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French Drugmaker on Trial, Suspected in Deaths
May 21, 2013 2:51 pm | News | CommentsThe makers of a diabetes and weight loss drug suspected in the deaths of hundreds of people went on trial Tuesday, facing charges they misled the public about the product's safety. But after years of delays in one of France's biggest recent health scandals, the proceedings could still be pushed back further.
Novo A/S acquires Xellia Pharmaceuticals for $700 million
May 21, 2013 8:03 am | News | CommentsXellia Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical group focusing on the development, manufacturing and global commercialization of anti-infective therapies, announced today that Novo A/S, the holding company of the Novo Group, has purchased all shares of the group for approximately US$ 700 million from 3i and other current shareholders.
Measles Surges in UK Years after Vaccine Scare
May 20, 2013 8:30 am | by MARIA CHENG,AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsMore than a decade ago, British parents refused to give measles shots to at least a million children because of a vaccine scare that raised the specter of autism. Now, health officials are scrambling to catch up and stop a growing epidemic of the contagious disease.
Sanofi Fined for 'Smear Campaign' Against Generic Plavix
May 14, 2013 9:29 am | by Matthew Dennis | News | CommentsFrance's antitrust authority on Tuesday fined Sanofi 40.6 million euros ($52.6 million) for a "smear campaign" designed to limit sales of generic versions of Plavix. The ruling on the drug, which last year generated global sales of nearly 2.1 billion euros ($2.7 billion), follows a complaint by Teva.
Hospital to Probe East German Medical Trials
May 13, 2013 3:44 pm | by FRANK JORDANS,Associated Press | News | CommentsBerlin's renowned Charite hospital said Monday it plans to investigate allegations that patients in communist East Germany were used as unwitting guinea pigs in medical trials for Western drug companies. Claims that the dictatorship allowed tests that would have been considered unethical or even illegal in the West were first made shortly after German reunification in 1990, but no wrongdoing was found at the time.
Covidien Provides Sales Targets for Pharma Spinoff
May 6, 2013 8:32 am | News | CommentsCovidien PLC on Friday provided further details on its business following the planned spinoff of Mallinckrodt, its pharmaceuticals unit. The Irish company expects to complete the spinoff after the close of trading on June 28. It said revenue from its remaining businesses, which sell medical devices and supplies, will grow by 4 or 5 percent in the current fiscal year.
Oxford BioMedica Announces Lentiviral Vector Collaboration
May 1, 2013 9:43 am | News | CommentsOxford BioMedica, the leading gene-based biopharmaceutical company, announces that it has signed an agreement with Novartis to manufacture clinical grade material utilising Oxford BioMedica’s LentiVector® gene delivery technology. Oxford BioMedica will also provide certain process development services and expects to receive between £2.5 million and £4 million from Novartis over the next 12 months.
Bayer to Pay $1.1B for California Firm Conceptus
April 29, 2013 7:59 am | News | CommentsBayer AG says it has agreed to buy California-based Conceptus for around $1.1 billion to expand the kinds of birth control it offers. Bayer said Monday it would launch a public offer to pay $31.00 per share for all the stock in Conceptus, Inc., which is based in Mountain View.
European Regulators Reject Pfizer Arthritis Drug
April 25, 2013 5:00 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsPfizer Inc. said Thursday that the European Union's committee of medical experts has rejected the company's drug Xeljanz for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The European Medicines Agency committee recommended against approving the drug because its benefits did not sufficiently outweigh its...
Measles Epidemic Raging in Swansea England
April 25, 2013 3:12 pm | Videos | CommentsWith a current measles epidemic raging in Swansea England, health officials in England have launched a campaign to immunize a million children, aged 10-16, as they warn further measles outbreaks could occur anywhere. The total number of measles cases in Swansea is 942.
Ipsen Expects Increlex Supply Interruption
April 25, 2013 9:13 am | News | CommentsThe supplier of Ipsen's Increlex®'s active ingredient, Lonza, is facing manufacturing issues with Increlex® at its Hopkinton site (MA, USA). Lonza is working closely with the FDA to address these issues.
BioOutsource Opens First United States Facility
April 24, 2013 10:08 am | News | CommentsBioOutsource Ltd. announced the opening of a new facility in Cambridge, Mass., the company’s first in the United States. The company plans to draw on its unparalleled depth of experience in providing biosimilar characterization assays to its European customers, in providing similar services throughout North America.
Novartis Posts Profit Gain Thanks to New Drugs
April 24, 2013 7:39 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsSwiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG has reported a 6.7 percent increase in profit for the first quarter, boosted by new products and emerging markets. Novartis says its net profit rose to $2.42 billion from $2.27 billion in the same period last year. The Basel-based company said in a...
Lonza Begins Manufacturing BNC101
April 23, 2013 10:01 am | News | CommentsBionomics Limited announced that it has initiated manufacturing activities for BNC101, its lead anti-cancer stem cell candidate following completion of key preclinical studies. Lonza will manufacture BNC101 at its facility in Slough, UK.
Ireland's Elan Rejects Royalty Pharma Takeover Bid
April 22, 2013 11:13 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe board of Irish drugmaker Elan has unanimously rejected a takeover bid from Royalty Pharma, saying the U.S. investment company's offer of $11.25 a share is much too low. Royalty last week lowered its bid for Elan from an original $12 per share offer, pricing in the result of a $1 billion share...
GW Pharmaceuticals Announces US Patent Allowance for SATIVEX Spray Device
April 22, 2013 10:05 am | News | CommentsGW Pharmaceuticals plc today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Application Serial Number 13/606,742, a patent application directed to the spray device of its Sativex® product formulation.
Under The Almac Umbrella: Almac replicates its success in Ireland with a full range of services in the United States
April 19, 2013 1:17 pm | by Mike Auerbach, Editor in Chief | Articles | CommentsAlmac, a CMO with headquarters in Ireland and a growing presence in the United States, can help alleviate many of the stresses and concerns inherent in pharmaceutical manufacturing with a range of services that encompasses everything a sponsor might need to get a drug to market as quickly and efficiently as possible.
UK Alleges GSK Paid Off Competitors to Delay Drugs
April 19, 2013 8:11 am | News | CommentsBritain's competition watchdog has accused GlaxoSmithKline of paying off competitors to delay launches of their own versions of GSK's best-selling antidepressant, Seroxat. The Office of Fair Trading alleges GlaxoSmithKline concluded agreements which infringed competition law with Alpharma Limited, Generics (UK) Ltd and Norton Healthcare Ltd. over the supply of paroxetine, a cheaper version of Seroxat.
Elan Buys Back $1B Shares for $11.25 a Share
April 18, 2013 5:02 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsIrish drugmaker Elan Corp. PLC said Thursday it had completed its "Dutch auction" stock repurchase, buying back $1 billion in stock for $11.25 per share. Elan said in March that it would buy the shares for $11.25 to $13 each. Under the modified Dutch auction, stockholders notify the company how...
EMD Serono Expands Global Research & Development Hub in Massachusetts
April 18, 2013 10:43 am | News | CommentsEMD Serono, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the continued expansion of the company’s presence in the United States, resulting in an estimated 20% increase in EMD Serono’s employee base from last July to the end of 2014.
5 French Execs in Breast Implant Scandal on Trial
April 17, 2013 8:12 am | by LORI HINNANT,Associated Press | News | CommentsHundreds of women who received faulty breast implants gathered today in a makeshift courthouse in the south of France for the fraud trial of five executives accused of using cheap industrial silicone to fill tens of thousands of implants that were sold around the world.
Aeterna Zentaris Transfers Cetrotide Manufacturing Rights to Merck KGaA
April 17, 2013 7:57 am | News | CommentsAeterna Zentaris Inc. today announced that its German subsidiary has entered into binding agreements with various partners and licensees with respect to the manufacturing rights and obligations for its Cetrotide product. The principal effect of such agreements is to transfer manufacturing rights and to grant a manufacturing license for Cetrotide to a subsidiary of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, in all jurisdictions.
Sanofi Pasteur MSD Submits Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine for European Licences
April 11, 2013 8:24 am | News | CommentsSanofi Pasteur MSD, the joint venture between MSD and Sanofi Pasteur, announced today that it has submitted a decentralized marketing authorization application in Europe for a ' Q uadrivalent' influenza vaccine, a new advanced seasonal flu vaccine.
Severe US Flu Season Helped Roche's Q1 Sales
April 11, 2013 7:53 am | by JOHN HEILPRIN,Associated Press | News | CommentsStrong sales of new cancer drugs and a severe U.S. flu season helped lift first-quarter revenue at Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG by 6 percent. The world's biggest manufacturer of cancer drugs said that sales rose to 11.56 billion Swiss francs ($12.4 billion) during the first three months of the year, up from 11.03 billion francs in the same period last year.
Columbia Labs Extends Agreement with Merck Serono for CRINONE Through 2020
April 9, 2013 7:56 am | News | CommentsColumbia Laboratories, Inc. has amended its license and supply agreement with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, for CRINONE ® (progesterone gel) through May 2020, representing an extension of five years beyond the current term, which was due to expire in May 2015.
