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
GigaGen has been awarded a contract by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 4 October 2024
Oxford, UK-based Enara Bio today announces the closing of a $32.5 million Series B financing supported by a strong syndicate of new and existing biotech investors. 3 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
Zenas BioPharma announced the pricing of its upsized initial public offering of 13,235,294 shares of its common stock at an initial public offering price of $17.00 per share. 13 September 2024
US pharma major Eli Lilly and Egyptian firm EVA Pharma have entered into an agreement to expand access to Olumiant (baricitinib) to an estimated 20,000 people in 49 low- to middle-income countries in Africa by 2030. 6 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
Japan’s Eisai and US biotech Biogen today revealed that the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has approved Leqembi (lecanemab) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 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
US clinical-stage drug developer Ensysce Biosciences and Sweden’s OncoZenge have signed a letter of intent (LoI) to explore a strategic collaboration to accelerate the commercialization of BupiZenge in the USA. 28 November 2023
Canada’s Xenon Pharmaceuticals has reported top-line results from the Phase II X-NOVA trial, showing the primary efficacy endpoint was not met. 28 November 2023
Citing a failure to show required efficacy, the US Food and Drug Administration has rejected a submission from Aldeyra Therapeutics for its dry eye candidate reproxalap. 28 November 2023
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and granted priority review for the Biologics License Application (BLA) for prademagene zamikeracel (pz-cel), submitted by Abeona Therapeutics. 28 November 2023
Russia will significantly reduce public procurements of anti-cancer drugs which are not included in the list of vital drugs due to the lack of funds, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 28 November 2023
USA-based venture capital and private equity company focused on life sciences, Flagship Pioneering, has marked the official opening of its UK hub. 28 November 2023
Roivant Sciences’ shares fell 4.7% to $8.70 in early morning trading yesterday, after it announced the Phase II study evaluating oral brepocitinib in adult patients with moderate to severe active lupus did not meet its primary endpoint. 28 November 2023
UK biotech start-up Myricx Bio has announced the publication today of ground-breaking research in Nature Cell Biology by its collaborators at the MRC-LMS (Laboratory of Medical Sciences) that has uncovered the central role of NMT as a druggable pathway in senescence. 28 November 2023
In the USA, the Biden Administration is currently conducting a government-wide review of the use of “march-in” authority under the Bayh-Dole Act. 28 November 2023
British pharma major AstraZeneca has established a new R&D center in Hong Kong, focused on research and development in areas including cell and gene therapies. 27 November 2023
Positive top-line data from the blinded extension phase of its Phase IIb ENLIVEN trial evaluating treatment with pegozafermin in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were released today by 89bio. 27 November 2023
Following on from a deal announced last week, Swiss cancer company Oncoteq has unveiled an in-licensing agreement for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), codenamed TEQ102. 27 November 2023
US ophthalmic drug developer Ocuphire Pharma has announced the appointment of Joseph (Joe) Schachle into the newly created role of chief operating officer (COO), effective today. 27 November 2023
Having pulled its multiple myeloma drug Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin) off the US market in 2022, and getting a negative recommendation from the European regulator in September this year, UK pharma major GSK has come back with promising new clinical data. 27 November 2023
The second Dupixent (dupilumab) investigational Phase III chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) trial (NOTUS) has shown that Dupixent significantly reduced (34%) exacerbations. 27 November 2023