> Without emerging healthcare markets like China and India, global pharma would be in a world of hurt. The global market for meds reached $712 billion last year, according to a new report from IMS Health, up $178 billion over five years before. Report [1]
> The UK's Acadia Pharmaceuticals has reported positive data from a mid-stage study of pimavanserin for the treatment of psychosis in patients with Parkinson's disease. Patients experienced a benefit for psychosis without impacting motor function. Release [2]
> Alcon's hay fever drug Patanase has been approved by the FDA, and analysts expect it will compete well against MedPointe's antihistamine Astelin. Release [3]
> The FDA has approved a new combination migraine therapy developed by Pozen and GlaxoSmithKline. Treximate combines sumatriptan, the active ingredient in GSK's painkiller Imitrex, with naproxen sodium. Release [4]
> Zelos Therapeutics and Aegis Therapeutics have inked a deal to collaborate on the development of an intranasal spray formulation of the proprietary parathyroid hormone analog ZT-031 (Ostabolin-C(TM), cyclic PTH-(1-31). Release [5]
> StemCells issued a release claiming that the US patent office had upheld two of its patents in a dispute with NeuralStem. And NeuralStem fired back a release saying that StemCells got it all wrong. Release [6] | Report [7]
> Genentech is upping its stock buyback program by $2 billion. Report [8]
> A research team has combined a nanoparticle platform used in imaging growing blood vessels and combined it with the fungal drug fumagillin to create a new weapon to fight the growth of tumors. Report [9]
> A dozen new Biomedical Research Units created under the U.K.'s National Institute for Health Research will receive more than €56 million to fund translational work on ailments that include obesity and heart disease. Report [10]
> Merck wrote its own articles on Vioxx research and then paid prestigious doctors to append their bylines, according to a new JAMA report. Report [11]
> According to a study by Verispan, 47 percent of docs thought they got as much info from e-promotions as face-to-face detailing by reps, and 21 percent thought it was better than the real, live thing. Report [12]
> The FDA believes Baxter International's recalled heparin was tainted "by virtue of economic fraud," Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach told a Senate panel yesterday. Report [13]
And Finally... A new advance in cloning could lead to designer babies. Report [14]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/emerging-markets-drive-global-growth/2008-04-16
[2] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/acadia-pharmaceuticals-present-data-its-phase-ii-trial-pimavanserin
[3] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/alcons-patanase-nasal-spray-approved-fda-treatment-nasal-allergy-symptoms
[4] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/treximet-tm-sumatriptan-and-naproxen-sodium-tablets-approved-fda-acute-treatment-migr
[5] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/zelos-therapeutics-and-aegis-therapeutics-announce-collaboration-intranasal-delivery-
[6] http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/industries/health-care/article/neuralstem-responds-incorrect-stemcells-release-patents_563518_10.html
[7] http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/04/15/ap4891499.html
[8] http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/04/14/daily35.html
[9] http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com/story/nanoparticle-program-delivers-anti-cancer-therapy/2008-04-15
[10] http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com/story/uk-proffers-836456m-for-12-new-research-units/2008-04-15
[11] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/jama-merck-paid-docs-for-bylines/2008-04-16
[12] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/docs-prefer-virtual-reps-to-living-ones/2008-04-16
[13] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/fda-chief-suspects-heparin-fraud-/2008-04-16
[14] http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com/story/cloning-advance-could-lead-to-designer-babies/2008-04-15