- EMA: New treatment for breast cancer
According to a press release posted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on its website, Ibrance provides novel treatment option for women with advanced or metastatic disease.
- EFPIA issues opinion on the UN HLP report on access to medicines
The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) acknowledges the publication of the UN High Level Panel’s (UN HLP’s) report on access to medicines.
- MSD, Wayra launch new digital accelerator program
Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and Telefonica's Wayra UK launch Velocity Health, the UK’s first digital preventative healthcare accelerator.
- NICE highlights the importance of urgent referral in suspected melanoma
According to a new quality standard issued by NICE, general practitioners (GPs) should refer people with suspected malignant melanoma for an appointment within 2 weeks.
- EU-US collaboration to enhance medicine development for rare diseases
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have set up a new ‘cluster’ on rare diseases to share experiences and best practices on each other’s regulatory approach to the development of medicines for these diseases.
- Allergan purchases Tobira for up to $1.7bn
According to media reports, Allergan is buying US biotech Tobira Therapeutics, as well as Akarna Therapeutics, securing itself access to experimental therapies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Thus the acquisition expands Allergan's gastroenterology R&D offering with Cenicriviroc and Evogliptin, which the firm says are two differentiated, complementary development programmes for the treatment of the multi-factorial elements of NASH, including inflammation, metabolic syndromes and fibrosis.
Shortly after the deal was announced, Allergan disclosed a second purchase; Akarna Therapeutics, a privately-held biopharma focused on developing novel small molecule therapeutics that target inflammatory and fibrotic diseases for an up-front payment of $50 million.
Akarna's lead drug, AKN-083, is a potentially best-in-class preclinical farnesoid X receptor agonist in development for the treatment of NASH, and is highly complementary to compounds in development by Tobira, the company commented.
- UN signs historic declaration to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
193 countries have signed a historic declaration to combat antimicrobial resistance at a United Nations General Assembly.
- Evotec and Bayer partner to develop new treatments to fight kidney diseases
According to a new announcement posted on Evotec’s website, the company has entered into a five-year, multi-target research partnership with Bayer.
- Experimental ALS drug gains orphan status in the European Union (EU)
European regulators have appointed orphan drug status to an experimental treatment for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) called masitinib, pointing out that it has the potential to offer a significant benefit over existing treatment options.
- ABPI responds to the Access to Medicines Summit report from Breast Cancer Now
According to Dr Richard Torbett, Executive Director - Commercial at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), the Summit was an opportunity for everyone involved in cancer care to try and address the challenges that National Health Service (NHS) patients have in getting cancer medicines.
