// Biotech and Pharma Therapeutics
The Kidney Medicine’: Bayer Touts Kerendia’s Blockbuster Potential As Its Pharma Group Swings Back To Growth
August 5, 2021 / Type 2 Diabetes / Cardiovascular / Pharma
Among the potential blockbusters that could save the day for Bayer when top-selling meds Eylea and Xarelto fall off the patent cliff, the German company is touting one simply as “the kidney medicine.” That’s the title Bayer pharma chief Stefan Oelrich endowed on newly approved Kerendia, which the company has projected could reach over €1 billion in peak sales.
Bayer’s Investigational P2X3 Antagonist Meets Primary Efficacy Endpoint And Shows Favorable Safety And Tolerability Profile
Augest 3, 2021 / Refractory Chronic Cough / Neuropathy
Bayer today announced positive results from the Phase IIb clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of its investigational orally administered, potent and selective P2X3 receptor antagonist eliapixant (BAY1817080) in patients with refractory chronic cough.
First half of 2021: Boehringer Ingelheim makes fundamental progress in research and development
August 3, 2021 / R&D / Empagliflozin / HFpEF
In July, Boehringer Ingelheim reported a breakthrough in the treatment of heart failure with empagliflozin (marketed as JARDIANCE®). More than 60 million patients worldwide suffer from this disease, approximately half of them from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Heart failure with left ventricular preserved ejection fraction occurs when the left ventricle of the heart is unable to fill properly, resulting in less blood being pumped to the body.
Living Biotherapeutics Explore New Niches
August 2, 2021 / Biotherapeutics / CNS / Oncology
In the not-too-distant future, diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) may be treated by therapies derived from living gut bacteria. Such therapies are in development at 4D pharma, a company that is also working toward more immediate goals, such as microbiome therapeutics for autoimmune diseases, respiratory diseases, and forms of cancer.
Metformin Hydrochloride API Market: Rise in Prevalence of Diabetes to Drive Market
August 03, 2021 / Diabetes / Metformin
According to the report, the global metformin hydrochloride API market was valued at ~US$ 300 Mn in 2020 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of ~5% from 2021 to 2031. Metformin hydrochloride is primarily used in the treatment of diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is expected to increase across the world due to change in lifestyle and factors such as malnutrition and genetic mutations.
// 4th Industrial Revolution
Insulin-Producing Implants Are Being Developed To Control Type 1 Diabetes
August 4, 2021 / 4IR / Type 1 Diabetes / 3D Printing
Scientists are using 3D printing technology and smart biomaterials to create an insulin-producing implant for people with Type 1 diabetes. Bioengineers from Rice University, in Houston, Texas, will use insulin-producing beta cells made from human stem cells to create an implant that senses and regulates blood glucose levels by responding with the correct amount of insulin at a given time.
Using Conductive Nanomaterials to Combat Cardiovascular Disease
August 3, 2021 / 4IR / Nanomaterials / Cardiovascular
Heart attacks arising from the obstruction of arteries blocking blood flow are one of the major risks of cardiovascular disease. The build-up of scar tissue in the heart can severely reduce the efficiency of the organ, which itself is life-threatening. Current medical approaches to returning function to the heart and limiting the effects of scar tissue growth exist but carry limitations. Not in the least the fact that these interventions are usually just short-term solutions.
A Pivotal Moment for CRISPR in the Gene Editing Journey
August 4, 2021 / 4IR / CRISPR / Genetic Data
After 20 years of toiling and dreaming, the field of genome editing has arrived. Since the 1990s, it has been arriving slowly, out of the limelight. That all changed in 2012 when Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier pioneered CRISPR/Cas9 – the molecular toolkit that allows scientists to change the genetic code of living organisms.
Digital Health Apps Balloon To More Than 350,000 Available On The Market, According To IQVIA Report
August 4, 2021 / 4IR / Digital Health Apps / IQVIA
The number of consumer digital health apps ballooned last year, with more than 90,000 new ones introduced in 2020, according to a new report by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science on digital health trends. The report found there are now more than 350,000 digital health apps available to consumers.
SoftBank’s Pharma AI Bet Has Long Odds
August 4, 2021 / 4IR / Artificial Intelligence / Drug Development
SoftBank (9984.T) may be hunting for tech treasure in pharma colossus Roche (ROG.S). The Japanese investor has amassed a $5 billion stake in the $342 billion Swiss drugmaker, according to Bloomberg. Its appeal lies in Roche’s increasing use of sophisticated data analysis to find drugs in its Genentech unit, Bloomberg says.
// Business & Markets
Bayer Inks A $1.5 Billion Deal For A Biotech With A Proprietary Drug Discovery Platform
August 5, 2021 / Deals / Oncology / Immunology
In a bid to quickly broaden its drug discovery abilities, Bayer (BAYRY) has reached a deal to acquire Vividion Therapeutics for $1.5 billion, the third time in two years the company has bought a small biotech with proprietary technology for uncovering medicines.
Are You Missing Out On A Sudden $85 Billion Biotech Stock Rally?
August 5, 2021 / Biotech Stocks
Information technology stocks in the S&P 500 get most of the attention. But now biotechnology is stealing the spotlight. The $11 billion-in-assets iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) suddenly shot up in the third quarter, 5.2% so far. That tops the 4.4% rise during the quarter by the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). And it leaves the S&P 500’s 2.6% rise this quarter in the dust, too.
EXCLUSIVE Sanofi Offers To Buy U.S. Biotech, mRNA Partner Translate Bio-Sources
August 3, 2021 / Deal / mRNA / Vaccines
Sanofi (SASY.PA) has offered to buy U.S. biotech company Translate Bio (TBIO.O), two sources familiar with the situation said on Monday, as the French drugmaker bets on next-generation mRNA technology after setbacks in the COVID-19 vaccine race.
How Bayer Lured a Biotech Away From an IPO and Into a Buyout
August 5, 2021 / Deal / IPO / Oncology
In what has become a common move by large pharmaceutical companies attempting to revitalize their drug research, German healthcare conglomerate Bayer has acquired a small biotechnology company developing drugs for cancer and immune diseases. Bayer on Thursday said it will pay $1.5 billion upfront for the company, Vividion Therapeutics, which has disclosed several drug candidates it’s preparing for clinical tests.
Demand For Diabetes And Obesity Care Boosts Novo Nordisk Profit
August 5, 2021 / Diabetes / GLP-1 / Obesity
Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk reported a 10% rise in first-half net profit on Wednesday as sales within diabetes and obesity care grew. In its earnings release, the company said sales were up 13% at constant exchange rates, clocking in at DKr56.9bn Danish kroner ($9.05bn).
// Legal & Regulatory
HEALTH CARE BRIEFING: Pharma Could Face Billions in Waste Fines
August 5, 2021 / US Senate / Medicare / Infrastructure
Drug manufacturers Takeda Pharmaceutical and Roche could each be forced to repay the government $100 million annually for wasted medicines under the bipartisan Senate infrastructure deal. The $550 billion legislation, which the Senate is debating this week, would require companies to refund Medicare when doctors throw away drugs, a move meant to push some drugmakers to stop overpacking single-use containers.
J&J Notches A Win In $50M Talc Lawsuit, But Tens Of Thousands Still Pending
August 2, 2021 / Lawsuits / FDA / Cancer
Johnson & Johnson notched a win Friday, with a $50 million talc lawsuit rejected in Illinois—however, tens of thousands of cases are still pending. J&J recently reported 34,600 talc-related lawsuits have now been filed which is up from just over 20,000 last year. The Illinois case, filed in 2018 by relatives on behalf of Elizabeth Driscoll who died from ovarian cancer in 2016, sought up to $50 million in damages.
San Mateo County Files Lawsuit Alleging McKinsey and Company Helped Push Local Opioid Sales
August 4, 2021 / Opioids / Lawsuits
San Mateo County has filed a lawsuit against McKinsey & Company, alleging that the consulting firm helped push opioid sales in the county. Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP, the law firm representing the county, alleges that McKinsey helped opioid manufacturers increase drug sales by serving as marketing advisor to companies like Purdue Pharma.
Common Fraud in the Pharmaceutical Industry Reported by Whistleblowers
August 5, 2021 / Fraud / Marketing / Price Reporting
The pharmaceutical industry is regularly found to be engaging in fraud of many types and it appears as though each year, the number of pharmaceutical fraud is on the rise. Each year big pharma giants end up spending billions of dollars in paying for fraud, misrepresentation of data and other such corruption allegations leveled out against them.
// Research & Development
Beigene Lays Plans For ‘Flagship’ Biologics Plant And R&D Center In New Jersey
Augest 3, 2021 / Oncology / Manufacturing / R&D
BeiGene has designs on a flagship manufacturing and clinical R&D center in the U.S., and it’s clinched a deal for roughly 42 acres with more than one million square feet of developable land to see its mission through. The new plant, planned for Hopewell, New Jersey, will come equipped to handle commercial-scale biologics manufacturing and clinical R&D, plus include office space, Michael Garvey, Global Head of Technical Operations at BeiGene, told Fierce Pharma.
Lonza, Sheba Medical Center Leverage Cocoon Platform for Cell Therapy
August 12, 2021 / Lonza / Medical Center / Cell Therapy
Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital in the Middle East region, and Lonza, a global cell and gene therapy manufacturer, have treated multiple patients with CD19 CAR-T cell immunotherapy targeting B-cell malignancies, with three patients showing complete responses, and another patient is still being evaluated.
Humanized Mouse Model Market Report | How Has COVID-19 Affected The Market?
August 5, 2021 / In Vivo / Humanized Mouse Model Market
TMR Research speaks on the core issues and characteristics of the global humanized mouse model market, along with its nuances and opportunities of growth over the coming years, in “Humanized Mouse Model Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Growth, and Forecast 2017 – 2025.”
Innovators in Pharma Sectors See Potential, Promise in Providing Improved Treatments
August 5, 2021 / Hypertension / Innovation / API
A leading cause of death in the United States for men and women of most racial and ethnic groups, heart disease is a pervasive health challenge that destroys lives. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
Why Data Management Is Critical For Faster Drug Development
August 3, 2021 / Data Management / Drug Development / R&D
Clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical companies can easily generate tens of terabytes of data every day through scientific experiments.
// Politics
Exclusive: U.S. Developing Plan to Require Foreign Visitors to be Vaccinated, Official Says
August 5, 2021 / Travel / COVID-19 / Vaccination
The Biden administration is developing a plan to require nearly all foreign visitors to the United States to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of eventually lifting travel restrictions that bar much of the world from entering the United States, a White House official told Reuters on Wednesday.
As Delta Wreaks Havoc, Biden Faces Growing Pressure To Force Big Pharma To Share Vaccine Recipes
August 2, 2021 / Intellectual Property / Vaccines
With a proposed patent waiver for coronavirus vaccines still mired in fruitless talks at the World Trade Organization, U.S. President Biden is facing growing calls to use his legal authority to force pharmaceutical giants to share their vaccine recipes as governments around the world race to combat the fast-spreading Delta variant.
Biden Administration to Support Resilience of US Pharma Supply Chain
August 2, 2021 / Supply Chain / Pharma / API Production
The Biden-Harris Administration have announced that it will take immediate action to shore up the US’s pharmaceutical supply chain by establishing a consortium to prioritise onshoring of essential medicine production and financially supporting the domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Biden Patent Office Pick Will Shape Fight Over High Drug Prices
July 30, 2021 / Drug Pricing / USPTO
The path toward lower drug prices could hinge on who President Joe Biden picks as the next director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Generic drug groups are pushing for a PTO chief who will make it easier to invalidate patents they find as obstacles to bringing lower-cost medicines to the market.