Congressional frustration over unjustified price hikes for U.S. drugs is reaching a boiling point that could erupt into far more government oversight that would spill over to medical devices. Read More
Contravir Pharmaceuticals Inc. reported that 10 hepatitis B patients treated with its once-daily tenofovir prodrug, CMX157 (tenofovir exalidex), saw viral load reductions comparable to those achieved with Viread, an earlier tenofovir prodrug from Gilead Sciences Inc. Read More
Adding a primate version of the monoclonal antibody Entyvio (vedolizumab, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.), which is approved for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) enabled macaque monkeys to control blood levels of SIV long after treatment with both the antibody and the ART had been discontinued. Read More
HONG KONG – Dipping a rather large toe into the diabetes market, Chinese biopharmaceutical company 3Sbio Inc. (HKEX:1530) will pay as much as $100 million for exclusive rights to market two of Astrazeneca plc's diabetes products in China. Read More
Horizon Pharma plc, of Dublin, said wholly owned subsidiaries Horizon Pharma Inc. and Horizon Pharma USA Inc. expect to offer $300 million in senior notes due 2024 and to borrow $375 million in incremental term loans under Horizon's existing senior secured credit facility. Read More
Cerus Corp., of Concord, Calif., said the Community Blood Center Inc., of Appleton, Wis., has submitted the first biologics license application to the FDA requesting allowance for interstate distribution of platelets that have been pathogen-reduced via the company's Intercept blood system. Read More
Neurovive Pharmaceutical AB, of Lund, Sweden, disclosed results from the exploratory phase II study CiPRICS, showing that patients treated with its Ciclomulsion prior to open heart surgery experienced no benefit compared to placebo in the prevention of acute kidney injury. Read More