University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and SHINE Europe have secured a 10.5 million euro ($11 million) grant to advance European production of terbium isotopes for cancer treatments. 17 October 2024
Danish dermatology focused LEO Pharma has announced the launch of Anzupgo (delgocitinib) cream in Germany for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema (CHE), for whom topical corticosteroids are inadequate or inappropriate. 15 October 2024
French pharma major Sanofi revealed it has entered into negotiations with private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) for the potential sale of a 50% controlling stake in Opella, its consumer healthcare business. 14 October 2024
The UK’s new 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access, and growth (VPAG) came into force at the beginning of January this year. 4 October 2024
French drugmaker Mitem Pharmavhas the worldwide acquisition of Desferal (deferoxamine), a major MITM in hematology, from Swiss giant Novartis. 25 September 2024
The Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) is further expanding its focus on life sciences by opening an institute for biomedical artificial intelligence (AI) based on a 150 million euros ($166.8 million) funding from the German non-profit Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation (BIS). 18 September 2024
Novartis is building two new radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facilities in the USA to enhance its supply chain for cancer treatments. This move supports the growing use of RLTs, a form of precision medicine that targets tumors with radiation. 6 September 2024
Belgium’s largest drugmaker UCB announced a strategic divestment deal in China, underscoring its strategic shift towards innovation and partnership in one of the world’s fastest-growing pharmaceutical markets. 27 August 2024
The UK’s largest pharma company AstraZeneca has rejected claims that it is moving its vaccine operations to the USA, according to media reports. 23 August 2024
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma announced the termination of its exclusive sales rights agreements with AnGes for the HGF gene therapy product, Collategene (beperminogene perplasmid) intramuscular injection targeting peripheral arterial diseases in Japan and the USA. 23 August 2024
UK pharma major AstraZeneca has become the only current UK-lis¬ted company to reach a £200 billion ($256.4 billion) valuation, the Financial Times reported today, noting that it is a vindication of the company’s bet on developing a leading portfolio of cancer drugs. 14 August 2024
US pharma giant Pfizer has announced the publication of real-world results from a cohort of the longitudinal, observational Phase IV THAOS (Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey) study in the Journal of Cardiac Failure. 8 August 2024
Japanese drugmaker Shionogi says that its New Drug Application (NDA) for cefiderocol has been accepted for review by the Center for Drug Evaluation, National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). 5 August 2024
Germany’s Bayer has submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for approval to market elinzanetant for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS), commonly known as hot flashes, associated with menopause. 2 August 2024
Spanish plasma-derived medicines company Grifols announced with the Andorran government the cancellation of the immunology research center planned for the parish of Ordino. 29 July 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Palforzia (peanut [Arachis hypogaea] allergen powder-dnfp] to include initiation of treatment, up-dosing and maintenance in individuals ages one through three years. 27 July 2024
Vividion Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany’s Bayer, today announced it will expand its global innovation capabilities with a new research and development (R&D) center and corporate headquarters in San Diego, California. 23 July 2024
US pharm major Eli Lilly on Friday revealed via a social media posting that it has been granted approval from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to sell tirzepatide for weight loss in the country. 20 July 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance for industry, “Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Developing Drugs for Treatment,” to help sponsors in the clinical development of drugs to treat pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 19 July 2024
US drug developer Ionis Pharmaceuticals saw its shares close down 8.5% at $40.98 on Friday, after it revealed that its licensing partner, Germany’s Bayer, had pulled out of a deal for the development of fesomersen. 5 November 2022
Further adding to the wealth of support for their blockbuster diabetes drug Jardiance (empagliflozin), German family-owned Boehringer Ingelheim and US partner Eli Lilly today released new data supporting its benefits in chronic kidney disease during the American Society of Nephrology (ASN)’s Kidney Week 2022. 4 November 2022
Japanese drugmaker Kissei Pharmaceutical has entered into a license agreement with Synmosa Biopharma for the development and commercialization rights in Taiwan for the GnRH antagonist linzagolix that was discovered by Kissei. 4 November 2022
Shares of Swiss biopharma Kinarus Therapeutics Holding ( were down 13% by midday after it confirmed plans to focus on clinical trials of its lead candidate KIN001 in ophthalmic and pulmonary fibrosis indications, and to refocus its capital resources and financing efforts to drive these programs. 4 November 2022
A monkeypox vaccine may soon be available from India, as six companies have been identified by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and given the go-ahead to make the vaccine, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 3 November 2022
Gianfranco Nazzi has stepped down effective November 2 from his role as chief executive of Spanish skincare specialist Almirall (ALM: MC) to pursue new professional opportunities. 3 November 2022
Shares of Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk were up 6.4% at 852.60 kroner by mid-afternoon today, after it released financial results, showing that sales increased by 26% in Danish kroner and by 16% at constant exchange rates (CER) to 128.9 billion kroner ($17.12 billion) in the first nine months of 2022. 2 November 2022
Third quarter 2022 revenues of £7.8 billion ($9 billion) for GSK represent a significant outperform by most analysts’ lights - the consensus ahead of results day was £7.3 billion, according to data from the FT. 2 November 2022
Rigel Pharmaceuticals’ share were up 3.4% at $0.75 yesterday, after it announced encouraging top-line efficacy and safety results from the FOCUS Phase III clinical trial of fostamatinib in hospitalized COVID-19 patients without respiratory failure who have certain high-risk prognostic factors. 2 November 2022
US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson yesterday revealed it is making its largest acquisition in six years and potentially one of the biggest deals by a pharma this year. 2 November 2022
Continuing its extraordinary ascent, the world’s largest pharmaceutical firm, Pfizer, reported solid financial results in the third quarter, with revenues of $22.6 billion. 1 November 2022
US pharma major Eli Lilly saw its shares fall more than 4.7% to $344.91, after it released third-quarter 2022 financial results, along with a lowered full-year guidance. 1 November 2022
The share of US pharma giant Pfizer’s erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil) in the Russian market is steadily declining, due to the ever-growing competition from local generics and serious interruptions with supplies of the drug from Europe. 1 November 2022
A new prefilled autoinjector pen for diabetics, Ogluo (glucagon) has been launched in Germany by Tetris Pharma, a subsidiary of British firm Arecor Therapeutics. 1 November 2022
Drug-resistant pathogens have increased over the past few years and no longer respond to available antibiotics. A new study in India has noted that infections that were once easily treatable are now more difficult to treat, reports The Pharma Letter’s India correspondent. 1 November 2022
In Boston, Massachusetts, one company is now making significant headway in the development of an innovative treatment for serious disorders of the liver. In this week’s episode of The Pharma Letter Podcast, we are joined by Albireo CEO Ron Cooper, for a discussion of his company’s clinical goals and strategic focus. 31 October 2022