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Palladone approved for pain relief

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Palladone (hydromorphone hydrochloride) capsules for the management of persistent moderate to severe pain in patients requiring continuous around-the-clock opioid pain relief for an extended period of time.

26 Sep 2004

New combination of drugs results in fewer incidences of rejection in liver transplant patients

“The big advantage [of this combination of drugs] is that the incidence of rejection is significantly decreased,” he says. “These results could change the standard of care for liver transplant recipients.”

23 Sep 2004

PA Consulting sells drug delivery venture, Meridica, to Pfizer

Pfizer and PA Consulting Group have announced the signing of a transaction in which Pfizer will purchase the remaining 90% ownership of Meridica Limited

23 Sep 2004

Glaxo drops appeal in AIDS drug pricing case

A landmark South African legal complaint against British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) over its AIDS drug pricing and policies in that country will proceed after GSK dropped its public and repeated vows to appeal a decision allowing the case to go forward.

22 Sep 2004

GlaxoSmithKline has granted a voluntary licence to Cosmos Limited for the manufacture and sale of antiretrovirals

GlaxoSmithKline currently sells zidovudine (sold as Retrovir®), lamivudine (sold as Epivir®) and the combination of the two molecules (sold as Combivir®) across the region.

22 Sep 2004

Aventis Pasteur to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the awarding of a contract to Aventis Pasteur Inc. to manufacture and store 2 million doses of avian influenza H5N1 vaccine

22 Sep 2004

Data suggests potential role of Quadramet in conjunction with chemotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Cytogen Corporation today announced the presentation of new data relating to its lead therapeutic product Quadramet (samarium Sm-153 lexidronam injection) during the 36th Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).

20 Sep 2004

Isis Pharmaceuticals licenses second anti-cancer drug candidate to Lilly

Isis Pharmaceuticals announced today that Eli Lilly and Company licensed LY2275796, a second-generation antisense anti-cancer drug candidate for clinical development.

20 Sep 2004

Bonviva, to treat osteoporosis, submitted for marketing authorisation in Europe

Roche and GlaxoSmithKline announced today the submission of a Marketing Authorisation Application to the European authorities for a novel, once-monthly oral formulation of their new bisphosphonate, Bonviva (ibandronate), for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

20 Sep 2004

European positive for Cymbalta and Xeristar

Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products in Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has issued a positive opinion recommending approval of duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive episodes.

20 Sep 2004

Crucell and AIDS Vaccine Initiative have signed an exclusive license agreement to develop an AIDS vaccine

Dutch biotechnology company Crucell and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) have signed an exclusive license agreement to develop an AIDS vaccine based on Crucell’s AdVac® technology.

20 Sep 2004

Wyeth supports FDA recommendation to strengthen antidepressant labeling

Statement by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Joint Advisory Committee’s recommendation to strengthen the product labels across the antidepressant category regarding use in the pediatric population.

16 Sep 2004

Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Celexa, Effexor, Luvox and Remeron should have "Black Box" warnings

A panel of experts has voted 15 to 8 in favour of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adding black box warnings to certain medications used to treat depression in children and teenagers.

14 Sep 2004

ID Biomedical to supply meningitis C vaccine to the Canadian government

The Canadian government has retained an option to purchase additional product from the Company in the third and final year of the contract. The total value of the contract, including the third year option, could total approximately $30 million to ID Biomedical.

14 Sep 2004

Which provincial pharmacare system works best to protect Canadians against catastrophic drug costs?

Health-care economy researchers at the University of British Columbia have found there is wide variation in coverage for pharmaceuticals in Canada.

14 Sep 2004

Potential new drug for the treatment of sickle cell disease

The results were published in the June 2004 issue of The British Journal of Haematology (BJH). MX-1520 is a prodrug of vanillin, a very popular food additive generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.

13 Sep 2004

Yentreve available in Europe for treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Yentreve (duloxetine hydrochloride) is now available in certain European countries, giving women suffering from moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) a pharmaceutical treatment option for the first time.

13 Sep 2004

Phase I clinical trial of new drug for severe asthma

Cambridge Antibody Technology today announced that it is starting a Phase I clinical trial of CAT-354, a human anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody, which is a potential treatment for severe asthma, following recent approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

8 Sep 2004

Cymbalta approved for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Eli Lilly's Cymbalta, a balanced and potent serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Cymbalta is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

8 Sep 2004

FDA approval for chewable ADHD tablets

Alliant Pharmaceuticals has announced FDA approval of Methylin Chewable Tablets and Methylin Oral Solution for the treatment of ADHD. The two products are the first, and only, chewable tablet and oral solution for ADHD to gain FDA acceptance.

7 Sep 2004