A Pfizer analysis released this week brought new hope to a class of drugs designed to clear arteries by boosting the protective form of cholesterol. The findings could help firms like Roche and Merck determine whether to continue developing similar agents.
Global pharmaceutical sales will slow in 2008, growing 5%-6% compared to 6%-7% in 2007, as the recent wave of patent expirations continues, according to an IMS Health forecast.
The FDA recommended that Takeda halt high-dose clinical studies of its TAK-475 cholesterol drug due to possible liver side effects, asking for additional data on the drug.
Lilly suspends small studies of pipeline drug prasugrel
Eli Lilly said it is suspending two small studies of its most promising pipeline candidate, the blood-thinner prasugrel, after data raised concerns about the dosage used in certain patient groups.
Wyeths pipeline suffered a pair of setbacks Friday as the FDA rejected Wyeths schizophrenia drug bifeprunox and safety concerns led the drugmaker to stop using a developmental Hepatitis C drug in a patient study.