Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed nanodiscs that deliver a customized therapeutic vaccine to treat colon and melanoma cancer in mice. The team’s work was published in Nature Materials. “We are basically educating the immune system with these nanodiscs so that immune cells can attack cancer cells in a personalized manner,” senior author James Moon said […]
Pharmaceutical
IntelGenx, Endo Ventures ink development and commercialization deal
IntelGenx (OTCQX:IGXT) said today that it inked a development and commercialization deal with pharmaceutical company Endo Ventures. According to the agreement, the 2 companies will develop a new product using IntelGenx’s VersaFilm drug delivery technology to bring to the market in the U.S. Endo will have certain exclusive rights to market and sell the product in the […]
Sanofi sues Nordisk over Tresiba marketing claims in U.S.
Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) said yesterday that it is suing competitor Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) for “misleading” marketing materials that claim Sanofi’s insulin drugs Lantus and Toujeo will be “blocked” by U.S. pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark in January and that patients should switch to Nordisk’s Tresiba. CVS is replacing both Sanofi’s and Nordisk’s drugs with Eli Lilly’s Basaglar on […]
Biogen, Ionis win FDA approval for first spinal muscular atrophy drug
Biogen (NSDQ:BIIB) said last week that it won FDA approval for its spinal muscular atrophy treatment, Spinraza. The drug is the 1st treatment approved in the U.S. for spinal muscular atrophy, a progressive and often fatal genetic disease that causes muscle weakness in infants and toddlers. The FDA previously granted Biogen’s application fast track designation […]
Researchers develop flexible patch with stainless steel microneedles
Researchers from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have developed a patch that combines stainless steel microneedles and a soft polymer base. The team’s work was published this month in PLOS ONE. “To the best of our knowledge, flexible and stretchable patches with arrays of sharp and stiff microneedles have not been demonstrated to date,” […]
Teva coughs up $519m to settle overseas bribery charges
Teva Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:TEVA) will pay $519 million to settle allegations that the company bribed overseas officials in Mexico, Russia and Ukraine to promote its products, according to the U.S. Justice Dept. The department reported that the millions of dollars in bribes occurred for more than a decade. The pharmaceutical giant agreed to $238 million to […]
Bipartisan report from senators calls for drug pricing reform
The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging released a bipartisan report yesterday suggesting ways to respond to spikes in drug pricing. The report comes after a months-long investigation spearheaded by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri). The senators wrote that massive spikes in drug prices are “gouging” patients and that lawmakers should respond. […]
Sunovion, Novartis ink licensing deal for inhaled COPD drugs
Novartis (NYSE:NVS) said today that it out-licensed its U.S. commercial rights for 3 inhaled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drugs to Sunovion Pharmaceuticals. Novartis will commercialize the Utibron Neohaler, Seebri Neohaler, and Arcapta Neohaler inhalation powders outside of the U.S. The Switzerland-based company will manufacture the powders for Sunovion, according to the agreement. Get the full story […]
Another warning for CareFusion’s Alaris drug pump
The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued a warning today for Carefusion‘s Alaris syringe drug pumps. The UK watchdog said that Alaris pumps with broken springs in the plunger assembly could accidentally release a single dose of medication if the pump also uses non-recommended syringes. “This problem comes about through a combination of using non-recommended […]
Actelion, J&J re-enter takeover negotations
Actelion (VTX:ATLN) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) have re-entered talks to reach a takeover deal, after the US healthcare giant reportedly abandoned its efforts last week. Some suggest that this could mean the end of Sanofi‘s (NYSE:SNY) attempt to make a deal with the Swiss biotech firm, according to Reuters. J&J and Actelion had been engaged in informal talks […]
Fluor to build Novo Nordisk’s $2b manufacturing facility in North Carolina
Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) said yesterday that it landed a contract to build Novo Nordisk‘s (NYSE:NVO) $2 billion diabetes active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facility in Clayton, North Carolina. Since Denmark-based Novo Nordisk announced plans for the facility in August 2015, Fluor has been providing basic design services for the project. The manufacturing facility will measure 830,000 […]