1. The combination of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapies Opdivo and Yervoy showed improved survival for 64% of 945 advanced melanoma patients participating in a late-stage clinical trial, when compared to patients who used the drugs alone. (Forbes)
2. Separately, the global immunotherapy market is expected to reach $75.8 billion by 2022, led by drugs such as Merck’s Keytruda and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo. The therapies are improving cancer survival rates but can cost up to $250,000 per year per patient. (Reuters)
3. Mylan’s manufacturing partner Meridian Medical Technologies, which is owned by Pfizer, will make further recalls of EpiPen auto-injectors in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, a week after it recalled more than 80,000 EpiPens overseas. (Reuters)
4. Takeda plans to cut 180 jobs at Ariad Pharmaceuticals, which it acquired in February, due to an “overlap in job responsibilities.” (Boston Globe)
5. Biogen won a patent dispute with Forward Pharma over its MS drug Tecfidera. Forward Pharma in 2016 accused Biogen of patent infringement over dimethyl fumarate, the key active ingredient in Tecfidera. (Reuters)
