The University of Sheffield and charity Parkinson’s UK are to collaborate on a new project to research and develop novel therapies for Parkinson’s disease, a condition which affects over 100,000 people in the UK. 8 March 2017
The USA’s Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has released a Final Evidence Report and Meeting Summary on the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for treatment of relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (RRMS and PPMS). 8 March 2017
Access to medicinal cannabis has taken another major step forward today with first license being granted for an Australian company to grow and harvest medicinal cannabis, the Department of Health and Ageing announced today. 8 March 2017
Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadila has announced that it has finalized an agreement with the USA’s Supernus Pharmaceuticals to settle all outstanding patent litigation related to Trokendi XR (topiramate) extended-release capsules. 7 March 2017
A new drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis has recently been developed in Russia, according to an official spokesman of Veronika Skvortsova, Russia’s Minister of Health, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 7 March 2017
The chance to focus on an area of massive unmet medical need was a major factor in attracting Gabriel Baertschi to leave his previous role as president and general manager of AstraZeneca in Japan to take the top job at Germany’s Grünenthal Group. 7 March 2017
Aurora Cannabis says its plans to acquire Peloton Pharmaceuticals, a late-stage ACMPR (Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations)-applicant, out of bankruptcy protection was approved by Peloton's creditors at a recent meeting 7 March 2017
The Russian Ministry of Health has awarded domestic biotech firm Biocad marketing authorization for its interferon beta-1a biosimilar, a knockoff of Rebif. 6 March 2017
Privately-held US firm Neurovance, which is focused on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related disorders, has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Japanese drug major Otsuka Pharmaceutical, 3 March 2017
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and India’s Lupin both yesterday announced the launch of their copy versions of Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) extended-release tablets in the USA. 2 March 2017
Investors in Ireland-incorporated Perrigo probably did not know where to turn on Monday and Tuesday amid news on the company’s management, job cuts, divestment of royalty payment rights on a multiple sclerosis drug and its publication of bleak financial guidance. 1 March 2017
Ovid’s metamorphosis from fledgling biotech startup to global rare disease specialist with epic ambitions began just two years ago with $5 million in venture capital. Now guiding the process is chief executive Jeremy Levin, who spoke to The Pharma Letter from the company’s New York headquarters about Ovid’s recent partnership with Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical, a firm with $16 billion in revenue and some 30,000 employees. 28 February 2017
Last week saw a bit of catch up on year-end financial results reporting from European drugmakers, including Belgium’s UCB, France’s Ipsen and Germany’s Bayer. 26 February 2017
Pernix Therapeutics has received a favorable patent infringement ruling against Actavis Laboratories regarding a proposed generic version of opioid pain treatment Zohydro ER (hydrocodone bitartrate). 23 February 2017
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals revealed it had received a complete response letter (CRL) from the US Food and Drug Administration regarding its opioid overdose drug. 22 February 2017
Momenta Pharmaceuticals announced that Sandoz’s contracted fill/finish manufacturing partner has received a US Food and Drug Administration warning letter. 20 February 2017
While developments at the USA’s White House were much in focus politically last week, the heat was off the Pharma sector, at least for the time being. Last week’s news for sector centered more on clinical trials results, drug approvals and some financial reports. 19 February 2017
Today, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Miplyffa (arimoclomol), an oral medication for the treatment of Neimann-Pick disease, type C (NPC). 20 September 2024
US neuroscience company BioXcel Therapeutics has announced a new clinical prioritization and an update on its late-stage development programs for the treatment of agitation with BXCL501. 20 September 2024
Stalicla, a privately-held Swiss biotech, today announced that Dr Paulo Fontoura will be joining its drug development team as chief scientific and clinical development advisor. 19 September 2024
US clinical stage CNS drug developer Athira Pharma is taking decisive action following the company’s announcement of disappointing data from the Phase II/III LIFT-AD clinical trial of fosgonimeton to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 18 September 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ocrevus Zunovo (ocrelizumab and hyaluronidase-ocsq) for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), from Swiss pharma giant Roche. 16 September 2024
US pharma major Eli Lilly has announced a $1 billion expansion of its manufacturing site in Limerick, Ireland, to increase production of biologic active ingredients, including those for its recently approved treatment for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. 13 September 2024
US neurological diseases specialist Ovid Therapeutics has announced the promotion of Meg Alexander to president and chief operating officer (COO). 12 September 2024
The global migraine market in mature economies is projected to grow from $9.2 billion in 2023 to $16.4 billion by 2033, according to a report from GlobalData. 10 September 2024
Cartesian Therapeutics today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation to Descartes-08 for the treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). 9 September 2024
California’s Lykos Therapeutics is still trying to regroup after being rocked by the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rejection of midomafetamine (MDMA) capsules for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 6 September 2024
The cost of prescribed dependency-forming medicines has decreased by £410 million ($539.6 million) since 2015/16, according to newly released data from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). 6 September 2024
Shares in US biopharma Axsome Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing and delivering novel therapies for the management of CNS disorders, closed 7% higher on Wednesday. 5 September 2024
Mid-Atlantic BioTherapeutics (MABT) has announced a collaboration with Accelero Biostructures to identify novel inhibitors of USP30, a protein linked to neurological disorders and other conditions. 5 September 2024
Praxis Precision Medicines shared positive top-line results for its Phase II, proof of concept study evaluating relutrigine in SCN2A and SCN8A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) patients. 4 September 2024