It is believed that final guidance will be issued around July next year
for use of the drug in men with advanced hormone refractory prostate cancer.
Sanofi-Aventis
sees Avalon agreement annulled
Posted: 23/12/2005
A collaboration
agreement between Sanofi-Aventis and Avalon Pharmaceuticals has expired, the
latter company said. The deal, established in December 2003, brought the two
firms together to use molecular cytogenetics technologies in finding cancer
drug targets. Avalon specialises in research into small molecule therapeutics.
Boehringer
Ingelheim enters $54 million drug discovery collaboration
Posted:
23/12/2005
Boehringer Ingelheim has entered into $54 million research
and licensing deal with TransTech Pharma. The agreement will allow Boehringer
access to TransTech's TTP Translational Technology, with the aim of discovering
new small molecules which could be used in yet undisclosed treatments.
Solvay to restructure
operations
Posted: 22/12/2005
Solvay Healthcare has said that it
is in the process of restructuring the company after its purchase of Fournier
Pharmaceuticals in July. The firm said in a statement that the company's
"product priorities" had changed following the merger, and that the firm had
restructured as a result, leaving 30 people jobless.
Early diabetes
treatment 'reduces' heart risk
Posted: 22/12/2005
Intensive and
early treatment of type one diabetes may substantially reduce the risk of heart
disease and stroke, according to US scientists. A new multi-centre study shows
that patients receiving treatment such as insulin pumps, multiple daily insulin
injections and glucose monitoring as young adults reduced their risk of serious
cardiovascular disease by almost 60 per cent.
Roche's Tamiflu efficacy
doubted
Posted: 22/12/2005
The effectiveness of antiviral drug
Tamiflu has been brought into doubt after two patients developed resistance to
the drug. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine has said that two
H5N1 infected patients treated with the Tamiflu drug had died. The bird flu
virus was said to have developed a resistance in both individuals.
Johnson, Shire,
Novartis and Lundbeck AD drugs
Posted: 22/12/2005
The UK body
which decides which drugs can be available on prescription met on Tuesday to
decide whether to ban the use of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) treatments. The
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) had asked pharmaceutical
companies earlier in the year to produce more evidence that anti-cholinesterase
drugs were cost-effective. It had said in March that it was considering
withdrawing the treatments from use, which do not cure AD but can alleviate
symptoms.
Novartis remains committed to
Chiron purchase
Posted: 22/12/2005
French drug firm Novartis has
said that it is still committed to the purchase of vaccine company Chiron's
remaining shares, despite claims that its bid is too low.
Allergan to acquire Inamed
Posted:
22/12/2005
Botox producer Allergan has signed a merger agreement with
rival Inamed Corporation. Shareholders in Inamed will be offered either 0.8498
of an Allergan share or $84 in cash, valuing the company at $3.2 billion
(£1.8 billion). Inamed has also terminated its licence for Ipsen Ltd's
Reloxin botulinum toxin in a step to please regulatory authorities.
Bayer and Onyx get Nexavar
FDA approval
Posted: 22/12/2005
Kidney cancer drug Nexavar has
received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The treatment
developed by Bayer Healthcare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals is the first in over ten
years for advanced renal cell carcinoma. It was approved after a trial, which
involved 130 cancer centres, found that survival rates were doubled with the
drug.
Benefits of flu vaccine
'substantially overestimated'
Posted: 21/12/2005
Studies of
influenza vaccine effectiveness in elderly people substantially overestimate
vaccine benefits, according to new research. According to Dr Lisa Jackson and
her colleagues at Group Health Co-operative, Seattle, there is evidence of
serious bias in estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness in seniors.
Pfizer's Lipitor patent upheld
by Spanish court
Posted: 21/12/2005
A Spanish court has
maintained Pfizer's patent for its cholesterol treatment Lipitor. Ratiopharm
Espana had attempted to use a lawsuit to challenge Pfizer's patents on the
drug's active ingredient atorvastatin. It may now appeal. The patent is due to
expire in July 2010 and has been challenged by other drug firms looking to make
generic forms of the drug.
Forest
Laboratories sees progress with cystic fibrosis inhaler
Posted:
21/12/2005
A new cystic fibrosis antibiotic inhaler has gained orphan
drug status with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
GlaxoSmithKline
faces lawsuit over Wellbutrin infringement
Posted:
21/12/2005
Andrx Corp is suing British-based GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for
alleged patent infringements. Andrx claims that GSK's Wellbutrin XL
anti-depressant infringes a patent it filed concerning bupropion hydrochloride,
the active ingredient in the drug.
Calls for heart screening for
over-40s
Posted: 21/12/2005
Doctors should consider screening all
over-40s for heart disease, according to medical experts. Writing in the
medical journal Heart, six professional societies call for doctors to take a
more proactive approach in detecting heart disease ? the UK's leading cause of
death.
Sanofi Pasteur makes
progress on H5N1 bird flu vaccine
Posted: 21/12/2005
Early
results from trials for a bird flu vaccine have found that it produces a good
immune response. Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine-making subsidiary of Sanofi
Aventis, said that 300 volunteers had come forward to try the vaccine, the
company's first to deal with pre-pandemic H5N1.
Johnson and
Johnson and PharmaMar submit Yondelis to EMEA
Posted:
20/12/2005
PharmaMar has announced that it will submit the soft tissue
sarcoma (STS) drug Yondelis, developed with Johnson & Johnson, to the
European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
NICE to rule on Alzheimer's
drug efficacy
Posted: 20/12/2005
The National Institute for
Clinical Excellence (NICE) is to review a ban planned on Alzheimer's
treatments. NICE had rules earlier in the year that anti-cholinesterase drugs,
which reports put as costing £1,000 per patient per year, are not
cost-effective. But the agency delayed a full ban, allowing pharmaceutical
companies to come forward with more information.
Novartis considers bid
for Berna Biotech
Posted: 20/12/2005
Novartis has announced that
it will "explore the benefits" of acquiring the Swiss vaccines company Berna
Biotech. The company said that it is looking at whether Berna could be combined
with Chiron, a US vaccines company that Novartis is currently in the process of
acquiring.
Johnson and Johnson
buys insulin pump maker for $518m
Posted: 20/12/2005
Johnson
& Johnson (J&J) has agreed to buy insulin pump maker Animas Corporation
for $518 million, $24.50 per share. In a statement, the companies said that
Animas would continue to operate as a standalone company through J&J's
LifeScan subsidiary, which produces monitoring systems for blood glucose
levels.
Schwarz finds
rotigotine patch effective in Parkinson's treatment
Posted:
20/12/2005
Phase III studies of Schwarz Pharma's transdermal Parkinson's
treatments have been successful, the company has claimed. The rotigotine
transdermal system, also know as the Neupro patch, was found to be effective in
reducing "off time" ? periods of uncontrollable movements ? by 30 per cent,
compared to patients who were given placebo.
Cephalon prepares for
multiple drug launches
Posted: 20/12/2005
Biotechnology firm
Cephalon is planning four drug launches for 2006, Reuters has reported. CEO
Frank Baldino told the news agency that he was confident that the four drugs
would gain regulatory approval. They include treatments for attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), excessive sleepiness, cancer pain and alcohol
dependence.
Breast cancer gene may hinder
tamoxifen
Posted: 20/12/2005
Breast cancer drug Tamixofen may not
be as effective for women who inherit a common genetic variation of the
disease, a study has suggested. A team from the University of Michigan and the
Mayo Clinic found that women with the inherited gene change were twice as
likely to suffer a relapse if they took tamoxifen.
FRE tests 'unreliable'
Posted:
19/12/2005
Traditional risk-factor scoring is failing to identify
one-third of women likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD), a new study
has revealed. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US have made
the discovery as part of an assessment of the Framingham Risk Estimate (FRE) ?
the principal test for early detection of heart disease.
EMEA opens SME Office to
support drug development
Posted: 19/12/2005
The European
Medicines Agency (EMEA) has launched an SME Office to provide administrative
and procedural assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking
to develop and market new medicines. The launch comes on the back of new
European Commission regulations aimed at promoting innovation and the
development of new medicinal products by SMEs.
Many antibiotics shown to
fail
Posted: 19/12/2005
Common antibiotics have been found to be
ineffective in some patients with throat infections, according to new research.
Scientists at the University of Rochester, in a survey of over 11,000 children
with strep throat, found that 25 per cent of patients who were given penicillin
required further treatment after three weeks. Amoxicillin was found to be
ineffective amongst 18 per cent of patients given the drug.
Pfizer defends Lipitor patent
until 2011
Posted: 19/12/2005
Pfizer has won an injunction
against India-based generic manufacturer Ranbaxy over cholesterol drug Lipitor,
also known as atorvastatin. Ranbaxy had planned to introduce a generic version
of the drug, but was blocked on Friday by a US federal judge who upheld two of
Pfizer's patents. The ruling will last until 2011. Ranbaxy plans to appeal.
GlaxoSmithKline's
cervical cancer vaccine more effective in younger girls
Posted:
19/12/2005
A vaccine designed to fight a cause of cervical cancer has
been found to be effective in young girls. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said that
Cervarix produced antibodies twice as fast in girls aged ten to 14 than in
young woman 15 to 25 years old. The drug is designed to fight the human
papilloma virus (HPV), which causes 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.
GlaxoSmithKline
gets a positive vaccine opinion
Posted: 19/12/2005
European
authorities have given GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) a positive opinion for is
rotavirus infection vaccine, Rotarix. GSK now expects a European Marketing
Authorisation from the European Commission in late 2006 and the vaccine will be
introduced immediately after it has been given.
Novartis stops NKS104
development
Posted: 19/12/2005
Novartis has announced it has
ceased development of the drug NKS104 (pitavastatin) during Phase II trials.
The decision was made as it was felt the drug, designed to reduce cholesterol,
was no longer competitive.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals IBS
drug loses backing
Posted: 16/12/2005
Novartis irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) drug Zelnorm has failed to get backing from European regulators.
Although the drug is already on sale in the US and 55 other countries, the
European Medicines Agency's (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human
Use (CHMP) took a negative opinion, following a review that commenced in
October last year.
Dementia set to become major
worldwide issue
Posted: 16/12/2005
The number of people suffering
from dementia is set to exponentially rise over the next 40 years, according to
a new report. The Institute of Psychiatry has warned that by 2040 there could
be 81.1 million people with the disease globally, a 230 per cent increase
compared to the present figure of 24.3 million.
Schwarz Pharma gets PD go
ahead
Posted: 16/12/2005
European regulators have given their
backing to Schwarz Pharma's Parkinson's disease (PD) patch Neupro. After the
decision by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the
European Medicines Agency (EMEA) the firm will be able to market the rotigotine
transdermal patch in all 25 European Union countries.
Serano pleads guilty to Aids
investigation
Posted: 16/12/2005
Serano is to plead guilty to
charges brought by US investigators into the marketing of the Aids drug
Serostim. The guilty plea on two counts of criminal conspiracy, entered
voluntarily, follows a previously announced £398 million settlement to
resolve the charges that it had illegally promoted the drug.
Roche grants Tamiflu
licence
Posted: 16/12/2005
Roche has granted its first licence to
produce the avian influenza drug Tamiflu to the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group.
The Chinese firm will produce a generic version of Tamiflu, oseltamivir, for
use in case of pandemic in China only.
MSD
in $1bn cost cutting
Posted: 16/12/2005
Merck, the parent company
of MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme), has announced it is to make additional cuts
of $1 billion in the next five years. These cuts come on top of $4 billion
previously announced as 7,000 jobs and five plants will be lost.
Amgen acquires Abgenix for
$2.2bn
Posted: 16/12/2005
Amgen has announced it is has bought
Abgenix for $2.2 billion. The California firm Abgenix is best known for
creating genetically altered mice but what interested Amgen was the
experimental colon-cancer drug panitumumab. The sale also eliminates a royalty
Amgen would have had to pay on future sales of the drug denosumab (formally
known as AMG 162).
GlaxoSmithKline could pay Vertex
$405m
Posted: 15/12/2005
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has agreed to pay
the US firm Vertex Pharmaceuticals up to $405 million to develop and
commercialise treatment for inflammatory and nerve pain.
Sanofi-Aventis pre-pandemic
flu vaccine safe
Posted: 15/12/2005
Sanofi-Aventis has released
the preliminary trial results for its influenza vaccine that show it is safe
and well tolerated. The work carried out by Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine
business of the Sanofi-Aventis group, was on the drug H5N1 and demonstrated a
good immune response in a significant number of volunteers.
Lundbeck buys back
shares
Posted: 15/12/2005
H. Lundbeck, the parent company of the
UK's Lundbeck Limited, has continued its share buyback programme. The Danish
company is to acquire ten per cent of its own shares by the end of 2007, and a
maximum of 20.4 million shares before the 2006 AGM.
'Too many hospitals' are
dirty
Posted: 15/12/2005
An inspection of the UK's hospitals has
found that two thirds are still failing to meet the highest standards in
cleanliness across the board. A new report from the Healthcare Commission is
calling for an improvement in cleanliness in order to "regain the confidence of
patients", after visits to 99 NHS and private hospitals between July and
September this year uncovered variable standards of cleanliness.
Abbott
Laboratories anaesthetic launched in China by Baxter
Posted:
15/12/2005
Baxter International, parent company of Baxter HealthCare, is
to launch a generic version of Abbott Laboratories' inhaled anaesthetic in
China. Baxter also announced it would be selling sevoflurane, the equivalent of
Abbott's Ultane, in Japan and the US in 2006, and later in some European
markets once regulatory approval is given.
Allergan steps closer to Inamed
merger
Posted: 15/12/2005
Allergan has moved closer to acquiring
Inamed, after Inamed's board recommended its offer to its shareholders. The
race has also been made easier after Inamed and Medicis terminated their
previous merger agreement, with Medicis taking a $90 million termination fee
payment from Inamed.
Roche lymphoma drug halves risk of
death
Posted: 15/12/2005
Roche trials on its indolent
non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) treatment MabThera have shown the risk of death is
halved. The outcome of the clinical trial was presented at the 47th annual
meeting of the American Society of Haematology in Atlanta, and Roche has now
filed with the European authorities for a label extension for MabThera
maintenance therapy for patients suffering from indolent lymphoma.
ABPI backs
innovative insulin delivery systems
Posted:
14/12/2005
Pharmaceutical companies are looking for innovative ways to
deliver medication to patients with diabetes, according to a report from the
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). The industry body
said that firms were looking at several different new techniques to deliver
insulin, including transdermal patches, inhaled powder, liquid insulin inhalers
and insulin sprays.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
plans restructuring
Posted: 14/12/2005
Pharmaceutical company
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has told investors that it will make a series of
cost-cutting measures to help fill the gap left by lost patent protection. The
company said that it had made savings of $200 million between 2004 and 2005.
Cuts due for next year should help the firm recover $500 million by 2007. BMS
plans to find another $100 million in the next few years.
Pharmaceuticals should take hope
from licensing
Posted: 14/12/2005
Pharmaceutical companies are
being urged to take advantage of licensing as the top 20 companies are facing
poor growth outlooks, according to a new report. Datamonitor, the independent
market analyst, has found that among the biggest 20 companies only Amgen will
achieve double-digit growth over the next six years.
Bayer
takes Trasylol to phase III
Posted: 14/12/2005
Bayer
Pharmaceuticals has launched a phase III clinical study of the drug Trasylol.
The trial is aimed testing the safety and efficacy of the drug in reducing
blood loss and the need for transfusion in adult patients undergoing elective
spinal fusion surgery.
Tea 'cuts cancer risk'
Posted:
14/12/2005
Drinking tea could cut the risk of ovarian cancer, according
to new research. The research, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,
suggests that women who drink at least one cup of tea a day have a lower risk
of ovarian cancer than non-tea drinkers.
Roche board changes
Posted:
14/12/2005
Roche's board of directors and corporate executive committee
(CEC) will be facing changes in the New Year. Heino von Prondzynski, CEO of
Roche Diagnostics, is set to retire from the CEC and be replaced by Severin
Schwan, currently the Roche Diagnostics Asia-Pacific regional head.
AstraZeneca gets thumbs up for
Cerovive trial
Posted: 14/12/2005
AstraZeneca has received
clearance to continue its trial of the stroke drug Cerovive. The go ahead was
given following an interim safety review undertaken by the US Independent Data
and Safety Monitoring Board (IDMB) and the trial steering committee.
NHS spending freeze
Posted:
13/12/2005
Health minister Patricia Hewitt has played down concerns that
the NHS would be subject to a spending freeze. Speaking to ITV1's Jonathon
Dimbleby, Ms Hewitt said that an investment freeze, pending review, was
planned, but this would affect the Department of Health's central budget not
front line services.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
applies to Euro regulator with Glivec
Posted: 13/12/2005
Novartis
is seeking marketing authorisation for its leukaemia drug Glivec. The
submission of all the necessary documents to the European regulator has been
completed and the US submission is expected to be completed within the next few
weeks.
Sankyo Pharma and
Stada Arzneimittel in 82m euro deal
Posted: 13/12/2005
Stada
Arzneimittel has signed an agreement with Sankyo Pharma to buy a package of 11
European branded products for €82 million. The products last year achieved
European-wide sales of around €38 million and include Mobilat and
Hirudoid, which have sales of €18 million and €14 million
respectively.
UCB Pharmaceuticals
confirms positive outlook
Posted: 13/12/2005
Brussels-based UCB
Pharmaceuticals has confirmed net income after tax for 2005 will be at least
?260 million. The figure does not include the capital gain of ?470 million on
the sale of the Surface Specialties activities, but sales have been helped
along by the successful transformation of UCB into a pure biopharmaceutical
company following the acquisition and integration of Celltech.
Eli Lilly ups growth
prediction
Posted: 13/12/2005
Eli Lilly has told Wall Street
investors that it is positioned to deliver sustained growth in 2006. The
company announced that sales next year are expected to increase to more than
$15 billion, coming from better performance from the drugs Zyprexa and
Cymbalta.
Amgen
looks to Cork
Posted: 13/12/2005
Amgen, the biopharmaceutical
firm, is in discussion with Irish authorities about investing ?1.3 billion in
Cork. The company is looking expand with a new base and in the race for the
investment and hundreds of jobs along with Cork are Switzerland and Singapore.
MSD trial
brings no results
Posted: 13/12/2005
A federal court jury in
Houston has failed to return a verdict in the case regarding the recall of
painkiller Vioxx. Merck, parent company of the UK's MSD (Merck Sharp &
Dohme), is now set to face a retrial.
AstraZeneca
breast cancer drug aids survival
Posted: 12/12/2005
A new study
shows that Arimidex (anastrozole) is the first aromatase inhibitor to provide
an overall survival benefit, compared with tamoxifen, in the treatment of
hormone-sensitive early breast cancer. Research carried out at University of
Kiel, Germany, has found by replacing tamoxifen with Arimidex, postmenopausal
women being treated for early breast cancer may almost halve the likelihood of
their disease coming back and reduce their risk of dying by nearly a third.
GlaxoSmithKline faces
Seroxat legal action
Posted: 12/12/2005
GlaxoSmithKline is facing
legal action in the UK over its anti-depressant Seroxat. The case is being
brought by 1,500 litigants who claim they were not warned that the drug could
lead to addiction, reports The Business.
Shire files ADHD drug
application
Posted: 12/12/2005
Shire has announced, with New
River Pharmaceuticals, it has filed a new drug application with the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). The compounded NRP104 is aimed at helping in the
treatment of children between six and 12 with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
Lundbeck launches new
anti-depressant study
Posted: 12/12/2005
Lundbeck has started the
phase I clinical studies with Lu AA24530. The study will look into the
tolerability and the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug, which was selected
after preclinical animal models suggested fast onset of action and increased
efficacy in the treatment of depression.
Schwarz Pharma 275 million
credit facility
Posted: 12/12/2005
The five-year facility is the
company's first and is intended for general corporate purposes. Schwarz has
appointed Barclays Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and WestLB as joint
book runners and joint mandated lead arrangers.
Heart holes 'not a stroke
risk'
Posted: 12/12/2005
Patients with a patent foramen ovale
(PFO) ? a hole between the upper two chambers of the heart ? are not
necessarily going to suffer a stroke, according to new research. Current
opinion suggests that patients with PFO may be at a higher risk of stroke, but
scientists from the Mayo Clinic in the US have found that a hole in the heart
is not always the "guilty party" and may not have had an effect on the event at
all.
NICE: Lifestyles could
lead to denial of treatment
Posted: 09/12/2005
The National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said yesterday that
patients who smoke, drink too much or are obese could be denied medical help if
their lifestyle is likely to undermine their treatment.
Sanofi-Aventis finds
Herceptin and Taxotere combination yields results
Posted:
09/12/2005
The Breast Cancer International Research Group (BCIRG) and
Sanofi-Aventis have said that studies show the use of Herceptin combined with
Taxotere-based regimens significantly improved disease free survival for women
with early HER2-positive breast cancer.
GlaxoSmithKline furthers
vaccine strategy with Canadian acquisition
Posted:
09/12/2005
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has said that the completion of a
£800 million deal to acquire Canadian flu vaccine manufacturer ID
Biomedical is "a major step" toward fulfilling its mission of becoming a
leading global influenza vaccine manufacturer.
AstraZeneca buys rights
to septic drug form UK's Protherics
Posted:
09/12/2005
AstraZeneca has bought the worldwide rights to an
experimental septic shock drug, CytoFab, from a small UK biotechnology firm.
Shares in the Runcorn based Protherics soared 54 per cent yesterday on the news
it had made the £195 million deal with Europe's third largest drugs
maker.
GlaxoSmithKline's
Seroxat gets heart defect warning
Posted: 09/12/2005
The US Food
and Drug Administration have said that the warning label on GlaxoSmithKline's
anxiety and anti-depressant drug Seroxat (marketed as Paxil in the US) is to be
revised following evidence it can lead to birth defects.
UK first to clear
Novartis' Femara as post-op adjuvant treatment
Posted:
09/12/2005
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) has approved the use of Novartis' Femara (letrozole) for use immediately
after surgery in post menopausal women treated for early invasive breast
cancer.
Painkillers linked to
liver failure
Posted: 09/12/2005
Concern over paracetamol use has
re-emerged after it was discovered the widely-used painkiller has become the
main cause of liver failure in the US. A research team discovered the number of
liver failure cases linked to paracetamol in the US has almost doubled, rising
from 28 per cent in 1998 to 51 per cent in 2003.
Novartis signs $520m deal with UK's
Astex
Posted: 08/12/2005
Swiss drug firm Novartis has signed a
global licensing deal with British biotechnology company Astex Therapeutics to
market two new cancer treatments. The agreement gives Novartis world wide
rights to the AT9311 cell inhibitor, and allows them to exercise an option on
the AT7519 cell cycle inhibitor. The drugs both target the cyclin-dependent
kinases (CDK) enzymes, which form a part of the process of cell division.
Bayer doubles sales forecast for
Nexavar
Posted: 08/12/2005
German pharmaceutical firm, Bayer, has
doubled the sales estimate for its experimental cancer drug Nexavar. Speaking
to analysts in London the company said that the drug is in the last stage of
tests required to sell the drug for lung cancer, and it has also been lodged
with regulators as a treatment for kidney cancer.
Schering-Plough's
Remicade effective for patients with ulcerative colitis
Posted:
08/12/2005
Trials of Schering-Plough's Remicade have shown that the drug
can significantly improve the condition of ulcerative colitis (UC). The ACT 1
and ACT 2 phase III studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine,
showed that patients treated with Remicade experienced significant improvements
in clinical response, remission and mucosal healing. Two-thirds achieved an
improvement in symptoms, whilst one third went into remission.
Servier to accelerate drug
development with microdosing
Posted: 08/12/2005
French drug
company Servier has entered into a collaboration agreement with bioanalytical
firm Xceleron to use its microdosing early testing techniques. The agreement
will allow Servier to use Xceleron's accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)
systems to give the company the ability to conduct human testing at a much
earlier than conventional phase I studies. The "phase 0" testing scheme will be
used in drug candidate selection.
Pharma marketing budgets shown to
be similar despite product size
Posted: 08/12/2005
Marketing
budgets at drug firms remain the same regardless of how successful a drug is
likely to be, according to a report from Cutting Edge Information (CEI). The
analysts discovered that, from phase III through to the first year and a half
of commercialisation, the proportion of marketing budgets spent on products is
dictated by what stage the drug is in rather than whether it will be a
blockbuster, a drug of mid-level popularity or a niche product.
Sanofi-Aventis
MD to take new lead at ABPI
Posted: 08/12/2005
The managing
director of Sanofi-Aventis in the UK, Nigel Brooksby, will take on the role of
president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI),
when current president Vincent Lawton steps down in April next year. Commenting
on his new role Mr Brooksby told the PharmaTimes: "With health services across
Europe facing difficult times, it is essential that the pharmaceutical industry
works in close co-operation with the government to ensure that patients get the
best possible treatment.
Adhering to medication can lower heart
risk
Posted: 08/12/2005
Heart patients who adhere to their
medications reduce their risk of death by almost 50 per cent ? even when their
medication is a placebo, a new study has revealed. Researchers believe the
effect of the placebo is down to the fact that patients are more likely to
engage in other healthy behaviours which may help their outcome, if they
believe they are on medication.
More transparency
called for in UK pharma industry
Posted: 07/12/2005
The UK
pharmaceutical industry needs to become more transparent, a former editor of
the British Medical Journal has said. Dr Richard Smith, writing in New
Zealand's drug authority Pharmac's annual review, said that some regulatory
agencies are so close to the drug industry that results presented from clinical
trials are often biased.
Novartis receives
approval to acquire Chiron
Posted: 07/12/2005
Switzerland's
Novartis has announced that it has received US regulatory approval to acquire
the remaining 58 per cent stake in the US pharmaceutical company Chiron that it
does not currently own. In May 2003 Chiron in turn acquired Oxford based
vaccine maker Powderject, which has a portfolio of products that includes
vaccines for influenza, yellow fever, travel diarrhoea, cholera, tuberculosis,
polio, tetanus and hepatitis B.
3M Healthcare furthers rapid
MRSA testing kit development
Posted: 07/12/2005
A new testing
kit, designed to detect multiple antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), has reached the end of its pre-clinical development. The kit, the
product of collaboration between 3M Healthcare and Response Biomedical, will
allow medical professionals to detect the presence of the bacteria within 20
minutes of the initial test.
UCB Pharmaceutical's
Keppra shows efficacy as epilepsy adjunctive treatment
Posted:
07/12/2005
New data from Belgium's UCB Pharmaceuticals claims to show
that 25 per cent of patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) became
free from all types of seizures when Keppra (levetiracetam) was administered as
an add-on treatment.
Sanofi-Aventis' Taxotere
expected to get boost in sales
Posted: 07/12/2005
Sanofi-Aventis'
cancer treatment Taxotere has been approved for a priority review by the US
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the treatment of gastric cancer. The move
could boost the market for the drug, which is already successful treatment for
metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer, used if initial chemotherapy
fails to produce a remission.
WTO upholds
generic drugs ruling
Posted: 07/12/2005
The World Trade
Organization (WTO) has upheld a decision to allow developing countries to
import cheap versions of patented drugs. The ruling, originally made in 2003,
allows poorer nations to buy in generic drugs for humanitarian reasons but not
commercial. The waiver could be used to allow countries to buy up cheap copies
of anti-viral drugs used in HIV/AIDS treatment.
NHS
financial woes could worsen
Posted: 07/12/2005
Planned reforms
could worsen the financial woes of the NHS, according to a study published
today. Thinktank the King's Fund forecast that one in five NHS trusts could
amass huge deficits or fail as government-introduced initiatives such as
patient choice make the service more market-driven.
Schering AG
considers sell off of radiopharmaceutical business
Posted:
06/12/2005
Schering AG has said that it is considering offloading for
its CIS bio International radiopharmaceutical subsidiary. The German-based firm
said that the move is part of an overall company review to increase
profitability and that several parties had already informed the firm that they
are interested.
Pfizer tops contacts to
managed care executives
Posted: 06/12/2005
Pfizer has been rated
the most well connected pharmaceutical company in the world, according to
research from Cognet-X Inc. Cognet-X said that the firm had accumulated the
most executive managed care pharmacy contacts during the third quarter, saying
that Pfizer's promotion of new nerve pain drug Lyrica had pushed it into the
top spot.
Bristol Myers
Squibb opens new UK headquarters
Posted:
06/12/2005
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has opened a new state of the
heart British HQ investment in Uxbridge, according to Pharmafocus.com. The new
building will be home to over 200 employees, and cost BMS £5.5 million to
build. The firm, which is the sixth largest supplier of products to the NHS,
said that the new site showed its commitment to UK investment.
Cephalon acquires UK's
Zeneus Pharma
Posted: 06/12/2005
US-based Cephalon has announced
that has agreed to acquire the holding company of Zeneus Pharma Limited for
$360 million. Europe-based Zeneus Pharma will become a fully owned subsidiary
of Cephalon. The company said that the acquisition will allow the firm to
expand its reach in the oncology market with drugs such as Myocet and
Targretin.
Cephalon's Sparlon
significantly improves ADHD symptoms
Posted: 06/12/2005
The drug
Sparlon has been found to improve symptoms of the Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and children, Cephalon said on
Monday. The double-blind nine-week long study looked at 248 children and
adolescents with ADHD. Patients who were given Sparlon showed a significant
improvement in their symptoms, compared to those given placebo. The
individuals' behaviour was rated by their teachers and physicians.
NICE guidance expected to
increase ICD use
Posted: 06/12/2005
The National Institute for
Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved the use of implantable-cardioverter
defibrillators (ICDs) in patients at risk of heart attacks. The devices are
used to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in individuals who have had recently had
a heart attack, have a damaged heart or have had recently undergone surgery to
treat heart disease.
Autism
breakthrough finds broken mirror neurons
Posted: 06/12/2005
New
research into the causes of autism has found children with the condition have
no activity in a key part of the brain that allows understanding of other
people's emotions. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) work has
found that children with autism have little mirror neuron activity.
NHS deficit forces
treatment slowdown
Posted: 06/12/2005
An overspending crisis has
forced hospitals to delay operations and introduce a 'go-slow' in treatment,
according to the Guardian. Large deficits are forcing hospital managers to save
money by delaying non-emergency treatment until the new financial year in
April.
G7 pledge $1
billion for vaccine development
Posted: 05/12/2005
The Group of
Seven (G7) leading industrial nations have pledged to fund around $1 billion of
pharmaceutical company research into vaccines to prevent diseases afflicting
poor countries.
Proctor and Gamble
accused of "unethical behaviour"
Posted: 05/12/2005
Claims made
by Dr Aubrey Blumsohn, senior lecturer and bone metabolism specialist at
Sheffield University.
Serono asks for
interested bidders to submit offers
Posted: 05/12/2005
Reports
have emerged that Switzerland's Serono has asked potential suitors for the firm
to submit binding bids early in the new year.
Shire Pharmaceutical's
patch for ADHD recommended to FDA
Posted: 05/12/2005
Shire
Pharmaceuticals has announced that the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory
Committee has recommended that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approve its Daytrana (methylphenidate transderm...
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