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
Germany’s Merck KGaA today announced two new strategic drug discovery collaborations aimed at harnessing powerful artificial intelligence (AI)-driven design and discovery capabilities, further advancing the company’s research efforts. 20 September 2023
With medical research into molecular glues on the rise, research from Harvard University is finding its way into the local biotech scene. 19 September 2023
Pharmasyntez, one of Russia’s leading drugmakers, is preparing a new project in the domestic market, which involves commercial production of dialysis drugs, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 19 September 2023
The European Commission has authorized Apretude (cabotegravir long-acting [LA] injectable and tablets) for HIV prevention, from ViiV Healthcare, the specialist HIV company majority-owned by UK Pharma major GSK. 19 September 2023
Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma announced positive 24-month top-line results from the Phase III GATHER2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Izervay (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution), a complement C5 inhibitor for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 19 September 2023
Sino-American biotech BeiGene today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Novartis to regain worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Tevimbra (tislelizumab). 19 September 2023
Korean biotech 1ST Biotherapeutics has announced a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with US pharma giant Merck & Co. 19 September 2023
The European Commission (EC) has become the third medicines regulator to grant marketing authorization for Litfulo (ritlecitinib) to treat adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older with severe alopecia areata. 19 September 2023
The European Commission (EC) has approved Otsuka Pharmaceutical and its subsidiary Astex Pharmaceuticals’ Inaqovi (oral decitabine and cedazuridine) as monotherapy for the treatment of adults with newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for standard induction chemotherapy. 19 September 2023
Shares of Hyderabad, India-headquartered Suven Pharmaceuticals hit a fresh 52-week high on the bourses after the Indian government gave the green signal to foreign direct investment (FDI) of up to $1.15 billion by drug major Cyprus-based Berhyanda. 19 September 2023
A cancer drug under development by Cellectar Biosciences, a company based in New Jersey, USA, has been awarded an expedited review framework from the European Medicines Agency. 19 September 2023
Swiss biotech ImmunOs Therapeutics today announced the appointment of Dr Constanze Guenther as senior vice president, CMC and technical development. 19 September 2023
Leading Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has entered into a license agreement with US privately-held biopharma Pharmazz to commercialize a first-in-class innovative drug, Tyvalzi (sovateltide) in India. 18 September 2023
Vaccines Europe - a specialized group of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) - has issued a warning. 18 September 2023
German biotech BioNTech has linked up with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) to advance mRNA-based vaccine candidates with the development of BNT166 for the prevention of mpox (formerly monkeypox). 18 September 2023
Gilead Sciences subsidiary Kite has released new data supporting the value of its already-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel). 18 September 2023
A novel antibody developed by Anthos Therapeutics, a cardiovascular specialist founded by Blackstone Life Sciences, has performed well in a Phase II trial. 18 September 2023
Citing resource constraints for the decision, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says requires additional time to complete the Priority Review of Iovance Biotherapies’ Biologics License Application (BLA) for lifileucel. 18 September 2023