AMA backs ban on direct-to-consumer pharma ads

The group says ads drive patients to seek more expensive treatments even when lower-cost options are available.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 18, 2015

NEJM joins the fray in drug pricing debate as 2 thought leaders share divergent perspectives

Dr. William W. Chin and Dr. Peter Bach are experienced thought leaders with important positions in the biopharma and medical communities—and they have very different opinions about drug pricing and healthcare sustainability. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 16, 2015

Explore the Trendline➔

Commercialization

New drugs for obesity are becoming blockbusters, while Trump administration pressure is reshaping pharma marketing strategies ahead of looming patent cliffs.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Horizon swipes back at Express Scripts as PBM cuts off drugmaker's specialty pharma

According to Express Scripts, Linden Care Pharmacy mainly dispensed Horizon drugs and did not fulfill the network agreement. The PBM has also filed suit against Horizon.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 12, 2015

AHF: Gilead's new HIV med an attempt to evergreen, avoid patent expiration

Does tenofovir's new, improved side-effect profile make Genvoya a new drug, or just a tweaked version of Stribild?

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 11, 2015

No 'purple pill' for Dr. Reddy's—court sides with AZ, blocks Nexium generic over coloration

A Delaware district court ruled in favor of the British pharma giant and its trademark infringement claims.

By Sy Mukherjee • Nov. 10, 2015

Allergan asks SCOTUS to take a hard look at pharma's controversial 'hard switch' tactic

The company lost in federal court when attempting to pull its Alzheimer's med Namenda in order to force patients over to a new formulation. If the Supremes take the case, it would have industry-wide implications for antitrust laws. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 10, 2015

Payers: Forget specialty drug costs—generic prices are crushing our budgets, too

According to insurers, prices for some commonly used generics have increased between 15 to 75 times their original prices.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 9, 2015

Insys Therapeutics under investigation for pushing powerful pain drug

The main ingredient in Insys's pain drug---fetanyl---is 100 times more powerful than morphine. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 6, 2015

A huge untapped opportunity for pharma marketing: Social media engagement with doctors

A recent report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions highlights third-party health content providers' successful strategy for engaging physicians in an increasingly digital world, along with ideas for how pharma can increase its social media presence with docs. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 6, 2015

Harvard study: Americans' prescription med use may be ballooning along with their waistlines

Is there a correlation between increased prescription drug use and rising obesity levels?

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 5, 2015

The Jardiance effect: Novo hopes Victoza will show heart benefit, but wary of CV study design

The diabetes game has truly changed after the success of Lilly & Boehringer's medication in a major CV outcomes trial.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 5, 2015

As generic drug savings reach all-time high, experts ponder biosims' long-term impact

U.S. generic drug savings reached a peak of $254 billion in 2014, but biosimilars were not part of the analysis. How will those figures look once biosims enter the equation?

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 5, 2015

House Dems launch drug pricing 'task force,' demand Turing & Valeant CEO subpoenas

And on the same day, a bipartisan U.S. Senate panel launched a probe into the two embattled companies, as well as Retrophin Inc and Rodelis Therapeutics.

By Sy Mukherjee • Nov. 4, 2015

Doctors' 'do-not-see' policies for pharma reps may be declining—here's why

According to a survey from CMS/COMPAS, 39% of physicians are willing to see pharma reps—an increase from past years. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 4, 2015

With Philidor out, Valeant lays out new derm program for patients

Instead of relying on the now-defunct specialty pharma, patients will be able to get Valeant's derm drugs through various other pharmacies. 

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 4, 2015

Glaxo lays out ambitious plans for 20 new drugs by 2020, market shrugs

The big question is: Will it be enough to offset rapidly declining Advair revenues?

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 4, 2015

Why has uptake of Novartis' expected sales superstar Entresto been so slow?

Sales of the severe chronic heart failure (CHF) med were only $16 million for its first quarter post-approval. But the company expects the dynamic to change in time.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 3, 2015

Express Scripts to put specialty pharmas under the microscope, focusing on Teva & AbbVie

Valeant severed its relationship with the specialty pharmacy Philidor in the wake of toxic reports about its business practices. But now, other specialty pharmas are drawing payer scrutiny, too.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 3, 2015

Activist investor Ackman holds marathon call defending embattled Valeant

Among his most blunt points: At the end of the day, Valeant will likely have to do little more than pay a fine if allegations against the company prove actionable.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 2, 2015

Merck chief Frazier's R&D-based drug price defense a tough sell for pharma

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 72% of Americans think drug pricing is out of control. Pharma is going to have a difficult time pushing back on that perception, no matter the defense.

By Nicole Gray • Nov. 2, 2015

Sanofi, Novo forecasts dim prospects for insulin's unchallenged dominance

On Thursday, Sanofi's CEO predicted a slowdown in insulin use as new oral medications become increasingly available. 

By Nicole Gray • Oct. 30, 2015

CA residents to vote on major drug price cap referendum in 2016

The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation collected 550,000 signatures to support a drug pricing referendum on next year's ballot that has drawn Big Pharma into a counter-campaign.

By Nicole Gray • Oct. 30, 2015

Hep C and long-term costs: Why safety is suddenly part of the value equation

We spoke with Brian Overstreet, President of Advera Health Analytics, about AbbVie's Viekira Pak’s safety signals and why safety will increasingly be seen as part of overall medication costs. 

By Nicole Gray • Oct. 30, 2015

Merck lowers cost of Remicade in UK as biosimilars enter market

Earlier this year, the National Insitute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) lowered approved biosimilar versions of Remicade (infliximab). 

By Nicole Gray • Oct. 29, 2015

Drug shortages & patent expiration: Authorized generics as more than a lifecycle strategy

We spoke with Dr. Cary Yonce, Vice President of General Therapeutics and Life Cycle Management at Sanofi, about the patient demand for generic Arava and the company's response to that demand 10 years after patent expiry.

By Nicole Gray • Oct. 27, 2015