Following a re-examination, the European Medicines Agency’s human health committee, CHMP confirmed its initial recommendation to refuse the granting of a conditional marketing authorization for Masitinib AB Science’s masitinib. 18 October 2024
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
A frequently expressed view on the pharma industry in 2020 is that it has offered good opportunities for investors during a difficult year for markets, partly because of the pandemic reminding the world of the value of health and medicine to successful societies. 27 November 2020
Japanese drugmaker Ono Pharmaceutical has broadened the label for a combination therapy of Braftovi (encorafenib), Mektovi (binimetinib) and cetuximab, in colorectal cancer. 27 November 2020
The European Medicines Agency’s safety committee (PRAC) has recommended updating the product information for all chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine-containing medicines following a review of all available data that confirmed a link between the use of these medicines and the risk of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior. 27 November 2020
Switzerland-based Tillotts Pharma, part of Japan’s Zeria Group, has acquired the rights to Dificlir (fidaxomicin) from Astellas Pharma’s European subsidiary. 27 November 2020
Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma and FibroGen today announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) approved Evrenzo (roxadustat) for the treatment of anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adult patients not on dialysis. 27 November 2020
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a competition law investigation into Essential Pharma last month because of suspicions that the firm may have abused its dominant position by proposing to withdraw the supply of bipolar drug, lithium-based Priadel, to UK patients. 26 November 2020
Clinical trial specialist IQVIA has set out a twelve-point plan to: “restore the world-leading credentials of the UK’s clinical research environment.” 26 November 2020
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has unveiled the government's spending plans for the coming year, including for National Health Service (NHS) funding, clinical research, and R&D. 26 November 2020
At least one aspect of 2020 will be the same as any other year – pharma companies will end it with the traditional major data dump at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Meeting and Exposition. 26 November 2020
The US regulator has turned down a submission from North Carolina, USA-based Liquidia Technologies to market LIQ861 (treprostinil) for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). 26 November 2020
Top-line data show a mid-stage trial of once-daily vibegron has missed its primary endpoint of abdominal pain, disappointing hopes for a follow-on indication. 26 November 2020
Japanese drugmaker Takeda is to make Nihon Pharmaceutical a wholly-owned subsidiary through a simple share exchange worth around $52 million. 25 November 2020
Quality control hardware specialist Elementar UK is urging pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers to bolster product testing procedures in the face of a growing threat from counterfeit drugs. 25 November 2020
Opioid drug OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma has pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, to conspiracies to defraud the United States and violate the anti-kickback statute, the US Department of Justice announced yesterday. 25 November 2020
The European Commission has decided to transfer Pierre Delsaux, the current Deputy Director General in DG Defense, Industry and Space (DEFIS) to a new function as Deputy Director General for Health in the Director-General for Health and Food Safety (SANTE). 25 November 2020
Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), a non-profit drug research and development organization, has launched ANTICOV, the largest clinical study in Africa testing multiple early treatment options for COVID-19. 24 November 2020
At its annual investor meeting, Swiss pharma giant Novartis has laid out details of a strategy to boost growth and offset the impact of looming patent cliffs. 24 November 2020