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Most drug therapy interventions for people with autism have targeted psychiatric problems, including aggression, anxiety and obsessive behavior. Now, University of Missouri researchers are examining the use of propranolol (a drug used to treat high blood pressure and control heart rate as well as to reduce test anxiety, originally Wyeth's Inderal brand which is now off patent) to improve the primary traits associated with autism ' difficulty with normal social skills, language and repetitive behaviors. MU researchers say the drug is a promising new avenue for improving language and social function. 2 October 2011
Generics
Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca (LSE: AN) yesterday revealed that it has entered into a settlement agreement in its US Seroquel XR (quetiapine) patent infringement litigation against California, USA-based Handa Pharmaceuticals, regarding Handa's proposed generic version of the blockbuster drug, which is indicated for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder. 30 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Danish central nervous system specialist Lundbeck (LUND: DC) and the UK's Proximagen Group (AIM: PRX), have entered into a strategic partnership agreement under which they will jointly apply their expertise in CNS drug development towards achieving their collective strategic and growth objectives. 30 September 2011
Biotechnology
The launch of several premium-priced novel disease-modifying therapies, including four oral agents, will drive the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug market to increase from $8.9 billion in 2010 to $11.5 billion in 2015 in the leading markets of the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan, predicts a report from advisory firm Decision Resources. From 2015 to 2020, owing to generic erosion, market sales will then contract modestly to $10.6 billion in 2020. 29 September 2011
article
The market for Parkinson's disease drugs will reach a value of $3.754 billion in 2015. This decade, new products, including adenosine receptor antagonists, will benefit the Parkinson's treatment market and stimulate growth of overall revenue, says a new report from business information provider Visiongain. 29 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
There is little evidence to support the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs for some treatments other than their officially approved purposes, even though many clinicians continue to commonly prescribe these drugs for so-called "off label" uses, according to a new report from the US Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). 28 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Shares of UK-based Vectura (LSE: VEC) rose 5.5% to 91 pence by midday yesterday, after the company announces that NVA237 (glycopyrronium bromide), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) being investigated as a once-daily treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has been filed by partner Novartis (NOVN: VX) for marketing authorization with the European Medicines Agency under the brand-name Seebri Breezhaler, triggering a $5 million milestone payment to Vectura from the Swiss drug major. 28 September 2011
Biotechnology
In a second acquisition this year, Finland-based biotech company Biotie Therapies (OMX: BTH1V) has entered into an agreement to buy Italy's Newron Pharmaceuticals (SIX: NWRN) in a deal valued at 45 million euros ($60.8 million). The transaction is still subject inter alia to the approval by the extraordinary general meeting of Newron expected to be convened at the end of October 2011. 27 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
A patent portfolio related to rapid-acting intranasal (IN) insulin delivery formulations, which is owned by USA-based Marina Biotech (Nasdaq: MRNA), nucleic acid-based drug discovery and development company, is available for licensing. The sale is being handled by ICAP Patent Brokerage. 27 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Owing to the generic erosion of blockbuster agents, the unipolar depression drug market - which includes sales of products attributed to major depressive disorder, minor depression and dysthymia - will decrease from $11.6 billion in 2010 to $9.8 billion in 2020 in the major makers of the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan, says a new report from advisory firm Decision Resources. 25 September 2011
Biotechnology
German drug major Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) is taking another look at the multiple sclerosis market, where it is already a leader with its Rebif (interferon beta-1qa), acquiring worldwide exclusive rights to PI-2301, an experimental drug for multiple sclerosis, previously developed by privately-held US biotech Peptimmune. PI-2301 has completed Phase Ib in multiple sclerosis and is ready to initiate Phase II clinical trials. 19 September 2011
Generics
Japanese drug major Eisai (TYO: 4523) says that the Supreme Court of Japan has turned down a petition filed by generic drug manufacturers with regards to an Intellectual Property High Court ruling to maintain a decision to grant an extension for the Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) patent in relation to severe Alzheimer's disease. 15 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
A small pilot study led by a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researcher found that a nasal insulin spray improved memory, thinking skills and functional ability in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Currently, there are no effective treatments to delay or prevent Alzheimer's, it was noted. 14 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
New data showing that combination therapy with a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) and memantine (Axura, from Germany's Merz) - a non-competitive NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist - promises significant advantages in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, were presented at a satellite symposium held at the Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) in Budapest, Hungary. There are indications that AD patients retain their cognitive skills, basic everyday activities, social behavior, and communication skills for longer. 13 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Israeli generics drug giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TEVA) and start-up drug developer Alcobra, also based in Israel, have announced positive top-line results from a six week, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II multicenter study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of MG01CI in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 9 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
USA-based ViroPharma (Nasdaq: VPHM) said yesterday that the European Commission has granted a Centralized Pediatric Use Marketing Authorization (PUMA) for Buccolam (midazolam, oromucosal solution), for treatment of prolonged, acute, convulsive seizures in infants, toddlers, children and adolescents, from three months to less than 18 years of age. 7 September 2011
Biotechnology
US biotech firm Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) says it will acquire 100% of Milan, Italy-headquartered Dompe Farmaceutici SpA's shares in their joint ventures in both Italy and Switzerland, as part of the partners broader strategy to focus on each company's respective core business. 7 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
Swiss drug major Roche (ROG: SIX) has entered into an exclusive worldwide agreement with Germany's Evotec (EVT: TecDAX) for the development and commercialization of Evotec's MAO-B inhibitor in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The news sent Evotec's shares up 16.9% to 2.15 euros in early trading this morning. 6 September 2011
Biotechnology
Privately-held Canadian biotech firm Zymeworks and entered a research collaboration with US drug giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) around Zymeworks' proprietary Azymetric platform for the development of novel bi-specific antibody therapeutic candidates. 6 September 2011
Pharmaceutical
More than 400,000 Australians will benefit from new subsidized medicines, effective September 1, as Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon announced that German drug major Merck KGaA's cancer drug Erbitux (cetuximab) and Swiss major Novartis' new multiple sclerosis treatment Gilenya (fingolimod) have been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). 2 September 2011
Biotechnology
Cassava Sciences, a US biotech developing a novel, investigational treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia, was trading 83% lower at midday on Thursday. 25 November 2024
Biotechnology
A patient in Neurogene’s ongoing Phase I/II trial for Rett syndrome—who was dosed on November 5 with 3E15 vg of NGN-401—has now died from a treatment-related serious adverse event (SAE). 25 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals has announced a major strategic shift, prioritizing its late-stage pipeline following a rejection by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 25 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Japanese mid-size drugmaker Otsuka Pharmaceutical announced that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals for rights to manufacture and market Ionis' ulefnersen (ION363), a drug candidate under development for the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutation of the fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene. 23 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drugmaker Eisai has announced that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment Rozebalamin for Injection (mecobalamin) has been launched in Japan as a treatment for slowing progression of functional impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Germany's Merck has spent more than 25 years researching and developing solutions for advancing multiple sclerosis (MS) care. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced an upgrade to its mid-term guidance, in advance of its Meet Novartis Management event for investors and analysts in London. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Sage Therapeutics will down tools on its dalzanemdor program, after the Phase II DIMENSION trial missed both primary and secondary endpoints. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
New York-based Mind Medicine, a company developing MM120, a form of LSD (lysergide d-tartrate), for mental health conditions, has announced the appointment of Gregg Pratt, as chief regulatory and quality assurance officer. 19 November 2024
Biotechnology
Last week saw US pharma major AbbVie release disappointing Phase II trial results on its emraclidine in schizophrenia, which benefited Bristol Myers Squibb. Also on the research front, Germany’s Merck KGaA and Abbisko’s pimicotinib showed positive results in tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). M&A news saw German BioNTech punting $800 million upfront to acquire China based oncology focused Biotheus. Also of note, US drugmaker Halozyme Therapeutics made an unsolicited takeover bid for Evotec, valuing the German firm, at around 2 billion euros. 17 November 2024
Biotechnology
The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) human medicines committee (CHMP) made a number of recommendations at its November meeting, notable among which was a reversal of a previous rejection of Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi (lecanemab). 15 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Germany’s Merck KGaA was trading 5% lower as Thursday’s trading day neared its end, after the company announced its third-quarter financial results and outlook for the rest of the year. 14 November 2024
Biotechnology
Swiss clinical-stage biopharma AC Immune saw its shares gain 8% to $3.38 in US trading this morning, after it released positive interim safety and immunogenicity data from the Phase II VacSYn clinical trial evaluating ACI-7104.056. 14 November 2024
Biotechnology
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of PTC Therapeutics’ gene therapy for the treatment of AADC (aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase) deficiency, making it the first-ever gene therapy approved in the USA that is directly administered to the brain. 14 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Digital therapeutics company GAIA has announced the signing of a licensing agreement for attexis with fellow German firm MEDICE Arzneimittel Pütter. 14 November 2024
Biotechnology
Cambridge, USA-based Vesalius Therapeutics has entered into a multi-target strategic alliance with the UK’s GSK to discover and develop novel treatments for Parkinson's disease, and another undisclosed neurodegenerative indication. 13 November 2024
Biotechnology
Neurogene has announced positive interim clinical data in the first four participants in the low-dose cohort of its ongoing Phase I/II open-label trial designed to evaluate NGN-401 gene therapy for the treatment of female pediatric patients with Rett syndrome. 13 November 2024
Biotechnology
Trace Neuroscience, a newly launched biopharma based in San Francisco, aims to advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, starting with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 12 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
US drugmaker AbbVie was trading more than 11% lower early on Monday afternoon in New York. 11 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The Parkinson’s disease (PD) therapeutic landscape is heavily genericized, leaving substantial unmet needs in neuroprotective and disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), says data and analytics company GlobalData in an overview of ongoing PD research.. 11 November 2024
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