Pharmaceuticals News and Research

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Mylan acquires generics businesses of Merck KGaA

Mylan Inc. today announced that it has acquired Merck KGaA's Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) generics businesses, which include operations in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

2 Jun 2008

Medarex announces preliminary data for investigational anti-PD-1 antibody

Medarex, Inc. has announced preliminary data from an ongoing Phase 1 study of MDX-1106 (ONO-4538: development code of Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), a fully human anti-PD-1 antibody.

2 Jun 2008

Watson receives approval of Omeprazole delayed-release capsules

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced today that it has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") of its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Omeprazole Delayed-Release Capsules USP in the 10mg, 20mg and 40mg strengths.

2 Jun 2008

U.S. Patent Office confirms second of four Viread patents

Gilead Sciences, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) has completed the second of four reexamination proceedings and has confirmed the patentability of U.S. Patent No. 5,922,695, which covers the composition of matter for Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate). On May 20, Gilead announced that the U.S. PTO confirmed the patentability of U.S. Patent No. 6,043,230.

2 Jun 2008

UT Southwestern mouse model mimics hyperglycemia, aids in diabetes research

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have genetically engineered a laboratory mouse in which pancreatic beta cells can regenerate after being induced to die. The new animal model's regenerative ability may provide future insights into improved treatments of diabetes, which affects millions of Americans.

2 Jun 2008

Soil bacteria may offer potential treatments for MRSA and cancer

Big pharma gave up on soil bacteria as a source of antibiotics too soon, according to research published in the June issue of Microbiology. Scientists have been mining microbial genomes for new natural products that may have applications in the treatment of MRSA and cancer and have made some exciting discoveries.

1 Jun 2008

Thailand's removal of official who supported compulsory licensing 'important' step to 'protecting patients' health,' editorial says

The Thai government's removal last week of Vichai Chokevivat -- "one of the most vocal opponents" of patent protections for drug companies -- from Governmental Pharmaceutical Organization's board is a "small" but "important" step in "restoring Thailand's international reputation and protecting patients' health," a Wall Street Journal Asia editorial says.

30 May 2008

Brand-name prescription drug companies reached 14 deals with generic manufacturers to delay sale of generics in FY 2007

Brand-name prescription drug makers in fiscal year 2007 reached 14 agreements with generic drug makers to delay market entry of generic medications, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission, Reuters reports (Bartz, Reuters, 5/23).

28 May 2008

Bureaucracy has delayed plans for three FDA offices in China

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Friday said that Chinese bureaucracy has delayed plans to establish FDA offices in three cities -- Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou -- that would monitor exports of food, medications, medical devices and other consumer products to the U.S., the Associated Press reports.

28 May 2008

Magnetic nanoparticles for cancer therapy

A measuring procedure developed in the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) can help to investigate in some detail the behaviour of magnetic nanoparticles which are used for cancer therapy.

28 May 2008

New cancer stem cell identified behind metastatic tumors

The molecular profile of cancer stem cells that initiate metastatic colon tumors is significantly different from those responsible for primary tumors, according to new research from a team at Weill Cornell Medical College.

28 May 2008

Novel approach to drug insolubility strengthens PolyTherics patent estate

Polytherics Ltd, a biopharmaceutical spin-out company from Imperial College London and the London School of Pharmacy that specialises in the targeted application of polymers to biopharmaceuticals, has announced the grant of a European patent on the application of polymer complexation technology to improve drug efficacy.

28 May 2008

Cancer Research UK creates 'crack teams' to solve cancer's greatest mysteries

World leading scientists are to be targeted by Cancer Research UK and its development and commercialisation arm Cancer Research Technology (CRT), in an effort to tackle some of cancer's most pressing scientific challenges.

28 May 2008

Global drug research programme comes to Diamond in Oxfordshire

Diamond has announced that USA-based global biotechnology company Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is the first industrial user at the UK's world class new research facility, Diamond Light Source

27 May 2008

Barr confirms Entocort patent challenge

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Barr Laboratories, Inc., has initiated a challenge of the patents listed by AstraZeneca LP in connection with its Entocort(R) Enteric Coated Capsules (budesonide), 3mg.

27 May 2008

Thousands with type 2 diabetes at risk bacause they do not take their drugs

According to Diabetes UK, in excess of 650,000 people with obesity-related diabetes do not take their drugs and the charity says they are putting themselves at risk of developing serious health problems such as stroke and blindness.

27 May 2008

Breakthrough by WHO will give poor countries better access to drugs

An agreement has been reached by world health leaders regarding approaches to drug research and development and improving access to medicines.

27 May 2008

Discovery on how an Helicobacter pylori toxin gets into cells

Helicobacter pylori is one tough bug. It can survive in the human stomach, a zone with a pH somewhere between that of lemon juice and battery acid. Now researchers have discovered how an H. pylori toxin gets into cells, a feat that helps the bacterium live in one of the most inhospitable environments in the body

26 May 2008

FDA will monitor medical records of Medicare beneficiaries to identify potential prescription drug, medical device safety problems

HHS on Thursday announced the creation of a new program that will allow FDA, state agencies and academic researchers to use medical record data to ensure drugs and medical devices are safe for consumers after they enter the market, the Washington Post reports (Stein, Washington Post, 5/23).

25 May 2008

Scientists back the use of maize as an efficient 'factory' for protein-based pharmaceutical products

Scientists from the Universidad de Lleida (University of Lleida) have published a study confirming that maize seeds are an effective and sure platform within molecular agriculture to alleviate diseases. Over the next few years AIDS could be one of the first diseases to benefit from these results, although regulations for this technology are being developed at the same time as research is being undertaken.

25 May 2008