Myeloma cell therapies, now in pharma hands, move into spotlight

Long-awaited results from Bristol-Myers and Bluebird position the drugmakers to win a first-in-class CAR-T approval. Rival J&J, however, appears close behind. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Dec. 7, 2019

Novartis highlights 4 drugs of future in laying out R&D vision

With more than 160 drugs in clinical testing, Novartis executives highlighted a few lesser-known therapies they will prioritize in the next few years.

By Andrew Dunn • Dec. 5, 2019

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Top 5 stories from BioPharma Dive

Looming patent expiries this decade and intensifying competition from China are forcing drugmakers to adapt, while new opportunities open up in oncology and in neuroscience.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Lilly puts its cancer future in Loxo's hands

Nearly a year on from buying Loxo for $8 billion, Lilly hopes to recast its cancer research more in the mold of the nimbler biotech.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Dec. 5, 2019

New approval for Roche's Tecentriq heats up lung cancer battle with Keytruda

One Wall Street analyst expects the FDA's OK will help Tecentriq outpace Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo in 2020 in the non-small cell lung cancer market.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 4, 2019

Will sky-high drug prices spur the US to use an obscure power over patents?

New cell therapies as well as gene-based treatments like Zolgensma benefited from NIH funding of early-stage research. Advocates say the time is now for the government to invoke its "march-in" rights. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 4, 2019

Opioid makers subject of US grand jury probe

At least six companies have been subpoenaed in an investigation characterized as a wide probe into practices required under the Controlled Substances Act.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 27, 2019

Medicines Co. deal caps pharma's reentry into field it once abandoned

Large pharma companies like Novartis, Roche and J&J are buying back into RNAi, a technology that several retreated from in the early 2010s.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 26, 2019

Roche SMA therapy granted speedy FDA review; decision by May 2020

A quick approval of risdiplam, an oral therapy, could challenge Biogen and Novartis in a field that just three years ago had no treatment options.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 25, 2019

Novartis buys Medicines Co. in $9.7B bet on cholesterol drug

Acquiring The Medicines Company gives Novartis access to inclisiran, a lipid-lowering drug likely to win approval but facing uncertain commercial prospects.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 24, 2019

Calquence OK boosts AstraZeneca's challenge to Imbruvica

The new FDA approval expands Calquence's use into a more common blood cancer, although doctors have already been prescribing it for that disease.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 22, 2019

AI's impact in drug discovery is coming fast, predicts GSK's Hal Barron

The R&D chief believes researchers will discover a new drug target using machine learning within the next two or three years. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 21, 2019

Takeda sees cell, gene therapy in its future. Is it too late?

Nearly a year on from completing its $62 billion Shire deal, Takeda is pitching investors on its plans to stay one of the industry's leading rare disease drug developers.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 20, 2019

Bankrupt biopharmas are rare. 2019 has some worried that's changing.

Eleven biopharmas declared bankruptcy in 2019, more than any other year since at least 2011. Rising market pressures, coupled with legal liabilities, risk more companies falling to zero, experts warn.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 19, 2019

31 biopharmas at high risk of bankruptcy in 2020

BioPharma Dive dug into data from a credit monitoring firm to identify drugmakers at high risk of going bankrupt, including companies like Teva, Bausch Health and Novavax.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 19, 2019

The running list of 2019 biopharma bankruptcies

From antibiotic developers like Achaogen to opioid drugmakers like Purdue and Insys, 2019 saw an uptick in biopharmas filing for Chapter 11.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 19, 2019

Novartis reshapes China R&D hub to reflect rapidly evolving market

The Swiss pharma giant is ending drug discovery efforts and shifting resources toward early development and commercial activities, a move that will eliminate around 150 jobs in the near term.

By Jacob Bell • Updated Nov. 18, 2019

Novartis sickle cell drug wins FDA approval

Adakveo is only the second treatment approved in two decades for the painful blood clots caused by the rare disease.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 15, 2019

Novartis' Sandoz builds global generics presence with Japan acquisition

Sandoz will pay approximately $331 million upfront for a Japan-focused subsidiary of Aspen Pharmacare.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 11, 2019

5 updates from Teva's busy quarter: A new CFO, a biosimilar launch and a migraine miss

Teva's stock went in an unfamiliar direction Thursday — up — as the pharma slightly beat Wall Street sales expectations with its quarterly results.

By Andrew Dunn • Nov. 7, 2019

AstraZeneca's China ambitions grow with new R&D investments

Already a leader in China, the British pharma is doubling down with plans to open two new centers and launch a $1 billion biotech investment fund.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 6, 2019

Strong sales buoy pharma even as risks grow

Pfizer and Merck are the latest large drugmakers to post better-than-expected third quarter sales, a picture of strength that belies rising threats to the industry.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Oct. 29, 2019

Pfizer's heart drug impresses with fast US launch

Vyndaqel sales contributed to a 7% jump in the pharma's core drugs business, though overall third quarter sales fell compared to the same period a year ago.

By Andrew Dunn • Oct. 29, 2019

AstraZeneca joins Bristol-Myers' run at Merck in lung cancer

Imfinzi plus chemotherapy kept patients from progressing as quickly as chemo alone in a key study, but oncologists will need to see survival and safety data.

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 28, 2019

Allergan pays $750M to rid itself of Namenda antitrust charges

A class action suit followed the New York attorney general in claiming the big pharma tried to delay generic competition to its Alzheimer's drug. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 28, 2019

GSK advances new antibiotic into Phase 3 studies

The drug is the first in a new antibiotic class, said the British pharma, which is one of just a few large drugmakers still developing antibacterial treatments.

By Andrew Dunn • Oct. 28, 2019