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 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is set to commence on 2 June in Chicago, with the highly anticipated plenary session taking place on the Sunday. 22 May 2024
Swiss generic and biosimilar medicines company Sandoz today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for Wyost (denosumab) and Jubbonti (denosumab), the first and only biosimilar versions of reference medicines Xgeva and Prolia in Europe. 22 May 2024
UK pharma major GSK yesterday announced positive results from trials of depemokimab, an "ultra-long-acting biologic" that could simplify treatment options for patients with severe asthma. 22 May 2024
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, a US biopharma specializing in rare neuroendocrine diseases, has announced that its drug Imcivree (setmelanotide) is expected to be funded and available for use in England and Wales within three months through the National Health Service (NHS) in specialist centers. 22 May 2024
Executives at cash-strapped biotech Lyra Therapeutics are hoping a drastic reduction in headcount will help keep the lights on, alongside other cost-cutting measures. 22 May 2024
The Russian government is considering tightening domestic patent legislation, in a move to respond to numerous calls of global drugmakers, which are unhappy with the level of protection of their original drugs in the local market, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 22 May 2024
The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology has published a post hoc analysis of data from the Phase III KINECT-4 study of Ingrezza (valbenazine). 22 May 2024
A new subcutaneous version of the checkpoint blocker Opdivo (nivolumab) could be approved earlier than expected, after the US regulator brought forward the date for a decision. 22 May 2024
UK pharma major AstraZeneca’s Fasenra (benralizumab) recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for severe asthma in children aged six to 11, specifically for the eosinophilic phenotype, in over 80 countries, including the USA, European Union, and Japan. 22 May 2024
Taking another step into the sector, US pharma major Eli Lilly has signed an agreement with Boston, USA-based biotech firm Aktis Oncology, to generate anticancer radiopharmaceuticals using the latter’s novel miniprotein technology platform. 21 May 2024
Data have been presented from the NOTUS Phase III study on the use of Dupixent (dupilumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment in adults with uncontrolled COPD on maximal standard-of-care inhaled therapy and evidence of type 2 inflammation. 21 May 2024
Given that the USA’s House Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a markup meeting last week on the legislation, it is likely that the USA will pass the BIOSECURE Act (the Act) in December this year. 21 May 2024
Israeli dermatology company Sol-Gel Technologies has signed an agreement with Beimei Pharma for the commercialization of Twyneo (tretinoin/benzoyl peroxide) in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Israel. 21 May 2024
UK antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) company Pheon Therapeutics today announced the completion of a $120 million Series B financing to fund the development of its pipeline of differentiated ADCs. 21 May 2024
US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has announced that the Tremfya (guselkumab) QUASAR maintenance study in ulcerative colitis (UC) met its primary endpoint and all major secondary endpoints, including highly statistically significant rates of endoscopic remission. 21 May 2024
Massachusetts-USA-based biotech-Progentos Therapeutics has announced its launch and the closing of a $65 million Series A round of financing. 21 May 2024