Michael Sofia, the co-discoverer of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir, Gilead Sciences Inc.), was one of three researchers to win a Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award last week. The Lasker Foundation honored Sofia, along with the University of Heidelberg's Ralf Bartenschlager and Rockefeller University's Charles Rice, "for development of a system to study the replication of the virus that causes hepatitis C and for use of this system to revolutionize the treatment of this chronic, often lethal disease." Read More
The uptick in Parkinson's disease (PD) programs that began in the first half of this decade is accelerating across the span of drug development, leading to a recent approval, multiple candidates in late-stage development and M&A in the space. Although disease-modifying therapies – the Holy Grail of PD treatment – may be years or perhaps decades away, more effective forms of levodopa (L-dopa) treatment now are augmented by drugs designed to manage nonmotor symptoms. Read More
