News

The independent sector has performed better than any other category of inpatient provider in the first results of the NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT), with a total score for the sector of 92 compared to the average of 73.

The government has announced a £93.2-million package of support for the UK’s health sector in a series of measures designed to help position the country as a world leader in innovation.

AstraZeneca has entered into an agreement to develop and sell FibroGen’s first-in-class late-stage oral compound for anaemia in a deal that could be worth over $815 million to the latter.

The number of prescriptions dispensed in the community per year overshot the one billion mark for the first time in 2012, equating to more than 1,900 a minute.

Strong revenue growth in Late-Stage Development and favourable comparisons with a year-before quarter marked by impairment and restructuring costs helped Covance to deliver operating income of US$51.5 million for the second quarter, compared with a US$3.9 million operating loss in Q2 2012.

Pfizer says that net income soared to just under $14.10 billion from $3.25 billion, thanks to the spin-off of its animal health unit Zoetis and cash from a litigation settlement with Teva and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries for patent infringement of Protonix (pantoprazole).

Bristol-Myers Squibb has linked up with Samsung BioLogics in a deal which will see the South Korean group manufacture the former’s melanoma drug Yervoy.

Celgene Corp has signed a deal with partner Acetylon Pharmaceuticals giving it an option to buy the epigenetic specialist in a deal that could be worth over $1.70 billion.

Icon has lifted its guidance for revenues and earnings per share (EPS) in fiscal year (FY) 2013 after coming through with another strong quarter of financial results.

Merck & Co has suffered another tough quarter, hit by charges, unfavourable exchange rates and patent expiries on its asthma/allergic rhinitis blockbuster Singulair.

Urgent care line NHS 111 has been rocked by news that a key provider, NHS Direct, has decided to pull out of all of its remaining contracts* to provide the service.

AMC Health, a US-based provider of ‘end-to-end’ telehealth solutions, has named Michael O’Brien as president of its new Clinical Trials Division.

Pfizer has responded to criticism over the prices it has agreed to supply its pneumococcal vaccine Prevenar 13 to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) alliance for children in the world’s poorest countries.

Pfizer has unveiled plans to internally carve up its business into three different sections, in a move designed maximise the value of its entire portfolio.

US regulators will carry out a speedy review of Depomed and Mallinckrodt’s experimental pain drug MNK-795.