EU regulators have approved BMS/AbbVie’s Empliciti and BMS’ immuno-oncology combo Opdivo/Yervoy
News
NHS England to stream £15m into better cancer detection
NHS England has announced a £15-million “initial and immediate” investment to support a range of measures aiming to speed up the detection of cancer.
FDA expands Imbruvica’s label to include survival data
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved an expansion to the Imbruvica’s prescribing information based on data supporting its use in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL).
NICE backs NHS use of Benlysta, five years after EU nod
The first new drug for lupus in more than 50 years could soon be available on the NHS to patients living with the condition in England and Wales, after cost regulators finally recommended use of GlaxoSmithKline’s Benlysta, five years after its European approval.
Alder Hey aiming to become UK’s first ‘cognitive’ hospital
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has unveiled a multi-year collaboration with the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Hartree Centre, supported by IBM, to create the UK first ‘cognitive’ hospital using an artificial intelligence platform.
PHE offers local groups £600,000 for anti-HIV schemes
Public Health England (PHE) is asking voluntary organisations to apply for funding from a money pot totalling £600,000 to support innovative local HIV prevention projects.
Three new medicines approved for NHS Scotland
The Scottish Medicines Consortium has accepted three new medicines for routine use on NHS Scotland, expanding treatment options for cervical cancer, HIV and a skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa, but has turned away an antibiotic and two medicines for cystic fibrosis.
NHS saves £300m through agency curbs
New controls to curb the National Health Service’s agency staff bills have saved £300 million since their introduction last October.
Officials reorder controversial pharmacy flu jab scheme
NHS England has announced that it will recommission a controversial pharmacy flu vaccine service for the 2016/17 season, despite criticism from GPs.
Report reveals huge variation in access to anti-stroke drugs
The chance of receiving recommended therapies to reduce the risk of stroke varies 16-fold across England, finds a new report published by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry’s Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Initiative.
Life sciences leaders make their case for ‘bremain’
UK life sciences leaders warn that Britain’s departure from the European Union will bring uncertainty to the industry, creating new barriers to inward investment and threatening access to novel medicines.
NICE backs use of AbbVie’s Humira for hidradenitis suppurativa
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is now backing the use of AbbVie’s Humira on the National Health Service in England and Wales as the first approved treatment for skin condition hidradenitis suppurativa.
New talks over junior doctors’ contract dispute
Junior doctors’ leaders are to meet with government officials to attempt to iron out the remaining issues surrounding the new working contract.
Clinical data back Oxford BioMedica’s gene therapy platform
Oxford BioMedica says new data presented from two clinical studies indicate “ground-breaking” long-term sustained and dose-dependent gene expression with its LentiVector gene therapy delivery platform.
Biogen to spin off haemophilia business
Biogen is intending to spin off its haemophilia business as an independent, publicly traded company, in a move designed to enable each business to better focus on driving value in their respective areas of expertise.
