Biotech

FDA says competing biologic ads both misled

Ben Comer April 07, 2010

One is a sales aid, and one is a consumer brochure, but both ads -- for CSL Behring's Zemaira and for Talecris' Prolastin -- are false or misleading, FDA said in a pair of untitled letters.

Biosimilars mean competition, not marketing oblivion, for biologic brands

Marc Iskowitz March 23, 2010

Far from sapping promotional budgets, biosimilars could spur marketing by makers of follow-on and original biologic alike, experts say.

Generic Lovenox takes step closer to reality, analyst says

Marc Iskowitz January 22, 2010

Sandoz, the generics division of Novartis, is soliciting pre-orders for Sanofi-Aventis blood thinner Lovenox—actions that seem to suggest generic approval of the megablockbuster may be coming soon, one analyst says.

Senate health bill pharma-friendly on biologics, price controls

Matthew Arnold November 19, 2009

The Senate health reform bill would maintain the ban on price controls in the Medicare prescription drug benefit and establish a 12-year data exclusivity period for biologics.

EMD Serono launches male fertility education campaign

Matthew Arnold June 17, 2009

EMD Serono is partnering with Men's Health Network on a patient education campaign aimed at raising awareness of male infertility.

Lilly looks homeward for communications chief

Matthew Arnold June 08, 2009

Lilly named former Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson to lead its communications and corporate affairs functions.

Last chance to grab glory

June 04, 2009

If you still haven't entered the MM&M Awards 2009, then you'd better move fast--today (June 5) is the final deadline for submissions.

Biotech launches personalized cancer treatment website

Ben Comer June 02, 2009

Champions Biotechnology, a company offering personalized cancer data for patients and physicians, launched a new website: PersonalizedCancerTreatment.com.

Non-compliance, requests for generics on the rise, says survey

Matthew Arnold May 28, 2009

Physicians say patient compliance is getting worse, and they're hearing more requests for generic or OTC alternatives to prescribed medications as the economic malaise takes its toll, according to a PriMed survey.

Consider the 'reasonable consumer,' says FDA draft guidance

Matthew Arnold May 26, 2009

DTC drug and device marketers looking to steer clear of FDA ad reviewers should follow the "reasonable consumer standard" and consider the net impression their promotions make on the lay viewer, not just the particulars, FDA said in a draft guidance.

AMA ethics group rethinks CME funding

Matthew Arnold May 14, 2009

A pair of American Medical Association committee reports urges that industry-funded CME be put on a tighter leash, but they're a far cry from the ban on commercial support called for by the AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs a year ago.

DTC spend set to slide, loyalty cards up, says survey

Matthew Arnold May 13, 2009

Marketers anticipate substantial cuts in DTC spend in 2009, according to a Cegedim Dendrite survey in which 58% of respondents said they'd cut consumer ad spend this year. Last year 28% said they'd cut back on consumer advertising.

Pfizer taps former Gore aide to lead policy efforts

Matthew Arnold May 12, 2009

Pfizer hired onetime Gore advisor turned healthcare think tanker Gregory Simon to head its global policy efforts as the industry gears up for a health reform fight in Washington.

Amylin slashes sales force by 35%

Matthew Arnold May 05, 2009

Amylin is cutting 200 sales positions -- around 35% of its sales force -- as it merges its specialty and primary care sales forces into a single organization targeting endocrinologists and diabetes-focused primary care physicians.

Pharma industry reputation gains, says Harris Interactive

Matthew Arnold April 29, 2009

It seems corporate reputation is countercyclical for pharmas, as well. The drug industry was the only sector to see appreciable gains in public perception from 2007 to 2008, according to Harris Interactive, posting its highest rating in five years as financial services firms and automakers displaced pharmas in the dregs of public esteem alongside tobacco.

IOM: quit gifts, reps, samples

Matthew Arnold April 28, 2009

Physicians and medical institutions should shun gifts, reps, samples and ghostwriting, said the Institute of Medicine's conflict of interest committee in its full recommendations.

J. Lo joins Sanofi for pertussis awareness ads

Matthew Arnold April 24, 2009

Sanofi Pasteur and the March of Dimes have recruited Jennifer Lopez to serve as the face of a whooping cough awareness campaign.

Genentech pulls Raptiva over PML risk

Matthew Arnold April 09, 2009

Genentech and FDA announced the withdrawal of psoriasis treatment Raptiva due to a risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and deadly viral brain infection.

DDMAC raps sponsored links for omission of risk info

Matthew Arnold April 06, 2009

The FDA's Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications slapped 14 drug companies with untitled letters for sponsored links on Google deemed violative because they omitted risk information.

Iowa Senate passes harsh gifts, data ban bill

Matthew Arnold March 20, 2009

Iowa's state Senate passed a healthcare bill containing some of the toughest restrictions on drug company contacts with physicians yet.

Roche to acquire Genentech

Ben Comer March 12, 2009

Roche will buy all remaining shares of Genentech at $95 dollars apiece, or $46.8 billion total, the companies announced in a joint statement. Prior to the deal, Roche held 56% of the company's shares.

Massachusetts antes up with tough transparency law

Matthew Arnold March 12, 2009

Massachusetts passed regulation governing drug and device company sales and marketing that the state's deputy counsel boasted is "the most stringent of the existing state laws" and "sets PhRMA and AdvaMed codes as the floor."

MedPAC calls for reporting of samples

Matthew Arnold March 03, 2009

An influential advisory board urged Congress to impose far-reaching transparency rules on payments to healthcare professionals and organizations interacting with the drug industry--including reporting samples, in part to aid counterdetailing efforts.

BIO punts on PhRMA physician interaction code

Matthew Arnold February 20, 2009

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) issued a statement calling on member companies to develop their own codes of conduct on interaction with physicians, but again stopped short of adopting the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals.

Millennium's Dunsire named HBA Woman of the Year

Matthew Arnold February 17, 2009

The Healthcare Businesswomen's Association named Millennium chief Dr. Deborah Dunsire as its 2009 Woman of the Year.

NIH grant conflicts targeted in stimulus amendment

Matthew Arnold February 05, 2009

Biomedical researchers receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health would face tougher disclosure rules under an amendment to the economic stimulus bill introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI).

MPR rolls out revamped website

James Chase January 20, 2009

Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR) has relaunched its website with a number of enhancements to functionality and design, as well as a new, easier-to-remember URL, www.eMPR.com.

J&J consolidation splits Rx brands between two holding companies

Matthew Arnold November 18, 2008

Johnson & Johnson has consolidated the $150 million US advertising business for its prescription drugs, worth around $110 million in agency fees, into WPP and Interpublic Group, with WPP winning its CNS, oncology and anti-infectives brands and IPG landing the pain, women's health, GI and HIV franchises.

Lilly to buy ImClone

Ben Comer October 07, 2008

Lilly will buy ImClone for $6.5 billion, or $70 a share, cash.

HIV drug market to grow, but not for everyone

Ben Comer September 25, 2008

Patent expiries combined with new drugs, drug classes and an increased need worldwide will stir up the HIV market in the coming years, according to a new Datamonitor report.