Sobi and Savient Pharmaceuticals inked a co-promote agreement for RA drug Kineret in the US. Savient’s sales organization details US rheumatologists for gout drug Krystexxa. “The collaboration will expand our reach to US physicians who treat patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and augment our own ability to directly support the pediatric community,” said Sobi chief operating officer Alan Raffensperger. The agreement grants Savient exclusive rights to co-promote the drug with Sobi in the US starting in April. Sobi retains responsibility for manufacturing, supply, safety and regulatory activities.
FDA approved Novartis‘ Zortress for prevention of organ rejection in adult liver transplant patients. The mTOR inhibitor is already approved for kidney transplants in the US, and was approved by European health authorities for adult liver transplants under the brand name Certican in Q4. It’s the first new drug in over a decade approved by FDA for prevention of organ rejection in adult liver transplant patients.
Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness named Kathy Delaney chief creative officer. Delaney, who also becomes global chief creative officer of the Saatchi & Saatchi Health network, joins from her own consultancy, which launched the SK Energy Shots brand in partnership with Pure Growth Partners. From 2007 to 2011, she served as chief creative officer and president of digital botique Nitro until its sale to Sapient. She succeeds Helayne Spivak, who left Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness in August to Virginia Commonwealth University’s VCU Brandcenter.
