Today Stories

Novartis, Amgen and Banner Alzheimer's Institute today announced the decision to discontinue investigation of the BACE1 inhibitor CNP520 (umibecestat) in two pivotal Phase II/III studies in the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Generation Program. An assessment of unblinded data during a regular pre-planned review identified worsening in some measures of cognitive function. Given these findings, the sponsors concluded that the potential benefit for participants in the studies did not outweigh the risk. John Tsai (M.D.), Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer, said: "Novartis has a strong research focus and commitment to patients. As researchers we have to accept today's disappointing news as part of the search for innovative new treatments. We remain committed to advanci…

Commenting on the government response to the Promoting professionalism, reforming regulation consultation, Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said: “Employees and employers will welcome steps to make the fitness to practise process quicker, fairer and effective; they will also look forward to further reform, which will allow the regulation of new roles and professions to support their full deployment to care for our patients.”

The Government will announce further details for how they will support pharmaceutical companies’ investments in the development of drugs that will treat AMR infections. The NHS will test a first-of-its-kind ‘subscription-style’ payment model that will help incentivise companies to develop new drugs needed to tackle resistant infections. The ABPI welcomes further detail on the Government’s approach. Dr Sheuli Porkess, Executive Director of Research, Medical and Innovation at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said:“Increased resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest threats to global health we face. “Today’s announcement is an example of how the UK can lead the world in this fight and hopefully brings us closer to fixing the problems that have hampered inv…

• Strategic partnership between world’s leading cancer research charity and leading specialist healthcare investment firm with track record of creating breakthrough companies and treatments • Major opportunity to progress charity’s research and translate scientific breakthroughs into new cancer medicines for patients• US$25 million investment by Cancer Research UK into new life sciences investment fund• Cancer Research UK to collaborate closely with SV Health Investors to identify research within charity’s network that could be rapidly developed London, July 2nd 2019, Cancer Research UK, the world's largest independent funder of cancer research, today announced a strategic partnership with SV Health Investors (SV), a leading life sciences venture capital and growth equity firm, focused on…

On June 25, 2019, AbbVie Inc. and Allergan announced that the companies have entered into a definitive transaction agreement under which AbbVie will acquire Allergan in a cash and stock transaction for a transaction equity value of approximately $63 billion, based on the closing price of AbbVie's common stock of $78.45 on June 24, 2019. Strategic Rationale: New growth platforms and leadership positions to diversify and expand revenue base: The combined company will consist of several attractive franchises with leadership positions across immunology, hematologic oncology, medical aesthetics, neuroscience, women's health, eye care and virology.  Allergan's product portfolio will be enhanced by AbbVie's commercial strength, expertise and international infrastructure. Immediate scale and en…

Number of healthcare professionals agreeing to publish details about their work with pharmaceutical companies rises to 57% following GDPR-related dip in 2017. Of nearly £131 million spent on non-R&D collaborations with HCPs or HCOs, 83% disclosed against named person or organisation. New figures published today by the ABPI show that the pharmaceutical industry continues to invest significantly in UK research and development, working with healthcare professionals and organisations to improve care for NHS patients. The data published on Disclosure UK shows that the industry spent £377.3 million on collaborations relating to R&D activities in the UK during 2018, an increase from £370.9 million in 2017, signalling the strength of the sector through a period of economic uncertainty. D…

Responding to today’s Written Ministerial Statement regarding a 'no deal' Brexit, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “It is good to see the government planning for the worst - but we are running out of time to eliminate the disruption of a no deal that could put patients at risk. “Around three quarters of our medicines and over half our clinical consumables come from, or via, the European Union and so it is vital that the supply chain continues to work. Medicines also go from the UK to Europe. "If there is no deal or agreement of any kind with the EU, patients in the UK and Europe would be placed at risk. To make sure they are protected we need an agreement with a transition period. "We do recognise the enormous effort that has gone into making these plans as ro…

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) have announced that a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial evaluating the investigational IL-33 antibody REGN3500 (SAR440340) met the primary endpoint of improvement in loss of asthma control when comparing REGN3500 monotherapy to placebo. The trial also met a key secondary endpoint, demonstrating REGN3500 monotherapy significantly improved lung function compared to placebo.  In the trial, the greatest improvement was observed in patients with blood eosinophil levels ≥300 cells/microliter. Patients treated with Dupixent® (dupilumab)  monotherapy did numerically better than REGN3500 across all endpoints, although the trial was not powered to show differences between active treatment arms. The combination of REGN3500 and Dupixent also did n…

(NEW YORK and SOMERSET, N.J., June 19, 2019) – Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Catalent, Inc. (NYSE: CTLT), today announced that Catalent has agreed to purchase Bristol-Myers Squibb’s oral solid, biologics, and sterile product manufacturing and packaging facility in Anagni, Italy. Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, gene therapies, and consumer health products. The companies anticipate completing the transaction by the end of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals, the information and consultation procedure with the unions, and the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. Through the years, the Anagni plant has served as one of the primary launch facilities for…

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc said on Monday it would acquire Array Biopharma Inc for $10.64 billion in cash, giving it access to the target’s approved drugs for skin cancer and the targeted cancer medicines in its pipeline. The offer of $48 per Array share represents a premium of about 62% to the stock’s close on Friday. Array’s shares surged 56% in light premarket trade. Pfizer has been investing in cancer drugs and gene therapies in the face of competition for its blockbuster pain drug Lyrica. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year approved Array’s oral combination treatment for use in patients with the deadliest form of skin cancer. The company is also testing its triple combo therapy in colorectal cancer patients. “(The acquisition) sets the stage to create a potentially industry-le…

Junior doctors are to vote on a new four-year improvement to their contract which will mean annual pay uplifts of 2 per cent and additional investment in the contract to support increased productivity and recruitment and retention.NHS Employers and the BMA have reached agreement on a set of proposals that will now be put to a referendum of the BMA’s membership (juniors) on Friday 14 June.A total of £90 million will be used to fund changes over and above the pay uplifts over the four-year year period which include: Weekend allowance uplift to ensure those working the most frequent weekends are remunerated more fairly. An enhanced rate of pay for shifts that finish after midnight and by 4am. A new nodal pay point 5: The parties propose that instead of a senior decision maker allowance, a fi…

Ingestible smart pills, 3D printed prescriptions and VR pain relief predicted by 2050 Emerging science and technology will change consumer healthcare as we know it within the next 30 years. This is according to Consumer Health Futures, a report launched today by The Future Laboratory in collaboration with international consumer healthcare company, RB. Against a backdrop of rapid environmental, socioeconomic and demographic change, the need for innovation within the consumer healthcare space is acute. With input from a panel of world-leading healthcare experts, the report analyses the trends and attitudinal shifts impacting the health and wellbeing of global consumers at every stage of their lives. Through this, it exposes the innovation requirement in consumer healthcare – and predicts how…

Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Mental Health Network, which is part of the NHS Confederation, said: "We cannot provide the level of care that people with mental health problems or learning disabilities deserve and require without the right staff, in the right numbers, in the right places. Nor can we deliver on the very welcome ambitions of the Long Term Plan. "Mental health and learning disability services have the highest levels of vacancies – recruiting and retaining these staff must be an absolute priority, so it is pleasing to see that recognised in the plan. “Our members are making impressive progress in retaining nurses but there is still a way to go and the plan should help. It is also pleasing to see lived-experience being woven into improving services. "However, in order for…

Singapore, 31 May 2019 – ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:ASLN, TPEx:6497), a clinical-stage oncology and immunology focused biopharma company, today announced that it has amended its license agreement with CSL Limited (CSL) so that ASLAN has full global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise ASLAN004 in all indications. The amended agreement replaces the licensing agreement ASLAN and CSL signed in May 2014. Dr Carl Firth, Chief Executive Officer of ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, said: “We are very excited by the recent data we have generated on ASLAN004 and we believe that it has the potential to be a best-in-class treatment for atopic dermatitis and other inflammatory indications with a differentiated profile. The amendment of our agreement with CSL is an important achievement in our stra…

A prestigious competition that has helped innovators raise millions of pounds to take their concepts to the global marketplace is looking for 2019’s most life-changing creations. The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Emerging Technologies Competition has helped winners raise more than £32million in funding since it was launched in 2013. Backed by some of the world’s biggest companies, such as Unilever, Croda, Johnson Matthey, RSSL and Pfizer, entries are now open until 5 July for the next big success story whose mastery of the chemical sciences helped create a product that can deliver a real-world benefit for wider society. Aurora Antemir, a senior manager in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Industry team said: “In less than a decade, the Emerging Technologies Competition has gone from being an…

New Brand Identity Sets the Stage for a New Pure-play Commercialisation Partner to the Pharmaceutical Industry Yardley, PA and London, UK – May 29, 2019 - PHS Health Solutions (PHS), a leading pharmaceutical contract commercial organisation with an exemplary 35-year track record as a trusted partner for its customers, announces that beginning today, the company will operate under the new identity of Amplity Health. The new corporate brand represents a pure-play pharmaceutical commercialisation business that integrates a family of brands including Touchpoint, PDI and Tardis Medical, offering customised and multi-channel medical, remote engagement, and sales solutions, along with strategic consulting and organisational capability development for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device,…

Neuraxpharm Group, a leading European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announces it will soon launch its first probiotic[1] in the European market following an exclusive licensing agreement with the probiotics company Bened Biomedical Co., Ltd. Bened Biomedical, an award winning 2015 spin-out from Taiwan-based National Yang-Ming University, develops functional probiotic strains that can alter human microbiome. The agreement secures Neuraxpharm exclusive rights to market its first probiotic, PS128™, in the European market. This is Neuraxpharm’s first launch of a probiotic product expanding the Company’s portfolio of marketed Consumer Healthcare products. This is in line with its ambition of covering CNS therapeutics from pr…

Pratteln, Switzerland, May 21, 2019 – Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces its collaboration with the Biozentrum of the University of Basel to advance gene therapy research for the treatment of LAMA2-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2 MD or MDC1A). The program is supported by public funding for innovation in Switzerland through a grant from Innosuisse – the Suisse Innovation Agency. Innosuisse and Santhera will jointly invest CHF 1.2 million into this preclinical research collaboration. Santhera has entered in a collaboration with Prof. Markus Rüegg from the Biozentrum, University of Basel, who pioneered a novel gene therapy approach for the treatment of LAMA2 MD. The simultaneous transgenic expression of specifically designed small protein domains, so-called linker p…

Greater Manchester is hosting an interactive event to kick-start a new campaign to get patients, carers and the public involved in clinical research. Be Part of Research is the new nationwide initiative from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), supported by NHS trusts across the country. A local launch is being hosted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network in Greater Manchester at Citylabs, Nelson Street, Manchester, on Friday 24 May, 10.30am to 2.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. But anyone who can’t make it can still get involved – by making a simple pledge to show their support for health and care research.* The event is an opportunity for patients, carers and the public to speak to healthcare professionals about research and see how they can get involved to help improve…

The development of the UK’s first dedicated Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC) has moved a step closer with the contract to design an advanced array of laboratory and production facilities within a ‘cleanroom wrap’ environment being awarded to WHP. The multi-disciplinary engineering company has won the design work as part of plans for the specification of versatile new cGMP suites and filling rooms for the VMIC, which is being built in the Oxford area. These units will have the capacity to meet Department of Health and Social Care requirements concerning the provision of vaccines in an infectious disease emergency. The centre, which has secured £66m of funding from UK Research and Innovation, is being developed through the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (IS…