Author: PharmaTimes

Novartis has licensed rights to long-acting bronchodilator for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, boosting its pipeline in this fast-growing therapeutic category.

Merck & Co has asked a judge to dismiss the first scheduled court case over Vioxx (rofecoxib) – the painkiller it withdrew from the market last year after it was linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke [[01/10/04a]] – claiming that the woman suing the firm had lied in her sworn statement.

Abbott Laboratories has kicked off the US results season with a healthy 16% rise in first-quarter 2005 sales to $5.38 billion dollars, a little ahead of consensus analysts estimates and helped by a leap in revenues for its painkiller Mobic (meloxicam).

Troubled Irish company, Elan Corporation, which has witnessed a sharp decline in its share price since suspending sales of its multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri (natalizumab), earlier this year after a clinical trial patient died from a rare central nervous system infection [[01/03/05a]], enjoyed a resurgence in its popularity with investors this morning. The firm’s share price leapt by more than 20% during morning trading on the Irish Stock Exchange after it revealed that Tysabri significantly delayed the progression of disability, rate of clinical relapses and brain lesions in patients with relapsing forms of MS.

Barr Laboratories says it will enjoy 180 days of market exclusivity when its generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ allergy drug, Allegra-D 12 Hour (fexofenadine and pseudoephedrine), wins final US approval after the country’s Food and Drug Administration agreed that a change to the firm’s application to market a copycat version of the drug would mean that no other firm would be able to sell their version of the product during Barr’s exclusivity period.