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
Consumers and health professionals are advised that Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk, in consultation with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), is recalling six batches of NovoPen Echo insulin cartridge holders after detecting that there is a risk that they may crack or break if exposed to chemicals in certain cleaning agents. 11 July 2017
French pharma major Sanofi is back on the takeover track, albeit not a mega bucks deal, announcing this morning that it will acquire Protein Sciences, a privately held US vaccines biotechnology company based in Meriden, Connecticut. 11 July 2017
Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502) has announced the start of operations at Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, the receiving company to which Takeda transferred a part of its research business, announced on May 15, 2017. 11 July 2017
When plans were announced for a cap on the cost of new drugs in England made available on the National Health Service (NHS) in March, pharma companies were roundly critical of the proposals. 10 July 2017
Monday has been a painful day for Almirall, Spain’s largest drugmaker, which looked set to close the day’s trading having lost a quarter of its share value. 10 July 2017
US RNAi therapeutics company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals last week announced that, along with Sanofi Genzyme, it was starting a Phase III program investigating the use of fitusiran in patients with hemophilia A and B with or without inhibitors. 10 July 2017
A new channel has been set up by the non-profit organization Direct Relief to allow pharma companies operating in Mexico to make tariff-free voluntary donations of medicines made in Mexico to low-income patients in the country. 10 July 2017
In a reversal of a negative draft guidance in February, the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales has today issued final guidance recommending cabozantinib for some kidney cancer patients. 10 July 2017
The Hong Kong Alliance of Patients' Organizations and representatives from numerous cancer concern groups have met with physicians and politicians to discuss ways of improving cancer care in the territory. 10 July 2017
Isodiol International, a specialist in cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, has received approval from the Brazilian medicines regulator to market Isoderm, a treatment for epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. 10 July 2017
The Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SFEE) is strongly against and rejects in principle the new method for calculating the claw-back in Greece, as it is an unfair measure. 10 July 2017
Events in the pharma sector hitting the headlines last week included a hitch for Merck & Co’s Keytruda, mixed results for Cara Therapeutics’ pain drug candidate CR848, Celgene’s deal with China’s BeiGene and an overview on the sluggish first-half 2017 M&A activity. 9 July 2017
US Health and Human Services Secretary Dr Tom Price has named Dr Brenda Fitzgerald, as the 17th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 8 July 2017
The UK Supreme Court has decided in the litigation relating to alternative salt forms of Alimta (pemetrexed disodium) that Actavis' products directly infringe US pharma major Eli Lilly's vitamin regimen patents in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. 7 July 2017
Some of the most senior figures in UK pharma have applauded a commitment made by government ministers to seek a collaborative post-Brexit relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU). 7 July 2017
Bosnalijek, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s largest drugmaker, is considering building a plant for the production of its drugs in the Russian city of Kaluga, according to the company, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 7 July 2017
Japan, with an aging population and increasing healthcare costs, is looking to reform parts of its regulatory system and introduce a larger role for value-based medicine. 7 July 2017
A consensus review has been published on the efficacy of cannabinoids as medical drugs and comparing them with other forms of cannabis treatments with herbal plants. 7 July 2017