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
Confirming progress on its $2.7 billion bet to get into the weight management sector, Swiss pharma giant Roche today released positive results from the Phase I clinical trial of CT-388. 16 May 2024
US pharma major Eli Lilly has provided an update on compounding litigation relating to tirzepatide, its drug for type 2 diabetes and weight loss that is marketed as Mounjaro and Zepbound. 16 May 2024
Blackstone has announced the launch of the Blackstone Life Sciences portfolio company Uniquity Bio, a clinical-stage drug developer on immunology and inflammation. 16 May 2024
The USA’s House Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a markup meeting yesterday to consider a series of bills that address federal agency procurement of biotechnology equipment, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, improving federal cybersecurity, and more. 16 May 2024
USA and UK-based cancer cell therapy developer Adaptimmune Therapeutics has secured $125 million in financing, with the first tranche of $25 million available upon closing. 16 May 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration yesterday granted accelerated approval to Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel; liso-cel), from US pharma major Bristol Myers Squibb, for a new indication. 16 May 2024
US radiopharmaceuticals company Lantheus Holdings has appointed Dr Jeffrey Humphrey as chief medical officer (CMO) and Dr Jean-Claude Provost as chief science officer (CSO), effective May 28, 2024. 16 May 2024
Israeli generics giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has appointed Matthew Shields as executive vice president of Teva Global Operations (TGO), the company’s manufacturing and supply division, effective June 3, 2024. 15 May 2024
Shares in Merck KGaA rose by around 5% in Wednesday’s trading after the Germany-based company presented its first quarter financial results and latest forecast for 2024. 15 May 2024
May 15, 2024
Texas, USA-based drugmaker Lexicon Pharmaceuticals saw its shares edge up 2.7% to by close of trading yesterday and a further 2% to $1.96 pre-market as its announced new research results on its heart failure drug. 15 May 2024
Sands Capital, an active, long-term investor in leading innovative businesses globally, today announced the close of its third life sciences fund, Sands Capital Life Sciences Pulse Fund III (Pulse II”), raising $555 million. 15 May 2024
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel will consider Lykos Therapeutics’ filing for midomafetamine capsules (MDMA) as a therapy-assisted treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in early June. 15 May 2024
Japanese drugmaker Eisai has started the rolling submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) subcutaneous (SC) autoinjector for weekly maintenance dosing. 15 May 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) in response to the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Heplisav-B vaccine, said US immunotherapy specialist Dynavax Technologies. 15 May 2024
More leading oncology companies have outlined their planned highlights for the upcoming annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). 15 May 2024
Four-year data from the SELECT trial will significantly bolster Novo Nordisk’s bid to become the GLP-1 company of choice for payers and prescribers. 15 May 2024
Danish CNS specialist Lundbeck today reported first-quarter 2024 financials, showing that revenues grew 7% at constant exchange rates (CER) and 5% in kroner terms to 5,288 million kroner ($766 million). 15 May 2024
Norwich Pharmaceuticals has submitted to the US regulator for approval to market a generic version of Xifaxan (rifaximin), a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. 15 May 2024