The Latest
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Dive AwardsThe BioPharma Dive Awards of 2018
A busy year brought new therapies, a mega-merger and substantial change to the industry. In the process, several companies and technologies stood out.
Corporate News -
Biktarvy's success raises doubts about ViiV's 'new era' of HIV treatment
ViiV and majority owner GSK are focused on two-drug regimens, while rival Gilead is betting big on its recently approved triplet Biktarvy.
Marketing -
Merck shakes up C-suite as Schechter departs
Adam Schechter, who has led Merck's human health unit since 2010, will step down by year's end. In his place, Merck will promote two execs from within.
Corporate News -
Roche wins key cancer drug approval, but taking on Merck remains a challenge
Despite Tecentriq's OK in frontline metastatic lung cancer, one Wall Street analyst cut sales forecasts for the drug by billions over the next five years.
Marketing -
Gilead names Roche veteran O'Day as CEO
Daniel O'Day, who has led Roche Pharmaceuticals for the past six years, will be tasked with leading Gilead's push into new therapeutic markets.
Corporate News -
Axovant drops small molecule development after dementia drug failure
The company will shift its focus to gene therapies after a Phase 2 trial setback for nelotanserin in patients with Lewy body dementia.
Clinical Trials -
Lonza bets on China biotech market with plans for new plant
A crop of emerging Chinese biotechs are pushing into novel drug development, increasing demand for CDMO services in a country long known for its API manufacturing.
Manufacturing -
Brexit 'no deal' could mean 6 months of disruption for pharma
The warning comes as the prime minister postponed a crucial vote on an exit plan that had been set for this week.
Regulatory / Compliance -
Dive AwardsDeal of the Year: Takeda buys Shire
The $62 billion takeout is the largest acquisition of a foreign company in Japan's history and would transform Takeda into the ninth largest pharma globally.
Mergers and Acquisitions / Deals -
J&J's Actelion pays out $360M to resolve kickback claims
The Justice Department claimed the pharma donated to a charity to help pay Medicare patients' copays for its drugs.
Regulatory / Compliance -
FedEx, Walgreens partner for next-day delivery of prescription drugs
The company's move is designed to head off Amazon's entry into home delivery as well as compete with CVS' similar service.
Marketing -
Dive AwardsDrug Launch of the Year: Amgen and Novartis' Aimovig
Choosing a lower-than-expected price was an unusual, disruptive move, but one that could pay off as Amgen and Novartis fend off rivals.
Marketing -
Roche's Tecentriq gets first-line lung cancer approval
While a positive step for Roche's I/O ambitions, it will likely run into trouble differentiating Tecentriq from the first-line regimen of Keytruda plus chemo.
Clinical Trials -
Hospital docs weigh in on CAR-T reimbursement: 'It's very complicated'
Looming over clinical victories seen at ASH was a problematic question: How exactly will health systems pay for these powerful yet pricey therapies?
Regulatory / Compliance -
Dive AwardsInnovation of the Year: RNA-targeting therapies
The arrival of Onpattro and Tegsedi cap decades of progress in the field, which has once again drawn the eye of big pharma.
Clinical Trials -
Supernus ADHD data doesn't win back investor optimism
An "odd data point" may have overshadowed otherwise positive Phase 3 readouts. Still, analysts see potential in SPN-812.
Clinical Trials -
Novartis sheds light on liquid biopsies with SOLAR-1 analysis
Tying together a targeted drug and a companion diagnostic could give Novartis an edge in advanced breast cancer.
Clinical Trials -
Dive AwardsBiotech of the Year: Spark Therapeutics
The biotech's gene therapy Luxturna, priced at $850,000 per patient, is testing a healthcare system not designed for transformative, one-time treatments.
Marketing -
Deep Dive3 questions leaving ASH
Like many a medical meeting, ASH showcased data that — while promising — also offers as many questions as answers.
Clinical Trials -
In CAR-T, manufacturing a hurdle Novartis has yet to clear
In an interview, Novartis' cell and gene therapy head said the pharma's made "significant progress" addressing issues that have hampered Kymriah's roll-out.
Manufacturing -
Dive AwardsExecutive of the Year: Emma Walmsley, GlaxoSmithKline
Since taking the helm, Walmsley has launched an R&D restructure, shaken up GSK's top leadership and reset a corporate strategy that's failed to deliver industry-leading growth.
Corporate News -
Mallinckrodt splitting into 2 with generic spin-off plan
A generics maker based in St. Louis will keep the Mallinckrodt name as the company works to establish two independent, publicly traded pharmas.
Corporate News -
Deep DiveAt ASH, bispecific cancer therapies make a mark
The therapies work to guide tumor-fighting immune cells to target cancerous invaders. Research at ASH suggests they could be another avenue of attack in immuno-oncology.
Clinical Trials -
Dive Awards
Pharma of the Year: Merck & Co.
While rivals have hit setbacks, Merck largely executed on a clinical program for Keytruda that's put the pharma on top in immuno-oncology.
Corporate News -
AbbVie's Rova-T hits yet another setback
The cancer drug's prospects look dim after its latest clinical failure, casting further negative light on AbbVie's nearly $6 billion Stemcentrx acquisition.
Clinical Trials