News

The Department of Health has announced the birth of Genomics England – a state-owned company charged with overseeing the mapping of National Health Service patients’ DNA. 

Azaya Therapeutics, a US-based company using its Protein Stabilized Liposomes nanotechnology platform to develop safer, more effective chemotherapeutics, has launched a contract development and manufacturing division, Parexo Labs.

Four pharmaceutical firms have joined hands in the UK to improve neurology services for patients in the country by addressing current shortfalls in care.

US industry association the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has joined a collaboration between the National Minority Quality Forum and software giant Microsoft to launch The National Clinical Trial Network (NCTN), which aims to boost participation and diversity in clinical studies.

Amgen will sink at least $50 million into a collaboration with Servier focused on cardiovascular disease drugs, both marketed and in research and development.

Patients with advanced breast cancer living in England and Wales will not be allowed routine access to Novartis’ Afinitor on the National Health Service, following a decision from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence that has angered the company and charities.

Cancer Research Technology (CRT), the commercialisation and development arm of Cancer Research UK, has formed an alliance with FormaTherapeutics, a US-based company focused on developing transformative small-molecule cancer therapies, to explore the biological implications and applications of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs).

The General Court of the European Union (EU) has annulled a decision by the European Commission to refuse a marketing authorisation (MA) for an orphan drug.

GlaxoSmithKline has filed its two newly-approved drugs Tafinlar and Mekinist to be used in combination for melanoma with regulators in the USA.

A complete overhaul of the NHS’ operating model is needed in order to deliver better patient outcomes and care at lower costs, and key to this transformation will be partnerships with the life sciences sector, says a new report.

Vivus has signed up Italy’s Menarini to sell its recently-approved erectile dysfunction drug Spedra in over 40 European countries, plus Australia and New Zealand.

Eli Lilly and partner Boehringer Ingelheim say that regulators in Europe have accepted for review their biosimilar of Sanofi’s blockbuster diabetes treatment Lantus.

GlaxoSmithKline is investigating fresh allegations that staff in China were involved in paying backhanders to doctors to sell Botox in China, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals says “all of our businesses have continued to perform well” and now expects revenues to rise 17% in 2013, up from a previous forecast of a 13% increase, boosted by strong sales of its generic antibiotic doxycycline.

Novartis has entered into a development and licensing agreement with Biological E of India for two vaccines to protect against typhoid and paratyphoid fevers.