Pharma News
10 Nov 2024 to 16 Nov 2024
Nov 16, 2024
Diabetes Patients Express Concern Over Novo Nordisk's Insulin Strategy - BNN Bloomberg
Around 400 people protested at the South African headquarters of Novo Nordisk, demanding greater access to the company's human insulin and lower prices, as well as protesting against the phasing out of easy-to-use pens for diabetes medication. The protest highlights growing anger toward Novo for prioritizing its blockbuster weight-loss treatment over diabetes medications. Novo denies this and says the weight-loss treatment is not delivered via the same pens as the insulin. Diabetes cases have doubled over the past 30 years to almost 830 million, with South Africa experiencing a rapid increase in cases.
Nov 14, 2024
Merck signs agreement to obtain rights to Chinese cancer drug in pursuit of new blockbuster drug similar to Keytruda, reports STAT News
Merck has announced that it will license a new cancer drug, LM-299, from Shanghai-based firm LaNova Medicines for $588 million upfront and up to $2.7 billion in potential milestone payments. This move comes as Merck's cancer immunotherapy Keytruda, its top-selling drug, is set to face generic competition in 2028. Merck aims to strengthen its oncology pipeline and continue providing treatment options for patients through this new agreement.
Nov 14, 2024
Merck secures $3.3 billion licensing agreement for cancer drug from China - Report from Medical Marketing and Media
Merck has signed a licensing deal worth up to $3.3 billion with Chinese biotech LaNova Medicines to secure the cancer drug LM-299. The deal will strengthen Merck's oncology pipeline as its blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda faces a patent cliff in 2028. Merck will pay LaNova $588 million upfront, with $2.7 billion in additional milestones, to develop and commercialize LM-299, a bispecific antibody targeting the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This comes after Merck acquired three antibody drug conjugates from Daiichi Sankyo last year.
Nov 14, 2024
GSK presents data showing superior overall survival in multiple myeloma patients treated with Blenrep compared to J&J's Darzalex
GSK has released additional data from the Phase III DREAMM-7 study, which showed that its antibody-drug conjugate Blenrep had better survival outcomes in multiple myeloma patients compared to J&J's Darzalex. The data supports GSK's plans to bring Blenrep back to the market after it failed a confirmatory trial. GSK estimates that Blenrep could reach peak sales of over $3 billion and potentially replace Darzalex as the standard of care in multiple myeloma treatment. The company will present the data at the 2024 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in December.
Nov 13, 2024
Ozempic May Have Potential in Reducing Alcohol Dependence - Report from US News
A new study from Finland suggests that the GLP-1 drug semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) may help reduce hospitalizations for individuals with alcohol use disorder. The study found that individuals taking semaglutide had a 36% lower odds of requiring hospitalization, while those taking liraglutide (Victoza) had a 28% reduction. The findings highlight the potential of GLP-1 drugs in managing alcohol use disorder and call for further clinical trials to confirm the results. Additionally, semaglutide was also associated with a decreased risk of suicide.
Nov 13, 2024
Avoid Bringing in Negative Drug Pricing Policies - BioSpace
The U.S. is warned against adopting policies that stifle drug development and access to life-changing treatments. The article argues that borrowing ideas from countries with reduced incentives for investment in the life sciences sector will lead to negative outcomes. The Biden administration's plan to invalidate exclusive property rights for drugs based on their prices is criticized, as it undermines the patent system and discourages clinical study investment. Meanwhile, China is enacting reforms to accelerate drug approvals and enable patent term restoration. The article also highlights the limitations and delays in access to medicines in countries with price controls.
Nov 12, 2024
Astra provides $3.5 billion investment in the US following boost in sales from cancer drug - according to BNN Bloomberg
AstraZeneca raises its annual forecast due to strong demand for its cancer drugs. The company plans to invest $3.5 billion in its US business by the end of 2026. Earnings per share are now expected to rise by a high-teens percentage. AstraZeneca's top-selling cancer medicine Tagrisso and newcomer Enhertu performed better than expected. The investment will focus on research and development, manufacturing facilities, and specialty manufacturing. However, the company faced setbacks with the withdrawal and re-submission of an FDA application for an experimental cancer medicine. AstraZeneca's stock has also been affected by a probe into alleged illegal importation of cancer drugs in China.
Nov 12, 2024
AstraZeneca raises outlook once more as oncology medication revenue reaches $5.6 billion
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has upgraded its annual guidance after strong sales of its cancer drugs in the third quarter. Sales of oncology drugs rose by 22%, with lung cancer treatments Tagrisso and Imfinzi, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma drug Calquence driving growth. AstraZeneca has increased its expected sales and core earnings per share for 2024, with turnover rising by 21% to $13.6bn for the quarter. The company also announced plans to invest $3.5bn in US research and manufacturing capabilities. AstraZeneca shares rose slightly following the announcement.
Nov 12, 2024
AstraZeneca plans to inject US$3.5 billion into the US market amid increasing sales of its cancer drugs, reports The Edge Malaysia.
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has raised its annual forecast, fueled by strong demand for its cancer drugs, including its top-selling medicine Tagrisso and newcomer Enhertu. The company plans to invest $3.5 billion in its US business by the end of 2026, aiming to further expand its revenue in the region. Despite positive results, AstraZeneca is facing probe investigations in China related to alleged illegal importation of cancer drugs.
Nov 11, 2024
The Evolution of Drugs: The Growing Intelligence Behind Their Development - BioSpace
Digital therapeutics company Click Therapeutics predicts that the next wave of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry will be the digitization of pharma pipelines. This will involve the combination of digital therapeutics with traditional pharmacotherapy to create "smart" dosage options. Click Therapeutics has already developed software-enhanced drug treatments in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, and believes that the value of these treatments will soon be evaluated alongside molecular assets. The recent FDA guidance on Prescription Drug Use-Related Software further supports the integration of software and drugs, offering opportunities for personalized treatments and improved patient outcomes.
