News
Alkermes Posts 4Q Profit As Royalty Payments Rise
May 23, 2013 12:44 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsAlkermes said that it was profitable in its fiscal fourth quarter as it received bigger royalty payments and more revenue for drug manufacturing. The Irish company said revenue from manufacturing and royalty payments climbed 33% during the quarter, and its total revenue rose 25%.
J&J Forecasts 10 NDAs by 2017
May 23, 2013 8:31 am | by Linda A. Johnson | CommentsJohnson & Johnson plans to submit more than 10 new treatments to regulators for approval and 25 applications for additional uses of approved drugs by 2017. The company's pipeline of late-stage drugs include a hepatitis C treatment, a long-lasting version of Invega, and several vaccines.
Despite Concerns, Panel Backs Insomnia Drug
May 22, 2013 5:46 pm | by Matthew Perrone | CommentsA majority of medical experts on a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel said that an experimental insomnia drug from Merck & Co. Inc. appears safe and effective, in spite of evidence from company trials that the pill can cause daytime sleepiness and difficulty driving.
Moody's Reviewing Hospira Debt Rating
May 22, 2013 3:11 pm | CommentsMoody's Investors Service has placed Hospira Inc.'s long-term debt rating under review for possible downgrade. The move was based on a concern that the company's performance over the next few years remains uncertain as a result of costs related to its new product strategy and possible regulatory issues.
Glaxo, U.S. Partnering on Antibiotics
May 22, 2013 2:26 pm | CommentsGlaxoSmithKline is beginning starting an unusual collaboration with the U.S. government to develop several antibiotics for both bioterrorism threats and drug-resistant bacteria. Glaxo's partnership will bring the British drugmaker $40 million over the first 18 months.
Pfizer Reducing Stake in Zoetis
May 22, 2013 10:01 am | CommentsPfizer Inc. plans to start selling its remaining stake in the animal health business Zoetis Inc. through a voluntary exchange offer with its shareholders. Shareholders will be able to trade their Pfizer holdings for Zoetis shares at a discount, depending on the number of shares exchanged.
Immunotherapy Brightens BMS Future
May 22, 2013 8:35 am | CommentsBristol-Myers Squibb could be a big winner with a portfolio of cancer treatments under development that use a patient's own immune system to attack the disease. Citi analyst Andrew Baum expects that within 10 years, immunotherapy will form the backbone of 60% of all cancer treatment plans in the developed world.
NanoTab Pain Treatment Meets Goals
May 21, 2013 11:30 am | CommentsAcelRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced that its NanoTab pain treatment system met its main goal in late-stage research, and the company is preparing to submit it to regulators for approval. Patients using the system experienced a significantly greater reduction in pain than those taking a placebo.
GSK Launches Partnership Competition
May 21, 2013 11:12 am | CommentsGlaxoSmithKline has launched Discovery Fast Track, a competition designed to accelerate academic research into novel therapies. Winners will partner with investigators on GSK’s Discovery Partnerships with Academia team to turn research-stage drug candidates into innovative medicines.
Drug Side Effects May Be Inevitable
May 21, 2013 10:32 am | CommentsA new study of both computer-created and natural proteins suggests that the number of unique pockets– sites where small molecule pharmaceutical compounds can bind to proteins– is surprisingly small, meaning drug side effects may be impossible to avoid.
Positive Results from Asthma Trial
May 21, 2013 12:00 am | CommentsA Phase 2a trial of dupilumab showed that the experimental monoclonal antibody has the ability to stick to certain inflammatory proteins and significantly reduce acute breathing problems in patients suffering from moderate-to-severe asthma.
Pfizer Halts Phase 3 Cancer Study
May 20, 2013 6:39 pm | by Linda A. Johnson | CommentsDrugmaker Pfizer Inc. has halted a late-stage study of an experimental cancer compound being tested in patients with a certain form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, because an interim analysis showed the drug wasn't helping patients live longer.
Gastoparesis Prevalent in Diabetes Study
May 20, 2013 12:28 pm | CommentsRhythm announced the presentation of results from a new epidemiology study demonstrating a higher prevalence of gastroparesis symptoms among diabetic patients in the U.S. than previously recognized. Prevalence of these symptoms is high among patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Molecule Linked to Cancer Growth
May 20, 2013 12:14 pm | CommentsResearchers have discovered how a key player in cell growth, immunity, and the inflammatory response can be transformed into a primary contributor to tumor growth. NF-kappa B induces the transcription of genes that trigger inflammation, promote cell proliferation, and undermine cell death.
Suvorexant Raises Red Flags
May 20, 2013 11:53 am | by Matthew Perrone | CommentsU.S. Food and Drug Administration regulators say an experimental insomnia drug from Merck called suvorexant can help patients fall asleep, but it also carries worrisome side effects, including an increased risk of daytime drowsiness and suicidal thinking.
