On Wednesday, Pfizer filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), claiming J&J’s anticompetitive contracts with health insurers, hospitals, and doctor groups for Remicade prevented biosimilar competition. According to Pfizer’s press release: The suit alleges that J&J’s exclusionary contracts and other anticompetitive practices have denied U.S. patients access to therapeutic options and undermined the benefits of robust price…
AstraZeneca Sells Remaining Anesthetics Portfolio to Aspen in $766M Deal
Aspen Global Incorporated (AGI) is set to purchase the remaining rights to AstraZeneca’s portfolio of anesthetics for approximately $766 million. In June 2016, AstraZeneca sold exclusive commercialization rights to its global anesthetics portfolio outside of the U.S. in a $770-million deal to Aspen. With this deal, AGI has acquired the rights to: Diprivan EMLA Xylocaine/Xylocard/Xyloproct Marcaine Naropin Carbocaine Citanest…
Breast Milk: The Next Cancer Treatment?
The benefits of breast milk have been studied for years, from things such as lowered asthma and allergy risk to fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and diarrhea. Researchers now believe there is the potential to use a compound found in breast milk to treat cancer. In 1995, a research group led by Professor Catharina Svanborg discovered that…
Lyophilization: The basics
Lyophilization, defined as a freeze-drying process that removes water from a product after it is frozen and placed under a vacuum, is often messy, but filled with possibilities for potential applications. Some of the typical pharmaceutical products that would undergo lyophilization include bulk pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical ingredient (chemical or biologics found in nature), protein, collagen, peptide, oligonucleotide,…
New Synthetic Pathway Discovered to Manufacture Cannabinoid API
On December 1, Nemus Bioscience announced that the company found a synthetic pathway to manufacture tetrahydrocannabinol-valine-hemisuccinate (THCVHS), including the ability to scale-up production. The research was done in conjunction with Albany Molecular Research Inc., Nemus’ API contract developer and manufacturer. Furthermore, the API exceeded the FDA’s purity requirements. Catalent Pharma Solutions is set to begin…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 12/11/16 – 12/17/16
Learn what’s trending by taking a look at last week’s most-viewed stories on Pharmaceutical Processing. No. 10 “Lonza to Acquire Capsugel in $5.5B Deal; Expands CDMO Market Reach“ No. 9 “Families Bring Class Action Against French Drug Maker Sanofi“ No. 8 “EU Crohn’s and Colitis Org Reverses View on Biosimilar Use“ No. 7 “Research Agreement Aims to…
Global Pharma Market Roundtable: China vs. Ireland
Two of today’s emerging markets in the pharmaceutical space, China and Ireland, continue to make a mark on the global market as a whole, while operating independently and excelling in diverse areas. Although certain markets tend to dominate the news sphere, the pharmaceutical industry is truly a global one—with many countries contributing research, resources, and…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 12/4/16 – 12/10/16
Learn what’s trending by taking a look at last week’s most-viewed stories on Pharmaceutical Processing. No. 10 “Novartis-Backed Leukemia Study Shows 82% Remission with CAR T Cell Therapy“ No. 9 “Cannabidiol Chewing Gum Gets Overseas Okay for IBS Trial“ No. 8 “Florida Plant to Manufacture Vaccines Against Bioterrorism“ No. 7 “Trump Announces Intention to Bring Down Drug…
Ireland Vies for the EMA’s Relocation to Dublin
Oliver O’Connor, CEO of Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), discusses what the Brexit means for the pharmaceutical industry and what could be coming next for the EMA. On June 23, 2016, the citizens of the UK voted to break away from the European Union (EU)—leading to what has been termed as the ‘Brexit’ (or British…
Sanofi Considers a Counterbid for Actelion, Challenging J&J for Biotech Company
Cold Chain Solution: Additives that Stabilize Vaccines at Room Temperature for Weeks
One of the main contributing factors to low immunization coverage in remote areas and developing countries is due to having to store vaccines at 2-8°C, according to Doctors Without Borders. Shipping these vaccines in a temperature-controlled supply chain is both a logistical and a financial challenge, and one that often prevents patients from receiving these much-needed vaccines. In order…
Boehringer Ingleheim Eliminates 244 Jobs, Closes Small-Molecule Discovery Operations
Boehringer Ingelheim has confirmed that the company will cut an additional 244 jobs in the U.S. The confirmation follows a 720-job cut in the U.S. last summer, with most of the recent job eliminations (three-quarters) coming from the company’s U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield, CT. The terminated positions include: 64 sales positions (nationwide) 180 headquarters positions (120 of…
Teva to Cease Operations at Manufacturing Facility, Slashing 200+ Jobs
Before the end of 2017, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries will be laying off more than 200 workers. Currently employing 540 workers at its Bulebel plant and 180 workers in Hal Far, the company will be laying off approximately 210 workers between the two plants, respectively, as a result of its “European restructuring,” according to an article in Malta…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 11/20/16 – 11/26/16
Pfizer Announces $200M Facility Plans in St. Louis, Adding 80 Jobs
Pfizer announced plans to retain more than 450 employees as well as create an additional 80 jobs in St. Louis County, Missouri at a new R&D site, estimated at $200 million. Planned for a 2020 completion, the new R&D site will be a state-of-the-art facility located in St. Louis County for Pfizer’s R&D and process development operations. Operating…
AbbVie Ends Development Program with Halozyme After Phase 1 Study Failure of Humira Formulation
AbbVie has discontinued a development program with biotechnology company Halozyme Therapeutics after a phase 1 study did not achieve its target results. Halozyme announced AbbVie’s discontinuation of the development program using Halozyme’s ENHANZE™ platform technology and the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) target on Monday, November 21. The company said in a statement: “Halozyme and AbbVie will continue…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 11/13/16 – 11/19/16
Former Private Investigators Sue GSK after ‘Misleading’ Information Lands Them in Chinese Prison
GlaxoSmithKline is being sued by two former private investigators, claiming that GSK misled them to investigate an innocent person, which ended in the investigators’ imprisonment. In 2013, the two private investigators were detained. An article in The New York Times reveals that the private investigators, Peter Humphrey (British) and his wife Yu Yingzeng (American)—who were investigating…
Cannabinoid-Based Therapies Find a Home in the Pharma Industry
Despite legal restrictions that have limited research into the potential medical applications of cannabis across the world, the synthetic cannabinoid market is on the rise. The majority of clinicians are in favor of using medical marijuana to treat certain disease states, according to a survey conducted by NEJM. In this same survey, 76 percent of…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 11/6/16 – 11/12/16
Trump’s Election Impacts the Pharma Market: But for Good or Ill?
After the world held its breath on Tuesday, November 8—awaiting the outcome of the U.S. presidential election—the resulting rippling effect has impacted a number of markets, the pharmaceutical industry included. According to FirstWord Pharma, shares of the following European and Indian pharmaceutical companies rose with the announcement of the election of Donald Trump: Novo Nordisk:…
Understanding Biosimilars
Despite how far we have come, there is still ample room to grow. Biosimilars have come a long way since their initial entry in the U.S. on March 6, 2015. However, with a number of unanswered questions (such as pricing, availability, and interchangeability) and a lack of understanding in the marketplace, biosimilars still have so…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 10/23/16 – 10/29/16
Learn what’s trending by taking a look at last week’s most-viewed stories on Pharmaceutical Processing. No. 10 “New Initiatives and Elections in Cannabis Legalization“ No. 9 “FDA Drug Shortages: 10/21/16 Update“ No. 8 “Novartis Profit Slips as Key Drug Goes Generic“ No. 7 “CPhI North America to Take Place May 16–18, 2017 in Philadelphia“ No. 6 “Sunovion…
Diabetes Drug Adherence: Injectables vs. Oral Medication
In adults, types 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95 percent of diagnosed cases of diabetes. In the U.S., 29.1 million people are estimated to have diabetes, with an approximate 8.1 million people who aren’t aware of their condition. To manage their diabetes, the CDC reports that 50.3 percent of patients take pills only, 17.8 take insulin only, and…
What’s Hot in Pharma: 10/16/16 – 10/22/16
Learn what’s trending by taking a look at last week’s most-viewed stories on Pharmaceutical Processing. No. 10 “Physician Argues for ‘Meaningful’ Update to National Alzheimer’s Act“ No. 9 “Catalent to Provide Fill & Finish Services for Samsung Bioepis’ Biosimilar“ No. 8 “NEXUS Day 1: A Deeper Look into the DSCSA & Traceability“ No. 7 “Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Completes…