Strategies & Technologies Driving Drug Discovery to Market
Astrazeneca Profit Plunges 31%
April 25, 2013 11:43 am | News | CommentsBritish drug maker AstraZeneca PLC, facing generic competition for some of its biggest products, says first-quarter profits fell 31%. The company also announced that it has received a subpoena from the U.S. attorney's office in Boston seeking documents relating to standards at its Macclesfield facility.
Aubagio Delays Multiple Sclerosis Onset
April 25, 2013 11:33 am | News | CommentsGenzyme announced positive results from a Phase 3 trial of Aubagio designed to assess whether early initiation of the drug in patients who experienced their first neurological symptoms consistent with clinically isolated syndrome can prevent or delay conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis.
Generic Competition Hammers BMS Profit
April 25, 2013 9:59 am | by Linda A. Johnson | News | CommentsDrugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. posted a 45% drop in first-quarter profit as reduced spending and a sharply lower tax rate couldn't make up for plunging sales from increased generic competition to its blood thinner Plavix, formerly the world's second best-selling drug.
Bayer Profits Up 11.5%
April 25, 2013 3:40 am | News | CommentsGerman pharmaceutical company Bayer AG said that its net profit rose 11.5% in the first quarter as new drugs, led by blood thinner Xarelto, boosted sales. The company also saw stronger demand in emerging markets — which helped overcome weaker business in Europe, which is in a recession.
Eisai Building New Production Plant
April 25, 2013 3:33 am | News | CommentsJapanese drug maker Eisai Co. will build a new plant in Suzhou, eastern China, to make injection products. The plant, which will be located in a production complex owned by Eisai China Inc., is aimed at creating a stable supply chain for injection products in the Chinese market.
PPD InVision Aids Clinical Researchers
April 24, 2013 12:20 pm | Product Releases | CommentsPharmaceutical Product Development LLC introduced PPD InVision, a data solution that consolidates and standardizes data from multiple sources, giving clients real-time access to their clinical trial data.
Microplate Readers Come with Specialty Software
April 24, 2013 12:13 pm | Product Releases | CommentsBiochrom Ltd. has launched its EZ Read range of microplate readers. Biochrom has created not just a dedicated range of instruments but also unique data acquisition and analysis software; Galapagos for EZ Read.
Tamoxifen Enhanced for Aggressive Cancer Treatment
April 24, 2013 12:04 pm | News | CommentsTamoxifen is a time-honored breast cancer drug used to treat millions of women with early-stage and less-aggressive disease. Now a team of researchers has shown how to exploit tamoxifen’s secondary activities so that it might work on more aggressive breast cancer.
Analysis Module Improves Bioreactor System
April 24, 2013 12:04 pm | Product Releases | CommentsTAP Biosystems has announced an analysis module for its ambr micro bioreactor system, providing accurate automated pH calibration for enhanced bioprocess control. The new analysis module will automate at-line pH measurement and calibration to produce consistent, scalable results.
Drug Reduces Fat by Blocking Vessels
April 24, 2013 11:46 am | News | CommentsWhen researchers gave obese mice a cancer drug that works by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels, these mice lost about 70% of their fat mass. After two weeks of daily treatment with sunitinib, test mice had lost significant amounts of weight.
FDA Designates Lambrolizumab a Breakthrough
April 24, 2013 10:54 am | News | CommentsMerck announced that the Food and Drug Administration has designated lambrolizumab as a Breakthrough Therapy for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma. Lambrolizumab's designation as a Breakthrough Therapy is intended to expedite its development and review.
Lilly's Profit Tops Expectations
April 24, 2013 10:22 am | by Tom Murphy | News | CommentsEli Lilly reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter and said regulators had agreed to a priority review of its potential stomach cancer treatment. The Food and Drug Administration will evaluate ramucirumab under its Breakthrough Therapy program.
New Drugs Lift Novartis Profits
April 24, 2013 7:39 am | by John Heilprin | News | CommentsSwiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG has reported a 6.7% 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.
Firefly Protein Lights Up Damaged Muscles
April 24, 2013 3:00 am | News | CommentsScientists have created a mouse model of muscular dystrophy in which degenerating muscle tissue gives off visible light. The observed luminescence occurs only in damaged muscle tissue and in direct proportion to cumulative damage sustained in that tissue.
Disappointing Q1 Results from Ironwood
April 23, 2013 3:24 pm | News | CommentsIronwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. reported disappointing first-quarter results, including a bigger loss and less revenue than analysts expected. Ironwood and its partner, Forest Laboratories Inc., are selling the bowel drug Linzess, which reached the market in December, driving up Ironwood's marketing costs.
