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Barr confirms patent challenge of Prevacid SoluTab tablets

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has confirmed that its subsidiary, Barr Laboratories, Inc., has initiated a challenge of the patents listed by TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc. in connection with its Prevacid SoluTab Delayed-Release Orally Disintegrating Tablets (lansoprazole), 15mg and 30mg.

11 Jun 2008

St. John's wort not effective for treating ADHD

Children and teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were treated with the herb St. John's wort did not have any greater improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to those who received placebo, according to a study in the June 11 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

11 Jun 2008

Irritable bowel syndrome linked to chilli pepper pain receptor

People with irritable bowel syndrome have a higher than usual number of chilli pepper pain receptors, according to a new study published tomorrow (Wednesday 11 June).

10 Jun 2008

Sen. Grassley issues report on conflict-of-interest probe into improper payment disclosures by three Harvard psychiatrists

Three well-known psychiatric researchers from Harvard Medical School may have violated federal and educational institution regulations by failing to properly disclose drug industry payments and other conflicts of interest, according to an investigation report published last week by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in the Congressional Record, the Wall Street Journal reports (Armstrong, Wall Street Journal, 6/9).

10 Jun 2008

Calls for tougher rules on complementary medicines in Australia

Pressure from a consumer group has prompted the Australian Federal Government to consider the introduction of far more stringent disclosure rules regarding complementary medicines.

10 Jun 2008

Mylan announces final FDA approval for Zaleplon capsules, generic version of Sonata

Mylan Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Genpharm ULC, has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Zaleplon Capsules, 5 mg and 10 mg.

9 Jun 2008

Boehringer, Gilead freeze antiretroviral prices for some U.S. agencies

Pharmaceutical companies Boehringer Ingelheim and Gilead Sciences are freezing the prices of their antiretroviral drugs for select agencies in the U.S., the AIDS Healthcare Foundation announced on Tuesday, Bloomberg reports.

8 Jun 2008

GlaxoSmithKline Acquires Sirtris Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sirtris) for approximately USD720 million (or approx. GBP362 million) through a cash tender offer and merger of USD22.50 (or approx. GBP11.33) per share.

8 Jun 2008

New invaluable tool in drug manufacture

Drug companies could save millions thanks to a new technology to monitor crystals as they form.

8 Jun 2008

Synthetic molecules developed by Hebrew University researchers hold promise for new family of anti-cancer drugs

Synthetic molecules designed by two Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers have succeeded in reducing and even eliminating the growth of human malignant tissues in mice, while having no toxic effects on normal tissue.

4 Jun 2008

UK cancer research 'punching above its weight'

UK cancer research is helping to deliver significant clinical improvements for cancer patients, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

4 Jun 2008

Settlements between PBMs, States, indicate need for 'stronger medicine' to address problems, Lazarus writes

A $9.5 million settlement with 28 states announced last week by Express Scripts to resolve allegations that the company had "been pocketing money from pharmaceutical companies to steer patients into name-brand drugs" indicates the need for "some stronger medicine" to address problems in the industry, Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus writes.

3 Jun 2008

Most U.S. medical schools do not adequately limit gifts, payments from pharmaceutical industry, report finds

Most U.S. medical schools do not adequately limit gifts and payments from pharmaceutical companies to physicians and students, according to a report released on Tuesday by the American Medical Student Association, the New York Times reports.

3 Jun 2008

Cephalon files patent infringement case against Watson Pharmaceuticals

Cephalon, Inc. today announced that it and its wholly-owned subsidiary CIMA LABS INC. have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Delaware against Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., for infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,200,604 and 6,974,590, which cover methods of use for the Cephalon product FENTORA(R) (fentanyl buccal tablet) [C-II].

3 Jun 2008

Latest drug scare in China sees six dead

In the last 10 days six people have died in east China's Jiangxi province after being injected with human immunoglobulin at a hospital in the provincial capital Nanchang.

3 Jun 2008

New method for obstetric care leads to healthier newborns and mothers

An alternative method for obstetric care has led to lower neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates, higher uncomplicated vaginal birth (UVB) rates, and a lower mean Adverse Outcome Index (AOI) score, according to a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and published in this month's issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

3 Jun 2008

Biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to increase 66% in Europe by 2012, sccording to new report

Production capacity for biopharmaceutical manufacturing will expand an average of 46% over the next five years for mammalian production systems, according to a new report by BioPlan Associates.

2 Jun 2008

Arana and Greenovation in anti-cancer co-development deal

Arana Therapeutics Limited and Germany-based greenovation Biotech GmbH have entered into a collaborative agreement to develop next generation anti-cancer antibodies.

2 Jun 2008

Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation publishes groundbreaking scientific papers

The first scientific papers outlining the progress made on the Product Quality Lifecycle Implementation (PQLI) initiative are being published in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation (JPI).

2 Jun 2008

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals updates on Bavituximab breast cancer study

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that results from a Phase I clinical trial of its lead anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

2 Jun 2008