BioPharm Business News and Perspectives

Thursday, May 07, 2009 Biotech Business Model Crashes As Funds Dry Up
A major accounting firm has concluded that the biotech business model is “unsustainable” in the current economic crisis...

Thursday, May 07, 2009 Abbott Sues Centocor Over Simponi Rights
Court fights over TNF inhibitors expand with Simponi approval...

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Simponi Approved in US for RA, PsA, AS
The US Food and Drug Administration this week joined Canada's drugs agency in approving Simponi (golimumab) for moderate to severe RA, active PsA, and active ankylosing spondylitis...

Thursday, April 23, 2009 Look for More Rx-to-OTC Drug Switches
The recession is likely to drive more OTC drug use...

Thursday, April 23, 2009 Merck Inks Deal with Galapagos in Inflammatory Diseases
Merck and Galapagos have signed a multi-year agreement for discovery and development of new drugs for inflammatory disease...

Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Golimumab Gets Canadian OK for RA, PsA, AS
Health Canada has approved Centocor's Simponi (golimumab) for treatment of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and active ankylosing spondylitis (AS)...

Thursday, April 09, 2009 Genentech Pulls Psoriasis Drug Raptiva Due to PML
Roche's Genentech unit will pull the psoriasis drug Raptiva^® (efalizumab) due to PML risk...

Wednesday, April 08, 2009 FDA Warns Pharma on "Sponsored Links"
FDA has warned 14 pharmaceutical companies about the brief ads that accompany internet search results...

Friday, March 27, 2009 Fablyn^® OK'ed in EU for Osteoporosis, Still on Hold in US
Pfizer-Ligand's Fablyn^® (lasofoxifene) has been approved by European regulators, just months after failing to win FDA approval in the US...

Thursday, March 19, 2009 Actemra Blamed for 15 Deaths in Japan
Actemra (tocilizumab, Roche/Chugai) may have caused 15 deaths in RA patients treated in Japan over the past 10 months...