Research & Development

Takeda looks to build vaccines business

Matthew Arnold December 06, 2011

Takeda is getting into vaccines with the launch of a dedicated global division that will make use of Nycomed A/S's business infrastructure in Europe and emerging markets.

Since Vioxx scare, tough times for industry R&D, study finds

Matthew Arnold December 01, 2011

A review of 450 New Molecular Entities spanning a decade and a half found two distinct eras of drug R&D - one of abundance and one of scarcity, hinging on the September, 2004 withdrawal of Merck's Vioxx.

Eliquis stacks up better than Pradaxa or Xarelto

Marc Iskowitz August 30, 2011

Eliquis has demonstrated, in convincing fashion, that it's superior in efficacy and bleeding profile to standard warfarin therapy, and neither Pradaxa nor Xarelto can match it in overall mortality or safety.

European meeting may clear the air on Eliquis

Marc Iskowitz August 23, 2011

Experts are looking forward to an international cardiology meeting this weekend to help answer a key question: Will Eliquis become the leading substitute for warfarin?

Results of heart study bring Bydureon back from brink, analyst says

Marc Iskowitz July 08, 2011

The results, showing the long-acting diabetes med had passed a crucial test of its effects on heart rhythms, put the drug back on track after a spate of regulatory delays, wrote one analyst.

Pfizer's radical surgery looking more like a $5 billion nip and tuck

Matthew Arnold July 07, 2011

Pfizer took a big step back from plans for a radical streamlining, announcing plans to look at spinning off or selling its Animal Health and Nutrition businesses but not the much larger Established Products unit or its Consumer Healthcare portfolio.

Company news: EvaluatePharma and Citeline

June 28, 2011

Years after generic competition begins eroding Lipitor revenues (and RA biologic Humira overtakes it as the world's biggest selling drug), Pfizer will still be the industry's sales leader, but Sanofi and Novartis will run closely behind, according to EvaluatePharma's World Preview 2016.

Pfizer vows to go 50-50 in accords with academic researchers

Marc Iskowitz April 07, 2011

As it tries to pump more new drugs out of a smaller R&D operation, Pfizer is seeking to attract external research partners by giving up some control over drug discovery.

DC MDs Dean and Frist talk healthcare reform and biopharma

Marc Iskowitz March 29, 2011

There isn't much in the Affordable Care Act to cut healthcare costs, agreed former senator Bill Frist (R-TN) and ex-governor Howard Dean (D-VT), both of whom came to politics with MDs instead of JDs. But the law has led to a serious national discussion on reducing expensive care and, combined with measures supporting the biopharma industry, could set the stage for reining in US healthcare spend, they agreed.

Merck, GlaxoSmithKline earnings reflect product difficulties

Ben Comer February 03, 2011

Fourth quarter and full year earnings were posted by Merck and GSK today, and both companies suffered financial losses due to patent expiries, drug safety issues and ongoing litigation.

Merck scales back vorapaxar trials

Marc Iskowitz January 13, 2011

Merck said it's stopping one of two big clinical trials of an experimental blood thinner that some viewed as the firm's highest profile pipeline drug.

Merck's anacetrapib has curiously strong effect on lipids

Marc Iskowitz November 18, 2010

Researchers said a new kind of cholesterol-modifying drug from Merck demonstrated remarkably strong LDL-lowering and HDL-raising effects, and appeared safe from a cardiovascular standpoint, stoking doctors' optimism that it could reach market.

Xarelto proves itself against warfarin

Marc Iskowitz November 16, 2010

Phase III data reported yesterday at the AHA Meeting in Chicago showed that new blood thinner Xarelto (rivaroxaban) stacks up well against warfarin in preventing strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation.

GSK signed the most in-license drug deals in '08-'09

Ben Comer April 20, 2010

Of the top 10 pharma companies worldwide, GlaxoSmithKline looked beyond its own pipeline for new drugs most often, signing 67 in-licensing agreements in just two years, according to a Datamonitor analysis.

Pfizer shrinks R&D operations

Matthew Arnold November 09, 2009

Pfizer will shrink the square footage of its global R&D operation by 35% as it absorbs Wyeth, sharply reducing some sites, shuttering others and prompting an as-yet unspecified number of layoffs.

Smaller biotechs hit as Shire cuts bait on experimental drugs

Marc Iskowitz October 30, 2009

Amicus Therapeutics announced a work-force reduction of about 20 percent, or 26 employees, as a part of a corporate restructuring after a commercialization deal with Shire soured.

Columbia enacts financial conflicts of interest policy

Anthony Vecchione April 13, 2009

Columbia University is the latest educational institution to issue guidelines that require faculty members to report any conflicts of interest they might have related to research that they publish.

Pfizer R&D to split into large and small molecule divisions

Ben Comer April 07, 2009

Pfizer announced organizational plans for the company post-Wyeth acquisition, including a new focus on biopharmaceuticals, and the retention of eight Wyeth senior executives.

Pfizer aborts investigational compounds, reprioritizes

Ben Comer February 24, 2009

Pfizer terminated phase 3 development on two investigational compounds today after halting trials on axitinib, a phase 3 pancreatic cancer treatment, in January.

Backlash builds against prasugrel panel decision

Anthony Vecchione February 17, 2009

Dr. Steven Nissen is the latest high-profile physician to join the pile-on over an FDA advisory panel's decision to exclude an outspoken critic of the antiplatelet drug prasugrel.

Pfizer hops on transparency bandwagon with disclosures

Matthew Arnold February 09, 2009

Following the lead of peers like Lilly and GSK, Pfizer announced plans to publicly disclose payments to US physicians, healthcare professionals and clinical investigators in excess of $500 per year, along with non-monetary items worth more than $25.

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.

Report: Pfizer set to cut sales force by up to 2,400 reps

Ben Comer January 16, 2009

Pfizer could reduce its sales force by one-third, or 2,400 reps, according to a Bloomberg report that cited anonymous sources.

NME approvals up a tic in 2008

Matthew Arnold December 30, 2008

The FDA rang out 2008 with the approval of Ferring's degarelix, for prostate cancer, capping another slow year for new drug approvals.

Merck makes a play for generic biologics market

Matthew Arnold December 11, 2008

Merck is betting on Democratic plans to speed development of generic biologics, making a play for the market with a new unit tasked with designing the products and promising, in the words of president and CEO Dick Clark, a "new Merck built for the new era that our industry has entered."

FDA to launch drug name review pilot project

Ben Comer October 08, 2008

FDA will initiate a pilot project to help manufacturers choose safer proprietary drug names.

Pfizer brags of pipeline, refocuses R&D

Matthew Arnold October 02, 2008

Pfizer announced that the number of compounds it has in Phase 3 development has grown from 16 to 25 over the past six months, including eight cancer treatments.

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.