News

Health Enterprise East sells spin out to Allergan

Health Enterprise East, a provider of business and innovation management services to the NHS and industry, has sold Northwood Medical Innovations to global pharma Allergan for an undisclosed amount.

New prostate cancer radiotherapy regime could save NHS millions

The National Health Service could save tens of millions of pounds by switching to a new radiotherapy regime for patients with prostate cancer, suggest findings of a major clinical trial presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in Liverpool this week.

NICE turns down childhood neuroblastoma drug

It is currently looking like children and adolescents with neuroblastoma will not be getting routine access to United Therapeutics’ Unituxin on the National Health Service in England and Wales, after cost regulators deemed the drug too expensive. 

Roche’s Kadcyla one of five to win CDF appeal

Patients with certain forms of breast cancer will be able to get treatment with Roche’s Kadcyla through England’s Cancer Drugs Fund after all, following successful last-ditch negotiations between the pharma and NHS England.

J&J eyes up hep B firm

Johnson & Johnson has announced that it is acquiring privately-held, clinical-stage biopharma Novira Therapeutics, but has kept financial details of the deal firmly under wraps.

Life sciences boost for Liverpool with new lab, Eisai deal

Japanese drug giant Eisai has entered into a joint development programme with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool for preclinical development of the novel antimalarial candidate E209.

Hunt offers junior doctors 11% pay rise

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has written directly to all junior doctors in England promising that they will not suffer a pay cut under a new contract being imposed by the government next year, in a move that could ward off any potential strikes by the profession.

NICE u-turn for Santen’s keratitis drug

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published final draft guidance backing the use of Santen’s eye drug Ikervis on the National Health Service in England and Wales, after an initial rejection earlier this year.

Sanofi signs $1.5bn-plus cancer immunotherapy deal with BioNTech

Sanofi is linking arms with BioNTech under multiyear exclusive collaboration and license agreement targeting the discovery and development of up to five new cancer immunotherapies containing a mix of messenger RNAs, that could bring more than $1.5 billion to the latter’s books.

DH promises GPs £15m to fund rise in CQC fees

The Department of Health is setting aside a cash pot of £15 million for GPs so that practices won’t feel any pinch from a sharp rise in Care Quality Commission fees planned within the next two years.