CA lawmaker to pharma: Show us, with numbers, why drugs cost so much

Assemblymember David Chiu (D) has proposed a bill that would require full transparency regarding operational costs for any drug costing $10,000 or more.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 26, 2015

Game time: Remicade biosims from Celltrion, Hospira launch in big EU markets

And Pfizer, which recently struck a deal to acquire Hospira, is sure to be watching closely.

By Sy Mukherjee • Feb. 25, 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

French government slams Sanofi over new CEO's pay

One government spokesperson called Olivier Brandicourt's pay package, which includes a $4.5 million entry bonus, "incomprehensible."

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 25, 2015

Public Citizen requests FDA ban on certain antifungal meds

Advocates say that Ketoconazole pills' risks outweigh their benefits.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 25, 2015

Toronto Star retracts piece suggesting injuries linked to Merck's Gardasil

On February 5, the Toronto Star published a controversial investigative report suggesting that several young women may have become sick because of Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 24, 2015

BMS strengthens oncology pipeline with two big deals worth $1.6B

That includes a $1.25 billion acquisition and a $339 million research agreement. 

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 24, 2015

Is there still a place for the mighty pharmaceutical sales force?

Despite multiple challenges, pharma sales reps are holding their own, and some of the largest pharma companies are embracing them as a critical part of the 21st century sales model.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 23, 2015

Ohio seeks its own deal with Amphastar for heroin antidote

Following in the footsteps of New York officials, Ohio state authorities have requested price rebates from Amphastar, which makes naloxone—the go-to heroin antidote.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 20, 2015

New company, new name: Actavis to rebrand as Allergan post-buyout

Call it "Actavis 2.0."

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 20, 2015

UPDATE: Bayer HealthCare chief Brandicourt named Sanofi's next CEO

Four months after the ouster of former Sanofi CEO Chris Viehbacher, the company has decided to hire a pharma veteran. But just how much power will Brandicourt have?

By Nicole Gray , Sy Mukherjee • Feb. 19, 2015

Why so little uptake of preventive Truvada in the at-risk gay community?

Almost 50,000 people are still becoming HIV-infected each year—and 60% of them are gay men.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 19, 2015

Team of rivals? Scientist nominated for AZ board has history of dinging pharma

AstraZeneca (AZ) has chosen Dr. Cori Bargmann, a well-respected researcher at Rockefeller University in New York, to stand for election in April and for a seat on its science committee.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 19, 2015

Gilead's Harvoni supplants Sovaldi as top-selling launch drug

Harvoni's already outpaced Sovaldi sales over a comparable period of time.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 19, 2015

The more, the merrier? Endo also pursuing Salix Pharma bid

On top of Valeant and Shire.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 18, 2015

CVS fires controversial warning shot in opening salvo of PCSK9 price wars

CVS' estimates of PCSK9 costs are raising some eyebrows.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 18, 2015

Profits fall for India's largest drug maker

Sun Pharma's Q3 earnings fell from roughly $250 million in 2013 to $229.6 million in 2014, due in large part to a decline in U.S. sales and the transaction costs of dealing with regulators. 

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 17, 2015

Can AZ finally solidify a deal for its anti-infectives unit?

For more than a year, AstraZeneca has been shopping a partnership deal for its anti-infectives unit. But there don't seem to be any takers—and the clock is ticking.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 17, 2015

GSK replaces US pharma ops head Connelly amid struggles

In the midst of slumping share prices and poor performance in the U.S. market, GSK is trying to shore up performance by promoting Jack Bailey to head of US pharmaceutical operations.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 17, 2015

How ViiV Healthcare became a pharma favorite for patient groups

An extensive new international patient-group survey about pharma companies' corporate reputations places patient-centricity front and center. ViiV Healthcare talked to us about what keeps them on top.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 13, 2015

Shire raises 2015 forecast on NPS acquisition

After striking a $5.2 billion deal for NJ-based NPS Pharma last month, Shire, which is based in Ireland, is forecasting growth in the 5% to 9% range.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 12, 2015

UPDATED: Sanofi to chop 100 US jobs in oncology R&D, Genzyme reorg

The news comes on the heels of the company's announcement earlier this week that it is replacing a third of its diabetes sales managers to bolster that franchise. 

By Sy Mukherjee • Feb. 11, 2015

Citi analyst: Humira biosims will hurt AbbVie sales more than you think

Citi analyst Andrew Baum thinks biosimilars will eat into 36% of AbbVie's U.S. Humira market share after just three years of availability.

By Sy Mukherjee • Feb. 11, 2015

Patient groups rank ViiV Healthcare #1 in corporate reputation survey, again

In a survey of 1,150 patient groups from 58 countries, patients ranked the Pfizer/GSK HIV collaborative number one across the board—and Mylan Labs at #37.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 11, 2015

Merck fights back after BC Health Ministry drops diabetes drug

Merck fielded a survey in which 85% of doctors said that drug substitution on economic grounds is bad for patients in light of the agency's decision to drop a diabetes med.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 10, 2015

ICYMI: Sanofi undertakes major sales reorg of US diabetes business

Sanofi has replaced one-third of its sales managers for its U.S. diabetes business in order to gain competitive advantages over Novo Nordisk.

By Nicole Gray • Feb. 10, 2015