24 October 2024 Shares of Californian clinical-stage biotech Alto Neuroscience plummeted 70% to $4.36 yesterday, as is announced disappointing trial results for depression candidate.
At present, two out of three people diagnosed with cancer survive at least five years. Between 1991 and 2011 deaths from cancer have fallen by 21% across the EU5 (UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy). 6 October 2017
Eisai’s US subsidiary has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Uruguay-headquartered Grupo Biotoscana for Eisai's oncology and neurology products in Latin America. 5 October 2017
The UK High Court has rejected a bid from the the British pharma industry to prevent the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence from imposing new rules around price negotiations. 5 October 2017
In what is something of a criticism of the European Medicines Agency, a research team has found most cancer drugs are approved by the EMA using only surrogate measures which, although indicators, are not strong predictors of survival – whether living longer or feeling better. 5 October 2017
Plenty of adjectives have been used to describe the transfer of six patents related to Allergan’s Restasis (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) treatment for chronic dry eye disease to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT). 4 October 2017
After a number of media leaks regarding the European Medicines Agency’s view of the rival member states’ bids, the agency has published its assessment in full. 4 October 2017
It has not been an uneventful reign for Guido Rasi as executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) since he took over in November 2011, with first his appointment called into question in a saga that saw him stripped of the role and then reinstated, and now the agency facing a disruptive move from its London home due to Brexit. 4 October 2017
Russian and global pharmaceutical companies operating active substances’ production in Russia want to receive a premium of 40% of the value of the public procurements contracts signed with the Russian government, according to recent statements by Veronika Skvortsova, Russia’s Minister of Health, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 4 October 2017
While the pharmaceutical industry is often regarded as being sluggardly in its embrace of change, opportunities in digital technology appear to be on the rise, and pharma is taking notice. 3 October 2017
In an Expert View piece, Balkrishan ‘BK’ Kalra, life sciences business leader and Eric Sandor, PVAI business leader, from technology and analytics specialist Genpact, look at how artificial intelligence is making drug development safer. 3 October 2017
Dr Nicola Davies explores pharmaceutical development in mental health, with a focus on factors that influence the road to pharma-psych innovation. 3 October 2017
Privately-held Swiss drugmaker Ferring Pharmaceuticals has appointed Professor Klaus Dugi as executive vice president and chief medical officer (CMO), effective immediately. 3 October 2017
An analysis from the investment research firm Zacks has considered the impact that US President Donald Trump’s proposed tax reforms could have on large-cap pharma companies based in the USA. 2 October 2017
Anger has been stirred up by a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article on the estimated research and development (R&D) spending for developing a cancer drug that potentially makes a mockery of previous claims from pharma on how much the process costs. 2 October 2017
Biohaven Pharmaceutical today reported disappointing top-line results from its Phase II/III clinical trial evaluating trigriluzole compared to placebo for the treatment of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). 2 October 2017
French pharma major Sanofi today announced the appointment of Stefan Oelrich as executive vice president Diabetes & Cardiovascular (DCV), effectively immediately. 2 October 2017
Merck & Co has decided to discontinue the development of the investigational combination regimens MK-3682B (grazoprevir/ruzasvir/uprifosbuvir) and MK-3682C (ruzasvir/uprifosbuvir) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, an ever more crowded therapeutic space. 2 October 2017
The commitment to transparency, contribution to the sustainability of the healthcare system and investment in research and development are the three pillars on which the social commitment of the innovative pharmaceutical industry in Spain is based, according to the local trade group. 2 October 2017
Last week saw AbbVie entering a patent settlement with Amgen relating to the latter’s biosimilar version of blockbuster drug Humira. US Food and Drug Administration acceptance for review of Eisai’s cancer drug Lenvima in a new indication, and FDA approval for Eli Lilly’s new breast cancer drug Verzenio also figured in the news. Also attracting attention was news on the failure of Axovant Sciences’ Alzheimer’s disease candidate intepirdine. 1 October 2017
US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price sent this letter to President Donald Trump as he resigned Friday in the midst of a scandal over his use of private planes, racking up bills estimated at nearly a million dollar in taxpayer-funded travel since taking office in February, according CNN. 30 September 2017
Germany’s Bayer has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with privately-held Dewpoint Therapeutics for a heart disease program to treat dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients, who are characterized through carrying specific mutations. 25 October 2024
Finnish pharma group Orion has announced it is discontinuing development of ODM-111, a pain management drug candidate, following a toxicology study suggesting it may not be suitable for long-term use. 25 October 2024
US pharma major GSK yesterday announced new preliminary data for Arexvy (respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, recombinant adjuvanted) in adults aged 18-49 at increased risk for RSV-LRTD due to certain underlying medical conditions and in adults who are immunocompromised. 25 October 2024
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to update the adult age-based pneumococcal vaccination guidelines and recommends Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) for pneumococcal vaccination in adults 50 years of age and older. 25 October 2024
US privately-held drug developer NImmune Biopharma has acquired development and commercialization rights for omilancor in Asia from Sino-American biotech LianBio. 25 October 2024
Sanofi reported 15.7% sales growth for the third quarter of the year, reaching 13.4 billion euros ($14.2 billion), with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rising by 12.2% to 2.86 euros, surpassing many forecasts. 25 October 2024
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has updated its Clinical Practice Guidelines for breast cancer, providing a boost to Novartis' Kisqali (ribociclib). 24 October 2024
Alpha-9 Oncology, a Canadian radiopharmaceutical company, has raised $175 million in an oversubscribed series C financing round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Ascenta Capital. 24 October 2024
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) voted to expand its recommendation for the use of certain pneumococcal vaccines, including Prevnar 20 (20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) for all adults aged 50 and older. 24 October 2024
Sino-America clinical-stage biotech Eccogene announced that it will receive a $60 million payment from AstraZeneca, which is being triggered by successfully achieving milestones related to the development of ECC5004/AZD5004 including the first patient dosed in the Phase IIb program. 24 October 2024
Swiss pharma giant Roche this morning reported that, in the first nine months of 2024 group sales increased by 6% at CER (2% in francs) to 45.0 billion francs ($52.0 billion). 23 October 2024
Life science investors can be divided into two groups: those who bought Novo Nordisk stock before GLP-1s hit the big time, and those who wish they had. 23 October 2024
Shares of Swedish drugmaker Camurus fell almost 10% to 588.50 kroner yesterday after it revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter (CRL) regarding the new drug application (NDA) for CAM2029 (octreotide) extended-release injection for the treatment of patients with acromegaly. 23 October 2024
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), yesterday released new data showing that nearly 1.5 million people with Medicare Part D saved nearly $1 billion in out-of-pocket prescription drugs costs in the first half of 2024 because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. 23 October 2024
UK pharma major AstraZeneca’s Alexion Rare Disease unit has received a positive recommendation for Voydeya (danicopan), from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 22 October 2024
UK health technology assessor the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended elafibranor 80mg tablets for the treatment of PBC, the drug’s French developer Ipsen announced today. 22 October 2024
Melbourne, Australia-based Telix Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of Rhine Pharma, a subsidiary aimed at increasing global access to radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment and imaging. 22 October 2024
Berlin, Germany-based Ariceum Therapeutics has presented data at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine 2024 conference on its first-in-class radiopharmaceutical drug, 225Ac-satoreotide. 22 October 2024
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Company Spotlight
Dewpoint is a biotech company pioneering the application of biomolecular condensate biology – the science studying the organization of biomolecules within membrane-less compartments – towards the development of a new generation of therapeutics to address diseases of high unmet need.