Issue Drill Down: Feature Articles
Merck & Co: enters into R&D partnership with Ranbaxy
US-based Merck and India's biggest pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy have entered into an agreement to develop antibacterial and antifungal drugs. The deal highlights the trend of big pharmaceutical companies turning to India and China for R&D. As well as allowing Merck to develop its infectious disease portfolio, the agreement should provide valuable synergies for both companies.
13 May 2008
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Vaccines: Intercell buys Iomai
Intercell has acquired Iomai for $189 million, in a deal motivated by the Austrian company's desire to gain ownership of Iomai's traveler's diarrhea vaccine and transdermal delivery technology. With the potential to deliver both vaccine and adjuvant, independently, through Iomai's transdermal patch, Intercell's development of its proprietary adjuvant IC31 may also benefit from the technology.
13 May 2008
GlaxoSmithKline: Tykerb steps up challenge to Herceptin
Tykerb and Herceptin are to be compared in a second Phase III trial in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer patients. In this new trial Tykerb will be tested against Herceptin as a neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer patients. GSK hopes that Tykerb will advance Herceptin in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer patients to potentially serve as a new indication for the small molecule.
13 May 2008
BioDelivery Sciences: set to break into opioid market
BioDelivery Sciences has announced further Phase III clinical trial data regarding BEMA Fentanyl for the treatment of cancer breakthrough pain. The fentanyl reformulation aims to provide an easier to use and more dose-friendly fentanyl formulation, compared to Cephalon's Actiq or Fentora. BioDelivery Sciences is forecast to capture some 17% of the short-acting breakthrough pain market by 2017.
9 May 2008
Somaxon: efficacy in the absence of commerciality
Somaxon has presented Phase III data at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting in Washington DC which demonstrate that three doses of Silenor are efficacious and safe in elderly adults with chronic primary insomnia. Despite the positive trial data, the commercial potential of the drug will be limited substantially by generics and the absence of a marketing partner for Silenor.
8 May 2008
Baxter: under fire over contaminated heparin
Already the subject of criticism over the withdrawal of its Chinese-made blood thinner heparin, Baxter International has now been accused of failing to co-operate with Chinese authorities trying to investigate the alleged contamination. The fallout of this saga could yet hold implications for other drug makers looking to gain benefit from low cost manufacturing countries such as China.
7 May 2008
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