News

Roche’s investigational multiple sclerosis therapy ocrelizumab has smashed targets in two Phase III trials putting it on track for regulatory filing in the first quarter of next year.

Experts are calling for wide-spread use across the UK of a simple blood test to distinguish between the presence of viral and bacterial respiratory infections to help reduce prescriptions for antibiotics while saving millions of pounds.

Patients in the UK with certain forms of lung cancer will be able to access Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy Opdivo after the drug was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for the country’s Early Access to Medicines Scheme.

A diabetes drug co-developed by Boehringer Ingelheim and Vitae has failed to significantly reduce blood sugar in a Phase II trial.

Celegene and Juno have signed a 10-year, $1-billion pact focussing on the development of commercialisation of new immunotherapies to treat cancer and autoimmune disease.

AbbVie’s Humira could soon become the first approved therapy for a chronic skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa after European regulatory advisors backed its use in patients failing to respond to systemic treatment.

Novartis has acquired pain treatment specialist Spinifex Pharmaceuticals for a $200 million upfront payment.

Immunocore and Lilly have formed a clinical trials pact to test the potential of combining their immunotherapies to fight skin cancer.

UK scientists have developed a test able to detect bacterial infection from the breath of critically ill patients, and thus accelerate the identification of those at highest risk of developing pneumonia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has re-opened a second consultation on its diabetes guidelines following a barrage of criticism from all sides on previous draft proposals.

Japanese regulators have expanded the scope of Bayer’s eye jab Elyea to include treatment of a common retinal vascular disease that affects around 2% of people aged over 40 in the country.

Regulatory advisors in Europe have backed the approval of 10 new treatments, including two enzyme replacement therapies for rare diseases, cancer drugs, generics and ‘hybrid’ medicines.

Cancer Research UK is investing £15 million into three newly-designated ‘major’ research centres in England to accelerate work in personalised cancer medicine and early detection of the disease.

The first MHRA-licensed treatment for vitamin D deficiency in young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers has been launched in the UK by Internis Pharamceuticals.

Community pharmacists are to get access to Summary Care Records under new plans unveiled this week by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.