Pharma Skinny In Briefs
It was a short, sweaty week complete with fireworks....
RNAi is H-O-T:
Li'l biotech Alnylam dipped its fingers into another Big Pharma cookie jar this week as it brokered a $1 billion deal with Roche. (Novartis is its other partner.) This is the second deal in the past week in which a big drugmaker has plunked down a lot of change for RNA interference, or RNAi, a method of silencing harmful genes that is widely touted as drug research's next big thing. Last week, AstraZeneca paid $405 million to Silence Therapeutics; last year, Merck doled out $1.1 billion for Sirna Therapeutics....
Thailand's Patent-Busting Tear:
Thailand is ordering 2 million doses of generic Plavix from India after deeming the discounts for the blood thinner from owners Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis too stingy. Playing hardball with patents is nothing new to Thai health officials, who even forced Abbott's stubborn Miles White to say uncle in the face of compulsory-license threats over HIV drug Kaletra's price tag....
Speaking of Which:
Brazil agreed to Abbott's offer to slice the price of Kaletra by 29.5 percent in return for not resorting to cheapie knockoffs. The lower price for the first-line blockbuster will save Brazil about $10 million a year for its AIDS treatment program, which promises all people with HIV free treatment. In May, Merck's Sustiva patent was shredded by the South American tiger....
Black Box Off Antidepressants?
FDA may remove the teen-suicide stigma from Prozac and its pals amid growing noise from shrinks that the warning issued three years ago has scared off docs from treating kids for depression. The number of scrips for pediatric depression fell by more than 50 percent between 2003 and 2005, while teen-suicide seem to be rising by record numbers, a new study says....
New Drug News:
FDA OK'd the first-ever skin patch for Alzheimer's, the Exelon Patch from Novartis (an old drug with a new delivery). Etravirine, Tibotec's second treatment in as many years for drug-resistant HIV, is heading to FDA for accelerated approval....Barr Labs got the go-ahead to market a generic version of Dostinex for Parkinson's....
Another Chinese Head Rolls:
A former high-up at China's FDA has been sentenced to death for corruption and approving bogus drugs. Cao Wenzhuang was convicted of pocketing over $300,000 in bribes from two drug firms and "undermining public confidence in an agency safeguarding the nation's health." The trial was followed by the execution of his colleague, Zheng Xiaoyu, convicted on similar charges.
Addressing Disparities in Psoriasis Trials: Takeda's Strategies for Inclusivity in Clinical Research
April 14th 2025LaShell Robinson, Head of Global Feasibility and Trial Equity at Takeda, speaks about the company's strategies to engage patients in underrepresented populations in its phase III psoriasis trials.
Beyond the Prescription: Pharma's Role in Digital Health Conversations
April 1st 2025Join us for an insightful conversation with Jennifer Harakal, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Canopy Life Sciences, as we unpack the evolving intersection of social media and healthcare decisions. Discover how pharmaceutical companies can navigate regulatory challenges while meaningfully engaging with consumers in digital spaces. Jennifer shares expert strategies for responsible marketing, working with influencers, and creating educational content that bridges the gap between patients and healthcare providers. A must-listen for pharma marketers looking to build trust and compliance in today's social media landscape.
Pfizer, GSK Gain ACIP Recommendations for RSV and Meningococcal Vaccines
April 18th 2025The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to expand access to Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus vaccine Abrysvo for high-risk adults in their 50s and voted in favor of GSK’s meningococcal vaccine, Penmenvy, for streamlined adolescent protection.
