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
Drug major Takeda Pharmaceutical today announced a geographically-focused exclusive collaboration and license agreement with fellow Japan-based JCR Pharmaceuticals to commercialize JR-141 (pabinafusp alfa). 1 October 2021
High-risk MDS, often referred to as preleukemia, is a chronic form of blood cancer with a significant level of unmet medical need. While no new therapies have been approved in over a decade, that may be about to change, with multiple drugmakers making significant progress. 1 October 2021
Swiss pharma giant Roche has confirmed positive data from the Phase II/III 2066 study of Ronapreve (casirivimab and imdevimab) in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. 1 October 2021
The recent ruling in favor of upholding Amgen’s patents for its phosphodiesterase inhibitor Otezla (apremilast) until its patent expiry in 2028 is an important safeguard for US biotech giant Amgen. 1 October 2021
Autogene cevumeran, an innovative cancer vaccine which could pave the way for a new class of oncology treatment, has entered into Phase II testing. 1 October 2021
Following French pharma major Sanofi’s decision this week to drop out of the race to develop coronavirus vaccines because it admits to being a late comer, the charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is urging the company to transfer the technology and know-how for the vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO)-led COVID-19 mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa. 1 October 2021
The Russian government, together with the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), have agreed to raise prices for more than 30 drugs from the list of vital and essential since January of the current year, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 1 October 2021
In the UK, a positive reimbursement decision has paved the way for certain people with advanced thyroid cancer to receive treatment with Eli Lilly’s Retsevmo (selpercatinib). 1 October 2021
Rumors that US pharma giant Merck & Co was interested in acquiring Acceleron Pharma proved to be well-founded after an $11.5 billion deal was confirmed today. 30 September 2021
German life sciences company Merck KGaA today announced a mutual decision with UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline to terminate their agreement on bintrafusp alfa, effective September 30, 2021. 30 September 2021
Danish dermatology specialist LEO Pharma today announced results showing that after two years of continuous treatment with Adtralza (tralokinumab), adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis maintained improvements in signs and symptoms, itch severity and sleep interference. 30 September 2021
Richard Torbett, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), has written to the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, outlining the case for investing in pharma. 30 September 2021
Positive results from a Phase IIa study evaluating the safety and efficacy of amlitelimab (formerly KY1005), a human monoclonal antibody targeting key immune system regulator OX40-Ligand, were presented as a late-breaker today at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (EADV) 2021 Virtual Congress. 30 September 2021
US biotech Amicus Therapeutics is to create a new genetic medicine company called Caritas Therapeutics as part of a deal that will see its gene therapy business acquired by ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp IV (Nasdaq: ARYD), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). 30 September 2021
As September, Duchenne Action Month, comes to a close, we take a look at advances in pharmacological treatments for this rare condition. 30 September 2021
A global licensing agreement between Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4578) will see the firms jointly develop and sell four compounds in neuropsychiatry. 30 September 2021
Indian drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals today announced it has received marketing approval for its fixed-dose combination nasal spray Ryaltris (olopatadine Hcl and mometasone furoate), in 13 countries across the European Union and the UK. 30 September 2021
Mirum Pharmaceuticals, a leader in rare liver disease, says that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Livmarli (maralixibat) oral solution for the treatment of cholestatic pruritus in patients with Alagille syndrome (ALGS) one year of age and older. 30 September 2021
On Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration issued the draft guidance for industry, “Benefit-Risk Assessment for New Drug and Biological Products.” 30 September 2021
Cuba is keen to forge joint ventures (JVs) with Indian companies for manufacturing biotech drugs and vaccines. A new joint venture established in Cuba is offering opportunities to Indian pharma and biotech companies for investments and partnerships. 29 September 2021