Thanks for choosing mmm-online.com Sign up for your FREE account now and join the thousands of other healthcare marketing professionals who rely on us for all the latest industry news and innovative ideas for direct and digital strategy. Simply fill out the fields below.

Keep me logged in Forgot your password?

Please wait...

Please wait...

Mayo device helps monitor heart patients from afar

May 22, 2013

Device maker Preventice says the peel-and-stick monitor has the potential to go beyond the critical care market and into the sports world.
 

Belushi, Savient observe Gout Awareness Day

May 22, 2013

The actor and patient heads up a roundtable posted on the advocacy site CreakyJoints.
 

Runs and ribbons don't do much for advanced breast cancer sufferers, survey finds

May 21, 2013

A Novartis survey finds many women with advanced breast cancer feel left out by an awareness movement focused on prevention, early detection and pink merchandise.
 

Pharmas dial back reprints spend, floor it on digital to reach HCPs

May 20, 2013

Pharmas are spending far less on reprints and far more on digital promotion to physicians and other healthcare professionals, according to a healthcare media buying specialist.
 

Ex-NFLer, Sanofi talk anaphylaxis

May 20, 2013

The company's latest outreach, an Auvi-Q promotion, breaks down allergy management into sports playbook presentation.
 

Purdue puts Intermezzo DTC to bed

May 16, 2013

Marketing partner Transcept pulled 90 sales reps and Purdue closed out the majority of its DTC outreach in March.
 

Roche's Rituxan successor receives high marks

May 16, 2013

Genentech's blockbuster follow-up shows promise in preliminary Phase III data
 

Pharmas are cool with YouTube but fear Twitter

May 15, 2013

Among social media channels, healthcare execs are most comfortable with YouTube and least comfortable with Twitter, a survey suggests.
 

Tarceva diagnostic brings new indication

May 15, 2013

Tarceva picks up a first-line indication and a companion diagnostic
 

Astellas shutters OSI and Perseid, lets 200 US staff go in R&D reorg

May 14, 2013

It was a particularly grim Monday for 200 Astellas employees in the US, who were informed that they were being let go and it was their last day with the company.
 

Merck's Heller on how to get more women into the C-suite

May 14, 2013

Bridgette Heller, Merck EVP and president of its consumer care division, adjured life-sci managers to enable women to unleash the full power of their knowledge and ideas to drive growth in the business.
 

FDA gut-checks DTC clarity

May 14, 2013

The new survey will study whether patients understand how efficacy is calculated and experiment with ways to make communications clearer.
 

J&J's Janssen looks to the margins with hep C agent

May 14, 2013

J&J scored an unexpected "priority review status" for its HCV agent simeprivir, whose initial approval is expected to be with interferon.
 

FDA move gives Purdue edge in painkiller market

May 13, 2013

Generic Opana ER got the go-ahead from FDA, exposing the drugmaker to generic competition -- unlike Purdue, whose tamper-proof painkiller won standalone status.
 

Culture of innovation has a sales value, study says

May 13, 2013

Why executives evaluating biotech acquisitions shouldn't overlook the cultural dimension: A new paper finds a link to revenue performance.
 

GSK adds competitor to COPD market

May 10, 2013

The FDA approved the Breo/Ellipta combo, but analysts are wary about its potential to go beyond the COPD indication in the US.
 

Actavis may buy Warner Chilcott

May 10, 2013

Already the world's third-largest generics maker, Actavis stands to gain if it can seal the deal
 

Orexigen, Vivus remain in weight-loss limbo

May 09, 2013

Quarterly reports show that that the weight loss category remains a cool one, but studies indicate that even the best marketing plan will have to overcome payer and pricing issues.
 

Studies show cheaper drugs don't add up to greater use

May 09, 2013

Two studies released show that the story behind lower consumer healthspend isn't about generics improving health.
 

J&J consolidates, rebrands Ethicon units

May 08, 2013

Driven by consolidation in the healthcare industry, J&J is reuniting Ethicon, Inc. and Ethicon Endo-Surgery to present surgeons and health systems with a single face.
 

WebMD on the hunt for new business

May 08, 2013

The CEO's unexpected departure is part of the health information brand's latest changes. On the table: possible acquisitions. In progress: a new federal contract and new website content. Ignored: if the company wants to be bought.
 

WebMD CEO out after a year

May 07, 2013

The portal announced Tuesday that Cavan Redmond, who took the top job there just weeks shy of one year back, is no longer with the company.
 

All-oral Hep C race heats up as AbbVie receives "breakthrough" status

May 07, 2013

AbbVie joins BMS in gaining Breakthrough Therapy designation for a Hep C combo
 

BI, Lilly go simple in new SGLT med-ed effort

May 07, 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly rolled out a pre-launch SGLT campaign that breaks ranks with branding for J&J's SGLT2 inhibitor Invokana.
 

Merck's Liptruzet may mend IMPROVE-IT, but offers little in the short run

May 06, 2013

Merck's new cholesterol combo leaves some confused, but some analysts see a silver lining for IMPROVE-IT trials
 

FDA streamlines patient access information

May 06, 2013

A new FDA site gives patients a one-stop shop for commenting on pending regulations, finding clinical trials and navigating treatment options.
 

E-details soar as pharmas slash sales forces

May 02, 2013

Pharmas spent 40% more on non-personal promotion to healthcare professionals globally last year while continuing to shed sales reps, a Cegedim survey shows.
 

Navidea deploying MSLs in launch of new diagnostic agent

May 02, 2013

Medical science liaisons will educate nuclear-medicine clinicians as part of the launch of a new Navidea diagnostic agent for use in breast and skin cancer.
 

Docs haven't mellowed on DTC, snap poll suggests

May 01, 2013

The FDA wants to know how physician attitudes towards direct-to-consumer advertising have evolved since the agency last asked them, in 2002. If a snap poll by CMI/Compas is any indication, drug companies probably won't like the answers.
 

Merck throws more staff behind Januvia; overall sales slid for quarter

May 01, 2013

Sales fell more sharply during the quarter than execs expected, and Merck said it has put more Januvia-only reps behind its diabetes franchise.
 

Duchesnay returns morning sickness drug to US market

May 01, 2013

The first drug for morning sickness in thirty years enters the market this month.
 

Fabry film spotlights a rare disease

April 30, 2013

Genzyme is taking rare disease awareness to another level with a documentary film, dubbed "Facing Fabry Together," that follows four families grappling with the genetic disorder.
 

Breakup, Xeljanz plans dominate Pfizer earnings call

April 30, 2013

Sales slipped 9% during the quarter, compared to the same period last year, but analysts zeroed in on if and when the company will split and how arthritis pill Xeljanz will tackle Europe.
 

Novartis sued for alleged speaker-program abuse

April 29, 2013

The Swiss drug maker is defending itself against two civil fraud lawsuits filed within a week of each other.
 

Millennium looks to iPad amidst growing competition

April 29, 2013

With two new challengers to market leader Velcade, Takeda Millennium has rolled out its "iPatient" sales aid to keep them at arm's length
 

AbbVie reports first-ever quarter, downplays Pfizer impact

April 26, 2013

Humira led in sales and the company told analysts Pfizer's Xeljanz setback in Europe won't alter its RA future all that much.
 

Europe halts Xeljanz progress

April 26, 2013

European regulators said they're not satisfied that the information they have on hand is enough to let the drug go forward.
 

Pharmas to biotechs: let's make a deal

April 25, 2013

Having finally accepted that external R&D is the future, big pharmas are snapping up earlier-stage biotechs and biologics, but they're not betting the farm on them, thanks to pre-nup-like earnout deals.
 

After rough '12, PHCG looks to inject more life into business

April 25, 2013

An agency bellwether, PHCG is hoping to return to growth after a tame 2012, its CEO said this week.
 

BMS scores "breakthrough" label for hep. C candidate

April 25, 2013

The regulatory coup means BMS gets to work with FDA to develop its home-grown hep. C cocktail, which is on a competitive track to another hep. C alliance with Merck.
 

Biogen reports sales jump, backs tolerability of new MS pill

April 25, 2013

Execs unveiled 10% sales growth and told investors the safety news does not implicate their just-approved MS pill.
 

Patent losses stalk BMS, AZ quarterly results

April 25, 2013

Brass-plated brands Plavix and Seroquel continue to lose luster on the two drug makers' balance sheets.
 

Novartis: lawsuits, layoffs and, by the way, earnings

April 24, 2013

It was an all-in-one news day for the drug maker which, by the way, saw sales rise 2% for the first quarter, compared to the same period last year.
 

After Q1 sales slip, GSK seeks to reassure investors

April 24, 2013

CEO Andrew Witty said the quarter's results were what the company expected.
 

Amgen sales up for the quarter, but biosimilars grab buzz

April 24, 2013

Company revenues were up 5% over last year for the quarter, but much of the Q&A chatter centered around biosimilars.
 

Higher prices keep Lilly's quarter flat; Cymbalta DTC pull-back planned

April 24, 2013

Lilly said sales-force downsizing was the right move considering the current portfolio mix and generics shadow. Management also teased some vague pipeline details.
 

Data show Gilead's sofosbuvir has 'clean' safety profile

April 24, 2013

Phase III findings on sofosbuvir, released in a medical journal, suggest no cause for concern from a safety perspective.
 

FDA widens scope of DTC impact survey

April 23, 2013

The agency is revisiting the impact DTC advertising can have on healthcare. What's new: NPs and PAs are being asked for input.
 

Forest sees quarterly and annual sales sink

April 23, 2013

Generic Lexapro sapped company sales for the fiscal quarter and year, ended March 31.
 

Q&A: BIO's Jim Greenwood

April 22, 2013

BIO chief Jim Greenwood talks policy priorities and previews the group's International Convention, now underway in Chicago.
 

Studies show cost doesn't drive everything

April 22, 2013

Two studies show that it's not enough to focus on cost to alter healthcare.
 

GSK's Advair successor gets adcomm thumbs-up

April 18, 2013

An FDA advisory committee recommended approving Breo for COPD. Assuming it goes through, GSK will have to woo payers to upgrade from the older drug.
 

Abbott closes Q1 with sales boost

April 17, 2013

The company expects emerging markets to rise in importance and says it's scoping out possible device acquisitions.
 

Lilly digs deeper into Alzheimer's

April 17, 2013

The company has licensed two tracers that will be used in its anti-amyloid and anti-tau research, and its still-breathing solanezumab binds to beta-amyloid proteins
 

Analysts on Qsymia: show me the payers

April 17, 2013

Analysts write expanded Qsymia distribution will do little to boost sales if payers are not on board.
 

Qsymia gets a boost, but weight loss remains anyone's game

April 16, 2013

Vivus got a much-needed green light to expand its marketing of Qsymia, but drug stores aren't the solution to all its problems in what's shaping up to be a very competitive category.
 

Recall rebound boosts J&J quarterly results

April 16, 2013

Sales hit $17.5 billion, an 8.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
 

Charlie Kimball talks Novo Racing with insulin

April 16, 2013

IndyCar's first licensed driver heads up a diabetes awareness campaign that focuses on community—both online and in real life.
 

Myriad decision could be a drag on personalized medicine R&D

April 15, 2013

After a skeptical Supreme Court hearing, diagnostics and biopharma patent lawyers are sweating the outcome of Association for Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad Genetics, in which the Court could decide whether or not swatches of genes are patentable.
 

Rare disease awareness fails to ease physician, patient burden

April 15, 2013

A study shows FDA approvals and awareness efforts are having little impact on physician awareness or patient frustration.
 

Lilly to boost diabetes sales force amid layoffs in other categories

April 12, 2013

Expiring patents force a sales staff slim-down, but the drug maker emphasizes it is not eliminating its sales force.
 

Pfizer pipeline breast cancer drug gets fast tracked

April 11, 2013

FDA is accelerating review of Pfizer's experimental breast cancer drug palbociclib, which analysts say already has a fan base among KOLs.
 

Oncology lifts Roche's Q1, Lucentis finds new fans

April 11, 2013

Roche's oncology trifecta of Herceptin, Avastin and mabThera/Rituxan buoyed quarterly sales. Devices and diagnostics sales were solid, if less impressive.
 

Obama budget would bleed pharmas

April 10, 2013

The White House released its proposed budget for the 2014 fiscal year this morning, and while it gives a modest boost to Health and Human Services, it also seeks to extract more cost savings from pharmas.
 

Diagnosing pricing issues

April 10, 2013

CDC figures suggest patients are avoiding medications to save money, and show that out-of-pocket costs for US consumers are rising faster than those for consumers in many other countries
 

For Obama's head-less CMS, third time's the charm

April 09, 2013

Acting administrator Marilyn Tavenner seems on track for confirmation, with the blessings of all industry stakeholders
 

Shazam! Sanofi Pasteur strikes a chord with Fluzone audience

April 08, 2013

Sanofi Pasteur scored a pharma first this past winter by offering "Shazam" technology as a way for viewers to interact with TV commercials for its Fluzone Intradermal influenza vaccine—and to find out where they could get the new shot.
 

AstraZeneca RA drug logs unimpressive PHIII results

April 08, 2013

The drug maker's oral SYK inhibitor delivered good news-bad news Phase III fostamatinib results Friday.
 

Sermo secures funding in global push

April 04, 2013

WorldOne will use a $35 million financing windfall for a global build-out of the physician social network it acquired in July.
 

Hey, agencies—last call for the MM&M A-to-Z Survey 2013!

April 04, 2013

Don't miss out on your FREE listing in our biggest issue of the year!
 

Success in emerging markets hinges on broad network

April 03, 2013

Execs told Booz & Co researchers that the relationships web in emerging markets needs to be deeper than one-on-one sales pitches.
 

IMPROVE-IT or lose it

April 02, 2013

How Merck's trial for Vytorin+Zetia combo drug could hurt pharma's new class of cholesterol treatments
 

Social media guru Gwee joins Chandler Chicco

April 02, 2013

Gwee, who pioneered pharma social media at Vertex before moving onto the agency side, is tasked with integrating digital and social strategies across the marketing and PR network's 14 agencies.
 

J&J's Invokana clears FDA

March 29, 2013

The FDA has approved Janssen's Invokana (canagliflozin) for type 2 diabetes, giving J&J a first-to-market advantage in the SGLT-2 class.
 

Pent-up demand stands to drive Tecfidera, docs say

March 28, 2013

Two-fifths of US neurologists polled said they're warehousing MS patients in anticipation of Tecfidera, though pricing worries could dampen sales.
 

Note to sales: don't panic when reading these numbers

March 28, 2013

At first blush, Accenture's survey of pharma execs looks like more bad news for sales forces, but the firm tells MM&M that the sales overhauls are about more than reducing headcounts.
 

Between the lines, Read offers investors a split preview

March 27, 2013

The Pfizer chief told investors that the company will provide "transparency" on its new and established products businesses, with a view toward a possible Abbott-esque spinoff down the road
 

Perlmutter's past bodes well for Merck's future

March 27, 2013

The aggressive tact taken by Merck's new R&D chief, once panned as "Roger's science projects," is paying off for his old employer.
 

YouTube's Channels reboot gives pharmas pause

March 26, 2013

Google's latest YouTube update aims to make its Channels more social, and even as the company has given its pharma clients an extra month to hold on to their old page designs, the new format is inspiring anxiety among drug firms and medical agencies.
 

Elsevier tool puts editorial imprint on news stream

March 26, 2013

Responsive-design PracticeUpdate absorbs OncologyStat to become a more wide-ranging resource of curated content that spans the medical field, not just the Dutch publisher's media.
 

Court could punt "Pay for Delay" back to Congress

March 25, 2013

Eight members of the Supreme Court heard testimony in the case of FTC v. Actavis this morning, and the fate of so-called "pay for delay" settlements hangs in the balance.
 

Senate vote puts ACA's device tax in doubt

March 22, 2013

In a big win for the device industry, Senators voted overwhelmingly on a symbolic— but politically potent—motion to scrap the 2.3% device excise tax.
 

Epocrates narrows market research to target pharmas

March 21, 2013

Epocrates, now under new management, has jettisoned its QuickRecruit offering as it focuses its market research business on pharmas.
 

WebMD digs deeper into the everyday

March 21, 2013

A deal with QualcommLife aims to fuse WebMD content with a suite of disease state management tools.
 

More pink slips at AstraZeneca

March 21, 2013

Days after announcing a sharp downsizing, the patent expiry-plagued company said it will eliminate an additional 2,300 jobs, raising the tally of cuts to more than 5,000 through 2016.
 

Think local, deploy globally

March 20, 2013

Deploying digital frameworks across large pharmaceutical organizations is a tricky business the world over, as execs convening in Barcelona can tell you. Securing local buy-in is essential to a successful multichannel roll-out.
 

Millennium launches new blood cancer resource

March 20, 2013

As the market for multiple myleoma drugs gets more crowded, Takeda's Millennium is out with a new unbranded website
 

Hyperbolic OTC obesity drug ads backfire

March 20, 2013

When it comes to OTC weight-loss products, deceptive advertising produces diminishing returns, a study has found.
 

In Barcelona, navel-gazing pharmas find patient engagement lacking

March 19, 2013

Executives from big pharma pulled few punches on the opening day of eyeforpharma's Barcelona 2013 conference, lambasting their industry for its failure to adequately serve patients and develop enough innovative products.
 

Business Briefs: Novo, FDA, Biologics

March 19, 2013

Novo's weight-loss news fails to lift investor mood; GAO wants FDA to do more biologics topped 2012 sales.
 

AstraZeneca consolidates R&D, moves US commercial roles

March 18, 2013

AstraZeneca is cutting 650 jobs in the US, "primarily in R&D," and consolidating its R&D operations at three "strategic R&D centers" in "bioscience clusters," academic and industrial beehives where the company can tap into concentrations of talent and infrastructure.
 

Galderma makes acne rewarding

March 18, 2013

The EpiduoTap app offers rewards for sticking with the acne-controlling medication.
 

ProPublica's Charles Ornstein on life beyond Sunshine

March 14, 2013

What will become of Dollars for Docs after the Sunshine provisions go into effect? We asked Charles Ornstein, who told us what's next for the project.
 

MS patients hungry for info on orals, says survey

March 14, 2013

MS patients have an "insatiable appetite" for information about treatments online, particularly the new class of oral treatments, whose manufacturers could be doing more to prep them for switch conversations, a survey suggests.
 

Wall Street has high hopes for Perlmutter's return to Merck

March 13, 2013

He left Merck an "angry young man" fed up with the company's buttoned-down habits. Now, 12 years later, he's back, and angry or not, Wall Streeters are hoping he'll shake things up in R&D
 

Vivus launches Qsymia weight-loss app

March 13, 2013

The drug maker is promoting the no-fee, all-access app to healthcare professionals as part of its Qsymia pitch.
 

IMS Health gobbles up SaaS firm Appature

March 12, 2013

IMS Health has acquired Seattle-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) company Appature, the firms are expected to announce today.
 

McCann launches Hispanic health marketing unit

March 11, 2013

Interpublic's McCann HumanCare and Casanova Pendrill hope to sell pharmas on deeper engagement with Hispanic audiences through a joint venture dubbed HumanCareHSP
 

OPDP takes an integrated approach to ad reviews

March 08, 2013

FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion is taking an integrated approach to reviewing promotional materials and shedding its consumer- and professional-directed silos.
 

Gift study shows med students still being comped

March 07, 2013

Gift bans or no, students still connect with drug companies, a study has found.
 
  

Web Exclusive

Angelina Jolie's fearless but flawed message

Paul Oestreicher, Ph.D. May 17, 2013

Angelina Jolie's story raises important questions about education, outreach and access—but her nod to holistic treatments is less helpful
 

Podcasts

How to engage even the busiest physicians

March 04, 2013

Sponsored by TRUE Health + Wellness. The increasingly demanding schedules of healthcare professionals continue to narrow the window of opportunity for pharma sales teams, and, as a result, marketers are focusing more on non-personal promotion. However, there's a lot more to it than simply bombarding physicians with brand messages, as Anne Stroup, Managing Director at TRUE Health + Wellness, explains to MM&M's James Chase in this special podcast presentation.
 

2013 Hall of Fame Inductees

An entertaining look at the extraordinary lives and careers of the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame's 2013 inductees: Peter Frishauf, Dorothy Philips and David Labson. Clips produced by JUICE Pharma. 

Slideshows

MAHF 2013: Honors Class

A gallery of images from the 2013 Medical Advertising Hall of Fame induction dinner
 
Popular Topics
Acquisition Adherence Advertising App Centers For Disease Control Clinical Trial Consumer COPD Diabetes DTC Elan FDA Generic Generic Drugs iPad Lymphoma Marketing & Communications Merck Mobile Obesity Oncology Patent Cliff Patient Advocacy Patients Regulatory