Flu season, ailing economy aiding Mich. drug maker AP (November 20, 2009) ALLEGAN, Mich. (AP) - Record profits. Job openings. Shareholders making money. It's not what you might think in Michigan, home to the country's highest unemployment rate, but a century-old company is in robust health thanks to achy, thifty Americans.
Pfizer's Geodon gets expanded FDA approval AP (November 20, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. said Friday the Food and Drug Administration approved Geodon as a part of a combination maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder in adults.
Colo. medical pot suppliers will have to pay taxes AP (November 18, 2009) DENVER (AP) - Colorado is gearing up to officially tax and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries, a move lawmakers say amounts to legal recognition of a growing industry.
FDA panel backs Pfizer's enhanced vaccine for kids AP (November 18, 2009) BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - Federal health experts said Wednesday an updated version of Pfizer's best-selling anti-infection vaccine is safe and effective for infants and toddlers, despite company studies that failed to meet certain goals.
Vaccines on horizon for AIDS, Alzheimer's, herpes AP (November 18, 2009) MARIETTA, Pa. (AP) - Malaria. Tuberculosis. Alzheimer's disease. AIDS. Pandemic flu. Genital herpes. Urinary tract infections. Grass allergies. Traveler's diarrhea. You name it, the pharmaceutical industry is working on a vaccine to prevent it.
BioCryst Pharma to sell up to 5.75M new shares AP (November 17, 2009) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Flu drug developer BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday it plans to sell as many as 5.75 million new shares of stock.
Novartis: lower dose of flu vaccine sufficient AP (November 17, 2009) BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Pharmaceutical maker Novartis AG said Tuesday a U.S. clinical study suggests that half a dose of its swine flu vaccine may be sufficient to protect people from the virus and could allow many more to be immunized with current supplies.
Alkermes' Vivitrol succeeds in opiate study AP (November 16, 2009) CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Alkermes Inc. said a late stage clinical trial shows its drug Vivitrol, which is used to help alcoholics quit drinking, also helped opioid addicts stay off drugs.
Genzyme's Lumizyme faces delay over facility woes AP (November 16, 2009) CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Genzyme Corp. said Monday the Food and Drug Administration will not approve the potential Pompe disease treatment Lumizyme until the company fixes manufacturing problems at the company's Boston-area facility.
Bristol-Myers splits off Mead Johnson Nutrition AP (November 16, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. is splitting off its holdings in infant formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. in order to focus on its biopharmaceutical business.
Poniard cancer drug misses goal in lung cancer AP (November 16, 2009) SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Monday its cancer drug candidate picoplatin did not help lung cancer patients live longer, sending its shares plunging in early trading.
Conn. residents: Pfizer land battle unnecessary AP (November 16, 2009) NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) - After drug giant Pfizer Inc. announced that it was opening a new research center here, city officials aggressively moved to acquire surrounding land for an economic development project - triggering an epic fight over eminent domain that reached the U.S. Supreme Court and ended with residents being forced from their homes.
GlaxoSmithKline, Nabi to develop smoking vaccine AP (November 16, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Nabi Biopharmaceuticals said Monday they will work together to develop vaccines to help smokers give up the habit, in a deal that could be worth more than $500 million.
Par Pharma gets FDA approval for generic Ultram ER AP (November 16, 2009) WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. (AP) - Par Pharmaceutical Co. said Monday it received marketing approval for a generic version of Johnson & Johnson's extended-release chronic pain drug Ultram ER, and has started shipping the drug.
FDA finds bits of steel, rubber in Genzyme drugs AP (November 13, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health regulators have found tiny particles of trash in drugs made by Genzyme, the second time this year the biotechnology company has been cited for contamination issues.
Eli Lilly head of research, development to retire AP (November 13, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Eli Lilly & Co. said Friday its science and technology head will retire. The drugmaker hired the chief researcher at AstraZeneca PLC to replace him.
Flu test sales boost Meridian 3Q profit 16 percent AP (November 12, 2009) CINCINNATI (AP) - Meridian Bioscience Inc. said Thursday its profit rose 16 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter due to strong sales of its rapid flu test, which is marketed as a potential detector of swine flu.
Bristol-Myers signs development deal with Alder AP (November 10, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday they signed a collaboration deal potentially worth $1 billion, with a key focus on a rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
WHO: Glaxo vaccine donation shipping thru May AP (November 10, 2009) GENEVA (AP) - The World Health Organization says it expects GlaxoSmithKline to complete shipping donations of swine flu vaccine to poor countries by May 2010.
Expanding drug treatment: Is US ready to step up? AP (November 09, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Based on the rhetoric, America's war on drugs seems poised to shift into a more enlightened phase where treatment of addicts gains favor over imprisonment of low-level offenders. Questions abound, however, about the nation's readiness to turn t
FDA extends review of XenoPort-Glaxo pain drug AP (November 09, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration needs three more months to review an application to a neuropathic pain drug being developed by XenoPort Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the companies said.
BioCryst receives $22.5 million peramivir order AP (November 05, 2009) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Thursday it will receive $22.5 million as part of a new contract with the Department of Health and Human Services over the intravenous flu treatment peramivir.
Officials: Swine flu confirmed in Iowa cat AP (November 04, 2009) DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A 13-year-old Iowa cat has been infected with swine flu, veterinary and federal officials said Wednesday in what is believed to be the first case of the H1N1 virus in a feline in the United States.
Merck, now No. 2 drugmaker, set for future buys AP (November 04, 2009) WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) - The new Merck & Co. becomes the world's second-biggest drugmaker overnight, and it's boasting a fat wallet to fund future deals.
Smart Rx: Drugs that work and won't break the bank AP (November 04, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Last year pharmaceutical companies spent more than $4 billion urging patients like you to "ask your doctor" about their drugs. But if you want a prescription that won't empty your wallet, while still keeping you well, you might start asking your doctor about drugs you don't see on TV.
Health care dispute: Costs of defensive medicine AP (November 04, 2009) BOSTON (AP) - Dr. James Wang says he tries to tell his patients when extra medical procedures aren't necessary. If they insist, though, he will do it - not so much to protect their health as his own practice.
Merck, now No. 2 drugmaker, set for future buys AP (November 04, 2009) TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The new Merck & Co. has become the world's second-biggest drugmaker overnight with a huge acquisition, but it still has a fat wallet and plans more wheeling and dealing.
Medco Health 3Q profit jumps 13.5 percent AP (November 03, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Medco Health Solutions Inc., the largest U.S. pharmacy benefits manager, said Tuesday its profit rose 13.5 percent as the company gained new clients and benefited from price inflation of brand-name drugs.
Merck completes $41B purchase of Schering-Plough AP (November 03, 2009) WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey drugmakers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. have made their longtime partnership permanent.
Schering-Plough reports data on hepatitis C drug AP (November 02, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Schering-Plough Corp. said its experimental hepatitis C drug boceprevir helped eliminate the virus in about half of patients who did not respond to standard treatments.
Human Genome reports positive data on lupus drug AP (November 02, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline said Monday their experimental lupus treatment passed another key goal on its path to potentially becoming the first new drug for the disease in decades.
Novavax seasonal flu vaccine meets study goal AP (November 02, 2009) ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Biotechnology company Novavax Inc. said Monday its seasonal flu vaccine candidate met key goals in a midstage clinical trial.
NFL's Goodell to testify on Vikings suspensions AP (October 30, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is returning to Capitol Hill next week, this time to testify about the case of two professional football players whose suspensions for violating the league's anti-doping policy were blocked by the courts.
CDC: Swine flu kids' deaths jump to 114 AP (October 30, 2009) ATLANTA (AP) - Swine flu has caused at least 19 more children's deaths - the largest one-week increase since the pandemic started in April, health officials said Friday.
Doctor wrote about kissing Anna Nicole in diary AP (October 29, 2009) LOS ANGELES (AP) - One of Anna Nicole Smith's doctors worried about his own drug use and his professionalism after he kissed her and prescribed her highly addictive drugs, according to his diary, which was read in court.
AstraZeneca quarterly earns up 22 percent AP (October 29, 2009) LONDON (AP) - Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC posted a 22 percent rise in third quarter net profit on Thursday, boosted by initial sales of its swine flu vaccine and delayed entry of generic drug competition in the United States.
GlaxoSmithKline third quarter profit up 11 percent AP (October 28, 2009) LONDON (AP) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the world's second largest drug maker by revenue, posted Wednesday an 11 percent rise in third quarter earnings on the back of strong sales of the flu drug Relenza and forecast an even bigger boost from its swine flu vaccines in the final quarter of the year.
SciClone to restructure, cut work force 17 percent AP (October 28, 2009) FOSTER CITY, Calif. (AP) - SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Wednesday said it will cut 17 percent of its work force - which was at 227 people at the end of 2008 - as part of a corporate restructuring.
Chemotherapy drug sales boost Hospira 3Q profit AP (October 27, 2009) LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Hospira Inc. said Tuesday its profit jumped 42 percent in the third quarter due to rising sales of specialty drugs, primarily a generic chemotherapy treatment.
Alarming weight gain seen in kids on psych drugs AP (October 27, 2009) CHICAGO (AP) - Children on widely used psychiatric drugs can quickly gain an alarming amount of weight; many pack on nearly 20 pounds and become obese within just 11 weeks, a study found.
HHS' Sebelius: Ample flu vaccine will be available AP (October 26, 2009) WASHINGTON (AP) - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday the swine flu vaccine "is coming out the door as fast as it comes off the production line."
Merck says 3Q net income falls 28 percent AP (October 26, 2009) FRANKFURT (AP) - German drug and chemical maker Merck KGaA reported Monday that net income fell 28 percent to euro144 million ($216 million) in the third quarter as weak demand hurt revenue, but said its chemicals and liquid crystals divisions were recovering.
Shire says FDA reaffirms Vyvanse exclusivity AP (October 26, 2009) NEW YORK (AP) - Shire PLC said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reaffirmed a prior decision to give the attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder drug Vyvanse five years of market exclusivity.
'Bioidenticals' not FDA-approved, contain estrogen AP (October 26, 2009) (AP) - EDITOR'S NOTE: Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is one in an occasional series examining their use and potential risks.