Pharmaceuticals

Seattle, WA - June 17, 2009 – A new landmark collaboration between the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), a not-for-profit, product development partnership, and Tibotec, a global pharmaceutical company, has been announced today at the Pacific Health Summit in response to the urgent need to accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs to fight tuberculosis (TB). The collaboration agreement is between Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, an affiliate of Tibotec, and the TB Alliance.    » read more »

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- June 16, 2009 -- Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) today announced that an arbitration panel has issued its decision concerning the Company’s collaboration agreement with Genentech, Inc., reaffirming Biogen Idec’s contractual right to fully participate in strategic decisions regarding the development of RITUXAN® (rituximab) and other anti-CD20 antibodies subject to the collaboration.    » read more »

June 16, 2009 -- Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) today announced that it has detected a virus that impairs cell growth in one of six bioreactors at its Allston Landing manufacturing facility. The company has decided to temporarily interrupt bulk production at the plant to sanitize the facility. Genzyme is collaborating with regulatory agencies as it works to resume production. The company expects the plant to be fully operational by the end of July.    » read more »

June 12, 2009 -- Genzyme Corporation (Nasdaq: GENZ) today announced that the European Commission has approved Renvela® (sevelamer carbonate) for the control of serum phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The approval includes patients not on dialysis with serum phosphorus levels ≥ 1.78 mmol/L (5.5 mg/dL), and covers both the tablet and powder formulations.

“With this marketing authorization, Renvela is the first phosphate binder for patients not on dialysis approved through the centralized procedure in Europe,” said Dan Regan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Genzyme’s renal business. “This is an important step toward improved patient care, and we are pleased that CKD patients in Europe will now have access to this proven therapy.”    » read more »

June 7, 2009, London UK -- New Phase II data presented today at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans show that the investigational type 2 diabetes treatment Syncria® (albiglutide) significantly reduced blood glucose levels and provided weight loss across weekly, biweekly and monthly dosing.1 Reducing blood sugar is a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects over 250 million people worldwide.2    » read more »

Afinitor significantly reduced tumor size by 50% or more in one out of three patients with refractory or relapsed lymphoma

Basel, June 8, 2009 - New data show that Afinitor® (everolimus) Tablets significantly shrunk tumors in 33% of patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease[1]. Based on results from this study and other early-stage research, Novartis has initiated a Phase III trial in the most common NHL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).    » read more »

Opens access to Asia and Africa – potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives

June 5, 2009 -- London UK -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has awarded global prequalification to GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals’ vaccine against rotavirus, Rotarix™.Additionally, the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) also recommended that rotavirus vaccination be included in all national immunisation programmes. Together, these WHO decisions open the door to making rotavirus vaccines available to children worldwide.    » read more »

Tasigna® shows rapid and deep responses in newly diagnosed patients with a form of chronic myeloid leukemia

Basel, June 5, 2009 - New data show that at 12 months newly diagnosed patients taking Tasigna® (nilotinib) to treat a life-threatening form of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) had rapid responses and a deep reduction in the amount of the abnormal protein that causes this disease.

"Tasigna now demonstrates potential to achieve remarkable responses in newly diagnosed patients," said Gianantonio Rosti, MD, Institute of Hematology Seràgnoli, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy, and lead study investigator. "These positive data suggest that, one day, Tasigna may offer patients another front-line treatment option."    » read more »

Used for the Treatment of Mixed Dyslipidemia

June 4, 2009 -- AstraZeneca and Abbott announced today that the companies have submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an investigational compound for the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia, a combination of two or more lipid abnormalities including high LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol).    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- London, UK -- GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) and Concert Pharmaceuticals announced today that they will collaborate to develop and commercialise deuterium-containing medicines. The deal includes three of Concert’s research and development programs; namely, CTP-518, a protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV expected to enter Phase I clinical trials in the second half of 2009, a preclinical compound for chronic renal disease, and a third research product in Concert’s pipeline.

Concert will also provide GSK with deuterium-modified versions of three GSK pipeline compounds for GSK to develop.    » read more »

Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health (NVGH) developing bivalent vaccine to prevent Typhoid, which affects over 21 million people worldwide annually

June 04, 2009 -- Basel, June 4, 2009 - Novartis announced that the Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health (NVGH) has been awarded a grant from the Wellcome Trust to develop a bivalent vaccine for Typhoid fever, a disease that affects more than 21 million people worldwide every year.    » read more »

Assumes Primary Responsibility for Alemtuzumab in Multiple Sclerosis; Expands Hematologic Oncology Portfolio

June 2, 2009 -- Genzyme Corp. (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced today that it has completed the transaction with Bayer HealthCare to acquire the worldwide rights to Campath®/MabCampath® (alemtuzumab), giving Genzyme primary responsibility for the development and commercialization of this promising multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeutic candidate. Genzyme is conducting two rapidly progressing phase 3 studies of alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting MS patients.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced his proposal to raise the income limit for the Lottery-funded PACENET prescription drug benefit for older Pennsylvanians, providing help to an additional 30,000 people who have little or no drug coverage now.

“As older adults struggle to make ends meet in these challenging economic times, providing comprehensive prescription medication coverage is more important than ever. It is my goal for everyone in Pennsylvania to have sufficient drug coverage and this is another step in making that happen,” Governor Rendell said. “I urge the General Assembly to quickly approve this proposal and help our older citizens.”    » read more »

Mechelen, Belgium, (May 28 2009): Virco BVBA has today signed a global research and development, non-exclusive licensing agreement with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc (NY, USA). Under this agreement Siemens is providing Virco a license which will enable Virco to develop and commercialize a new hepatitis C research service testing platform.

This platform will initially be utilized by pharmaceutical companies for drug development support of the new hepatitis C virus (HCV) antivirals. The platform will have the potential to provide HCV clinical diagnostic testing services in the future.    » read more »

Contributes to effort to bend spending curve to help move health reform forward

June 1, 2009 -- Statement of Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, President, American Medical Association:

“The American Medical Association (AMA) joined with five other organizations in the health sector today to outline initiatives to help achieve President Obama’s goal of decreasing the health-care cost growth rate by 1.5 percent, saving $2 trillion or more over the next 10 years.    » read more »