Pharma
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Courtesy of Roche
First oral drug for spinal muscular atrophy approved by FDA
Approval of Evrysdi, from Roche and PTC Therapeutics, adds a third option for treating the neuromuscular disease, joining Spinraza and Zolgensma.
By Ben Fidler • Aug. 07, 2020 -
Permission granted by Gilead Sciences
Pfizer to help Gilead produce COVID-19 drug remdesivir
With supplies of the in-demand drug tight, Gilead has enlisted Pfizer, along with companies across the globe, to churn out millions of treatment courses.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 07, 2020 -
GSK wins US approval for first-of-its-kind blood cancer drug
Blenrep is the first multiple myeloma therapy cleared by the FDA that targets BCMA, a protein that's the focus of high-profile drug development efforts.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 06, 2020 -
Courtesy of Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers, Pfizer fend off a key challenge to their top-selling heart drug
A district court ruling likely ensures that the companies' blood thinner Eliquis won't face generic competition until at least 2026.
By Ben Fidler • Aug. 06, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Micrograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Big pharma alliance recruits first patients for unusual COVID-19 study
The trial is testing whether drugs from Amgen, Takeda and AbbVie can combat the life-threatening immune overreaction some COVID-19 patients experience.
By Jacob Bell • Aug. 03, 2020 -
Getty Images
Bausch Health to pay $45M to settle US charges over Valeant-era accounting
The agreement comes four years after an accounting scandal led to the unraveling of then-Valeant's image as a new breed of drugmaker.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 03, 2020 -
Lilly to test COVID-19 antibody drug in unorthodox nursing home study
Seeking fast answers in a pandemic, Lilly will use mobile RVs to set up infusion clinics at assisted living facilities, which have become COVID-19 hot spots.
By Ben Fidler • Aug. 03, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Micrograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Vaccine sales driven down by pandemic's effects on doctor visits
Pfizer, Sanofi, GSK and Merck each reported lower vaccine sales as stay-at-home orders kept people from their regular vaccinations.
By Jacob Bell • July 31, 2020 -
GlaxoSmithKline
US promises $2.1B to Sanofi, GSK in latest coronavirus vaccine deal
The contract is the largest yet from the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed, although Sanofi and GSK have yet to begin clinical testing of their shot.
By Ned Pagliarulo • July 31, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Microscope image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/49565158908/in/album-72157713108522106/.
AstraZeneca signals it won't wait for US data to seek clearance of coronavirus vaccine
The British drugmaker indicated on a conference call that data from trials already underway in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa will be sufficient to ask regulators to approve the vaccine.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 30, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Microscope image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/49565158853/.
J&J, beginning first human trial, aims for a 1-shot coronavirus vaccine
Preclinical data published Thursday suggest one dose of J&J's vaccine could protect against coronavirus disease, but that goal has proved difficult for drugmakers so far.
By Ben Fidler • July 30, 2020 -
Courtesy of Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers resubmits cancer cell therapy, lifting investors' chance at payout
A surprise refusal by the FDA in May to review Bristol Myers' application put at risk a conditional payment promised as part of the pharma's Celgene deal.
By Ben Fidler • July 29, 2020 -
Can Sanofi's top drug carry it through a pandemic?
While Dupixent sales are booming, the French firm's heavy reliance on the drug could leave it exposed if pricing reforms occur in the U.S.
By Jacob Bell • July 29, 2020 -
Courtesy of Roche
A Roche arthritis drug fails in COVID-19, casting doubt on a strained hypothesis
Negative results for Actemra follow setbacks for Kevzara, which works similarly, and further weaken the case that the drugs could help treat severe COVID-19.
By Ben Fidler • July 29, 2020 -
Retrieved from Flickr.
Trump invites high-stakes showdown with big pharma as election looms
Industry officials refused to attend a White House meeting called after Trump announced executive orders meant to revive several drug pricing proposals
By Jonathan Gardner • UPDATED: July 28, 2020 at 11:22 a.m. -
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca turns again to Daiichi Sankyo for a major cancer drug deal
The British pharma will pay Daiichi $1 billion to split rights to an experimental antibody-drug conjugate in a deal similar to the 2019 agreement that bought it the breast cancer drug Enhertu.
By Ned Pagliarulo • July 27, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Image]. Retrieved from Flickr.
On eve of first big coronavirus vaccine study, trial leaders brace for 'unprecedented' task
Researchers will need millions of volunteers to find the roughly 150,000 required for the five Phase 3 trials expected this year. Here's what lies ahead for them.
By Ben Fidler • July 24, 2020 -
Permission granted by BioNTech SE
Coronavirus vaccines speed ahead, but experts fear not everyone will take them
Gaining trust will be a tough task as public health officials gear up for one of the biggest immunization campaigns in decades.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 23, 2020 -
Shutterstock.com/fizkes
Sponsored by ZSPharma's KAM programs have never been more relevant
As companies begin to understand how priorities have shifted during the pandemic, KAM teams can devise appropriate solutions that fulfill their customers' unmet needs.
By Mike Moorman & Namita Powers • July 23, 2020 -
Permission granted by BioNTech SE
US to pay nearly $2B for supply of Pfizer, BioNTech coronavirus vaccine
The order, which would secure 100 million doses for the U.S., is the largest made to date under the Trump administration's "Warp Speed" project.
By Ned Pagliarulo • July 22, 2020 -
Brian Tucker/BioPharma Dive
Coronavirus vaccine developers make case to Congress they can win public's trust
While developing a safe and effective vaccine remains the chief challenge, lawmakers grilled pharma officials on how any successful shot would be fairly priced and distributed.
By Ben Fidler • July 21, 2020 -
Permission granted by University of Maryland School of Medicine
Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccine gets boost from German data
As the race to bring a vaccine to market accelerates, the companies unveiled new clinical results and a deal that promises the U.K. 30 million doses of a successful shot.
By Jonathan Gardner • July 20, 2020 -
GSK invests in mRNA vaccines through deal with CureVac
While CureVac's coronavirus work is excluded from the deal, GSK said the biotech's platform should complement its existing vaccine technology and provide greater access to manufacturing.
By Jacob Bell • July 20, 2020 -
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Micrograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Oxford coronavirus vaccine spurs immune responses, appears safe on first look
The vaccine, from the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, is backed with more funding from governments and non-profit groups than any other in development.
By Ben Fidler • July 20, 2020 -
Sanofi, on the lookout for acquisitions, may have spotted a target
A Bloomberg report names Principia Biopharma, a biotech with an existing partnership with Sanofi, among the U.S. companies that the French pharma is evaluating for possible deals.
By Jacob Bell • July 17, 2020
