When venous clots break off and travel through a patient’s circulatory system, they can become trapped in the lung and block blood flow. This strains the heart’s ability to pump blood through the lungs and can ultimately lead to heart failure. Traditionally, patients with pulmonary embolisms are treated overnight with systemic infusions of tissue plasminogen […]
Pharmaceutical
BioCorRx to meet with the FDA for injectable, sustained-release opioid addiction therapy
BioCorRx (OTC:BICX) said today that the FDA has granted the anti-addiction developer a pre-investigational new drug meeting, scheduled for Sept. 19. The Anaheim, Calif.-based company said it is slated to review the development and marketing plan for BICX101, an injectable, sustained-release formulation of naltrexone as a therapy for opioid addiction and alcohol use disorders. Get […]
Liquidia touts Phase I data for sustained-release post-surgical pain reliever
Liquidia Technologies touted initial data from its LIQ865 Phase I trial, which evaluated its sustained-delivery formulation of bupivacaine for post-surgical pain relief. The trial was the 1st evaluation of the company’s formulation in humans. Researchers assessed the safety, pharmacokinetic profile and pharmacodynamic response of a single-ascending dose in healthy adult males. Get the full story […]
FDA approves 1st cancer drug based on genetics, not tissue type
In a landmark decision, the FDA approved Merck‘s (NYSE:MRK) immunotherapy Keytruda yesterday as the 1st cancer treatment indicated for any solid tumor with a specific genetic feature, regardless of tissue type. Traditionally, the location where a cancer originates in a patient’s body determines the course of treatment. The move to treat cancers based on genetic biomarkers […]
Medtronic launches study of In.Pact Admiral drug-coated balloon in end-stage renal disease
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that the 1st patient was enrolled in a study of its In.Pact Admiral drug-coated balloon in patients with end-stage renal disease. The FDA approved the investigational device exemption study to evaluate the device as a treatment for failing arteriovenous fistulas in end-stage renal disease patients. Get the full story at our sister […]
ATS Roundup: Emulate models viral infection in “asthma-on-a-chip”
Emulate‘s small airway-lung chip could help researchers study viral-induced exacerbations of asthma, according to data presented this week at the American Thoracic Society’s annual meeting. The studies were conducted as part of the company’s partnership with (NYSE:MRK). The collaborative project was designed to enable development of new anti-inflammatory treatments for patients with asthma, according to Emulate. […]
Valeritas touts cost savings, real-world outcomes with V-Go insulin pump
In a retrospective analysis of 86 diabetic patients who switched from multiple daily insulin injections to the V-Go insulin pump, Valeritas (NSDQ:VLRX) reported this week that use of its device led to a 44% reduction in total daily insulin dose per patient. A drastic cut to a patient’s daily insulin dose and improvement to their blood sugar levels […]
Anika onshores manufacturing capabilities with new Bedford facility
Anika Therapeutics (NSDQ:ANIK) opened a new global manufacturing facility today, on the same day that it celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Bedford, Mass.-based headquarters. Anika’s manufacturing operations were previously split between its U.S. headquarters and an Italy-based contract manufacturer. But in a move to onshore manufacturing to the U.S., the company said it hopes […]
UK watchdog accuses Merck of restricting biosimilar competition
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority accused Merck‘s (NYSE:MRK) European unit, Merck Sharp & Dohme, of conducting an unfair discount scheme that it said was designed to restrict competition from biosimilar copies of the company’s drug, Remicade. Remicade is an antibody drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease. It was the 1st […]
Trump proposes deep cuts to Medicaid, NIH funding
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget would slash Medicaid funding and cut support for major biomedical research programs at the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The budget blueprint drew condemnation from healthcare advocates and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Senate majority whip Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) reportedly said earlier […]
Novartis’ Ultibro Breezhaler tops corticosteroid for COPD in head-to-head study
Novartis (NYSE:NVS) said today that a new analysis of its head-to-head Flame trial showed that inhaled corticosteroids may not be necessary in some chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with high blood eosiophil counts. The data demonstrated that the company’s Ultibro Breezhaler provided better or similar benefits compared to Seretide, an inhaled corticosteroid, in COPD patients […]