More than 50% of Americans have been prescribed narcotic painkillers, according to a Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health poll, and more than one third of respondents were concerned about painkillers’ addiction risk, effectiveness and side effects. The concern towards prescription painkillers differed between those who have been prescribed narcotic pain-relievers and those who have not. Just over […]
Pharmaceutical
Valerion develops antibody delivery method for Pompe disease therapy
Valerion Therapeutics said today that the company developed a fusion protein, VAL-1221, that combines its antibody delivery system with recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase (rhGAA) to better deliver rhGAA into affected tissues of patients with Pompe disease. Patients who suffer from Pompe disease have a deficient supply of the lysosomal enzyme, GAA, which causes glycogen to […]
DoD taps BD’s Pyxis for $100m medication dispensing contract
Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) said today that it won a $100 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for its Pyxis ES system. According to the contract, Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based BD will provide its medication dispensing technology to 115 military inpatient health facilities and military inpatient pharmacies. “Through this collaboration with the DoD, we […]
EnGeneIC wins orphan drug designation for targeted nanocells
EnGeneIC said today that the FDA granted orphan drug designation to the company’s targeted EDV nanocells for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. The clinical stage biopharmaceutical company is developing bacterially-derived EDV nanocells as a nanoparticle, siRNA and miRNA delivery platform designed to target and kill tumor cells, while triggering the immune system’s natural anti-tumor response. […]
Study: Patient error cuts dose in half for inhalers
Researchers from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have identified patient errors that cause inhaler users to get about half as much medicine as they should from each dose. The team said that clinicians have known for years that patients don’t use their inhalers as prescribed, but inhaler-dosing studies tend to focus on the rare cases […]
Aerie resubmits NDA for Rhopressa eye drops
Aerie Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:AERI) said today that it resubmit a New Drug Application for the company’s Rhopressa eye drops. The Irvine, Calif.-based company’s NDA was withdrawn in October last year, after a contract manufacturer was not prepared for its pre-approval inspection. Aerie’s Rhopressa eye drops specifically target the eye’s trabecular network – the diseased tissue responsible for […]
Report finds pharma companies limited January list price hikes
Drug-makers didn’t raise list prices for as many drugs in January compared to last year and they initiated fewer hikes of 10% or more, according to analysis by Raymond James & Associates. Although 5.5% of price increases reached the 10% level in January this year, 15% did last year and 20% did 2 years ago. […]
Study: Nanotechnology could cut dose of HIV treatment in half
Researchers from the University of Liverpool presented data this week evaluating the use of nanotechnology to improve drug therapies for HIV patients. The team touted its data at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle. The trial enrolled healthy patients and evaluated the use of orally-dosed solid drug nanoparticles to optimize HIV therapy, according […]
Bristol-Myers prices $1.5B senior notes offering
Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) said today that it has agreed to sell $1.5 billion of senior unsecured notes in an underwritten public offering. The offering includes $750 million in 1.6% senior notes due in 2019 and $750 million in 3.3% senior notes due in 2027, according to the New York-based company. Bristol-Myers said it plans to […]
Children’s National Health System highlights novel approach for cell therapy
Children’s National Health System touted data today from a Phase I dose-ranging study evaluating a cell therapy approach in patients with blood and bone marrow cancers for whom stem cell transplantation hasn’t worked. Results from the Resolve trial showed that 78% of patients responded to multi-tumor-associated antigen specific lymphocytes (TAA-L) treatment and 44% of patients […]
GlaxoSmithKline, Innoviva tout data for Relvar Ellipta inhaled drug combo
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and Innoviva (NSDQ:INVA) touted data today from a non-inferiority lung function study evaluating its inhaled, once-daily corticosteroid/long-acting beta2 agonist combination therapy in patients with asthma. The study showed that patients with well-controlled asthma could switch from the twice-daily Seretide Accuhaler to the companies’ once-daily Relvar Ellipta therapy without compromising lung function. Get the full story […]