Author: PharmaTimes

Sanofi-Aventis says that its Menactra vaccine has won US Food and Drug Administration approval to protect adolescents and adults aged 11-55 against meningococcal meningitis – a potentially fatal infection. Menactra vaccine is the first quadrivalent conjugate vaccine licensed in the US for the prevention of infection from four types of meningococcal disease.

Drug spending through retail pharmacies in the world’s top thirteen markets remained flat during the twelve months to November 2004, according to the latest statistics from IMS Health, which show an increase of just 7% to $345 billion dollars – the same as the previous month’s survey when sales rose 7% to $ billion [[16/12/04f]].

Shire Pharmaceuticals says it has filed a second lawsuit against Impax Laboratories, which is trying to win clearance of a copycat version of the UK company’s top-selling ADHD treatment, Adderall XR (amphetamine salts extended-release).

US biopharmaceutical firm, Corixa, has signed a licensing deal with Genentech granting the latter exclusive worldwide rights to an antibody target, though no information was disclosed as to the therapeutic area in which it may possibly be developed.

Biotechnology company, Xoma, says that it has restructured its collaboration agreement with Genentech for the psoriasis drug, Raptiva (efalizumab), and in return for reducing its sales-related royalty, its partner has agreed to write off a loan.