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
Zevra Therapeutics revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated it will convene a meeting with the recently formed Genetic Metabolic Diseases Advisory Committee (GeMDAC) on August 2, 2024, to review the New Drug Application (NDA) for arimoclomol. 15 July 2024
The rare disease unit of Italian drugmaker Chiesi has secured US approval for Filsuvez (birch triterpenes), a new treatment for people with junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). 20 December 2023
The contraceptives market across the seven major markets (7MM: the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and Japan) is forecast to slightly increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.5% from $7.8 billion in 2022 to $8.2 billion in 2032. 20 December 2023
Foreign contract research companies (CROs) are suspending participating in clinical trials in Russia after the exodus of global drugmakers from the clinical research market in the country earlier this year, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 20 December 2023
Midsize Japanese drugmaker Otsuka Pharmaceuticals has entered into a licensing agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals related to its candidate donidalorsen. 19 December 2023
Hoping to capitalize on a tsunami of interest in GLP-1 agonists for weight loss, Structure Therapeutics has now published Phase IIa data for its oral candidate, but investors are not happy. 19 December 2023
In a new move within the pharmaceutical industry, French pharma major Sanofi has entered into a $140 million deal with Aqemia, a French pharmaceutical technology company. 19 December 2023
Vicore Pharma, a Swedish pharma company seeking to unlock the potential of a new class of drug candidates, angiotensin II type 2 receptor agonists (ATRAGs), has announced that Bertil Lindmark will join as chief medical officer. 18 December 2023
Lif, the industry organization for Danish and foreign pharmaceutical companies in Denmark, has held a debate to discuss access to new medicines. 18 December 2023
Swiss specialty pharma Santhera Pharmaceuticals has announced that Agamree (vamorolone) has been approved in the European Union (EU) to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients four years of age and older, independent of the underlying mutation and ambulatory status. 18 December 2023
Hot on the heels of approval from the European regulator, the UK subsidiary of Japan’s Astellas Pharma today announced the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has licensed Veoza (fezolinetant). 18 December 2023
At a briefing session of Oireachtas, Ireland's national parliament, TDs and Senators heard of the human impact of delayed access to new, innovative medicines and the consequences for patients of no dedicated funding. 18 December 2023
Neuroscience-focused biopharma Alkermes has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its development and manufacturing facility in Athlone, Ireland to Danish pharma major Novo Nordisk for $92.5 million. 15 December 2023
Two years after Welireg's (belzutifan) original approval in the rare von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, the Food and Drug Administration has now approved the Merck & Co drug for a new indication. 15 December 2023
US drugmakers Melinta Therapeutics and Cidara Therapeutics recently released extensive data from two global clinical trials on their candidemia and invasive candidiasis drug Rezzayo (rezafungin acetate). 15 December 2023
Shares in Californian rare disease company Reneo Pharmaceuticals have plummeted after the firm announced the failure of its pivotal STRIDE study. 15 December 2023
As a result of US President Biden’s much industry contested prescription drug law, the Inflation Reduction Act, drug companies will pay rebates to Medicare when prices of certain prescription drugs administered or dispensed to people with Medicare increase faster than the rate of inflation. 15 December 2023
Following a broadly positive advisory committee vote in October, the US Food and Drug Administration now approved US WorldMeds, Iwilfin (eflornithine). 15 December 2023