Pharmaceutical Executive
Aventis announced plans to cut R&D costs by spinning out a stake in one of its research units. The private equity house Warburg Pincus will invest 60 million euro in ProSkelia, taking a 58 percent share.
Aventis announced plans to cut R&D costs by spinning out a stake in one of its research units. The private equity house Warburg Pincus will invest 60 million euro in ProSkelia, taking a 58 percent share. Aventis will retain the other 42 percent. ProSkelia, based in Romainville, near Paris, France, special-izes in early-stage research into treatments for bone disease.
Aventis also intends to spin off its gene therapy unit, Gencell, but it has yet to find a partner that is prepared to meet its valuation. Attempts to reduce research cash burn follow Aventis' discontinuation of trials for two of the company's pipeline compounds. Development of the ACE/NEP (angiotensin con-verting enzyme/neutral endopeptidase) inhibitor M100,240 for the treatment of hypertension was stopped after a Phase II clinical trial yielded disappointing results. Aventis says it intends to examine the drug's possibilities in other therapeutic uses.
It has also terminated a co-development agreement with ViroPharma of Exton, Penn-sylvania, for the antiviral agent Picovir (pleconaril), intended to treat the common cold. FDA issued a non-approvable letter for it in May.
Johnson & Johnson Seeks FDA Approval for Subcutaneous Tremfya Regimen for Ulcerative Colitis
November 22nd 2024Johnson & Johnson has submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application to the FDA for a subcutaneous induction regimen of Tremfya for adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis based on positive Phase III ASTRO trial results.
Key Findings of the NIAGARA and HIMALAYA Trials
November 8th 2024In this episode of the Pharmaceutical Executive podcast, Shubh Goel, head of immuno-oncology, gastrointestinal tumors, US oncology business unit, AstraZeneca, discusses the findings of the NIAGARA trial in bladder cancer and the significance of the five-year overall survival data from the HIMALAYA trial, particularly the long-term efficacy of the STRIDE regimen for unresectable liver cancer.
Fake Weight Loss Drugs: Growing Threat to Consumer Health
October 25th 2024In this episode of the Pharmaceutical Executive podcast, UpScriptHealth's Peter Ax, Founder and CEO, and George Jones, Chief Operations Officer, discuss the issue of counterfeit weight loss drugs, the potential health risks associated with them, increasing access to legitimate weight loss medications and more.