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
The market position of Bristol Myers-Squibb’s Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel; ide-cel) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), is facing a serious threat from a relatively novel class of drugs known as bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), as they leverage clinical advantages such as improved duration of response to therapy and quicker administration. 27 December 2022
Research news last week featured strong Phase III results for Madrigal Pharmaceuticals’ investigational drug resmetirom in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis, sending the firm’s share rocketing as much as 270%. Also of note, AbbVie announced that its Vraylar has gained a fourth approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, this one for major depressive disorder. On the deal-making front, Canada’s Zymeworks leapt on the news that Ireland’s Jazz Pharmaceuticals had opted into a previously announced collaboration that could be worth nearly $2 billion for the development of zanidatamab. And Germany’s Merck KGaA last Thursday revealed a new collaboration with Mersana Therapeutics using its STING platform to develop antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). 26 December 2022
Although Amgen’s investigational drug AMG-133, it has the potential to address a key unmet need for drugs that reduce patient burden among patients with obesity. 23 December 2022
Following marketing authorization by the European Commission in August for the same indication, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Sunlenca (lenacapavir), a new type of antiretroviral medication for adult patients living with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), whose HIV infections cannot be successfully treated with other available treatments due to resistance, intolerance, or safety considerations. 23 December 2022
Ahead of the expected December 29 action date, and adding to European approval in June, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday granted marketing authorization for Swiss pharma giant Roche subsidiary Genentech’s Lunsumio (mosunetuzumab-axgb). 23 December 2022
Germany’s Merck KGaA has embarked on a new research collaboration with Mersana Therapeutics (Nasdaq: MRSN), including terms for a commercial license. 23 December 2022
A draft report on amyloid beta-targeting antibodies in Alzheimer’s disease, prepared by the Boston, Massachusetts-based pricing watchdog the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), recommends a price range below the current or anticipated cost. 23 December 2022
Following a previous rejection by the agency, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now accepted for review the Biologics License Application (BLA) resubmission for bimekizumab, filed by Belgium’s largest drugmaker UCB, for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. 23 December 2022
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which was developed by Kite pharma, now a subsidiary of US biotech Gilead Sciences. 23 December 2022
US health technology assessor the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today released a Final Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of two gene therapies intended for the treatment of hemophilia A and B. 22 December 2022
While the vast majority of M&A deals announced so far this year are in the hundreds of million dollars, licensing agreements have been getting ever bigger. 22 December 2022
Bayer subsidiary Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) has drawn attention to the role of its own adeno-associated virus technology in all US Food and Drug Administration-approved gene therapies of this type. 22 December 2022
Indian generics major Zydus Lifesciences, formerly known as Cadila Healthcare, subsidiary Zydus Worldwide has received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Selexipag Tablets, 200mcg, 400mcg, 600mcg, 800mcg, 1,000mcg, 1,200mcg, 1,400mcg, and 1,600mcg. 22 December 2022
In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), NGM Biopharmaceuticals has revealed its partner Merck & Co will pass on development of ophthalmic products. 22 December 2022
Roche company Genentech has won US approval for its intravenous Actemra (tocilizumab) product, for adults that have been hospitalized with COVID-19. 22 December 2022
US mRNA biotech Moderna, flush with cash due to the success of its COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax, today announced finalizing a strategic partnership with the UK government to establish a state-of-the-art mRNA research, development, and manufacturing facility in the UK. This milestone follows the agreement in principle between Moderna and the UK government, announced in June 2022. 22 December 2022
New gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonists being introduced to the endometriosis market, will push the sector’s value up from $1.05 billion in 2020 to $2.72 billion in 2030 across the seven major markets (7MM: the USA, 5EU [France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK], and Japan). 22 December 2022
The European Commission has published a study examining the public procurement practices and their impact on medicines supply and availability. The study confirms that awarding multiple winners and using additional criteria other than price (most economically advantageous tender – MEAT criteria) would be more sustainable procurement. 22 December 2022
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized Sanofi’s SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (B.1.351 strain) vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in adults in Great Britain. 21 December 2022
Canada’s Zymeworks saw its shares leap 17% $8.28 today, after it revealed that Jazz Pharmaceuticals has exercised its option to continue with its exclusive development and commercialization rights to Zymeworks' zanidatamab in key markets, including the USA, Europe and Japan, under the license and collaboration agreement the drugmakers entered into in October this year. 21 December 2022