Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced today that its Janssen Pharmaceutical subsidiary has moved up first-in-human clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to late July, versus the previously planned start in September. “Based on the strength of the preclinical data we have seen so far and interactions with the regulatory authorities, we have been able to […]
J&J pledges $10m to fight racism in America
BD CEO also expresses “frustration, anger and dismay over the racial inequality and injustice.” Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) this week pledged $10 million this week to fight racism and injustice in the U.S. In a response to the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., and Ahmaud Arbery near Brunswick, Ga., J&J […]
AbbVie gains U.S. nod for $63B Allergan takeover
Pharmaceutical giant AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) has won U.S. antitrust approval for its purchase of Allergan (NYSE:AGN) for $63 billion in cash and stock. The purchase is seen as a hedge against the impending expiration of U.S. patents on AbbVie’s blockbuster drug, Humira. North Chicago-based AbbVie announced the deal in June 2019, but ran up against U.S. […]
6 medtech execs join White House economic recovery group
Several medtech executives have been named to the White House task force designated by President Donald Trump to provide recommendations on how best to safely reopen the U.S. economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Great American Economic Revival healthcare industry group has 27 members, including: Mike Kauffman, CEO of Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH). Brian […]
J&J beats The Street but lowers outlook for 2020
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) beat analysts’ expectations for sales and earnings in the first quarter of 2020, but lowered its financial outlook for the year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The New Brunswick, N.J.-based company reported profits of $6.154 billion, or $2.30 per share, on sales of $20.69 billion for the three months ended March 29, 2020, […]
How is coronavirus vaccine development going in the U.S.?
Researchers in Pittsburgh and Boston are moving forward with research into two separate vaccine programs against SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The work of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers is detailed in a paper published recently in EBioMedicine, which is published by the Lancet. Delivery of the vaccine involved a microneedle array to […]
European Commission scrutinizes J&J TachoSil buy
The European Commission said Wednesday that it has opened an in-depth investigation of the proposed $400 million acquisition of Takeda Pharmaceutical’s (TSE:4502;NYSE:TAK) TachoSil surgical sealant patch by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). The commission said it is concerned that the acquisition by J&J’s Ethicon unit may reduce competition and innovation for the supply of dual haemostatic patches, used […]
5 companies on the front lines of the coronavirus fight
Nancy Crotti, Managing Editor and Danielle Kirsh, Senior Editor Amid the stock market roller-coaster ride that began last month, medtech companies that make devices and diagnostic tests vital to fighting COVID-19 may ultimately fare better than others, but it’s hard to tell until the virus peaks and people get back to work. At midafternoon today, […]
7 ways the coronavirus is affecting medtech
Medtech companies face some tough times as the deadly coronavirus pandemic gains steam. But could this be the medical device industry’s Dunkirk, too? Just days ago, MassMEDIC president Brian Johnson made a call-out on LinkedIn for people to send ideas about how Massachusetts medical device companies could help fight COVID-19. He drew an analogy to […]
How will coronavirus affect medtech companies that rely on elective surgeries?
One thing is likely to hurt some medtech companies more than others during the coronavirus pandemic: an elective surgical procedure slowdown. This thought had begun to emerge last week among industry watchers, but a pair of tweets over the weekend gained thousands of “likes” and retweets. The American College of Surgeons called for hospitals to […]
Johnson & Johnson: Clinical study of potential coronavirus vaccine could start by end of year
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) said today that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. has forged a partnership with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to support coronavirus vaccine development. Janssen and the virology lab led by Dr. Dan Barouch at BIDMC have started preclinical testing of multiple vaccine prospects, with the goal of identifying a COVID-19 […]
