
Dr.Shruti Bhat, a Generics & specialty pharmaceutical expert, brings to you some highlights from current pharma business news-
Technology may allow vaccines to be preserved without refrigeration.
A new technology, developed by British firm Nova Bio-Pharma Technologies and tested at Oxford University, may represent a sea change in vaccine preservation -- minimizing the need for long-term storage in refrigerators or freezers, and improving access and global health as a result." The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, found that "the technology, which utilizes special membranes stabilized with a sugar compound, was shown to preserve two different types of virus-based vaccines for four months at a temperature" of 113 degrees Fahrenheit or 45 degrees Celsius "with no degradation."
Technology may allow vaccines to be preserved without refrigeration.
A new technology, developed by British firm Nova Bio-Pharma Technologies and tested at Oxford University, may represent a sea change in vaccine preservation -- minimizing the need for long-term storage in refrigerators or freezers, and improving access and global health as a result." The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, found that "the technology, which utilizes special membranes stabilized with a sugar compound, was shown to preserve two different types of virus-based vaccines for four months at a temperature" of 113 degrees Fahrenheit or 45 degrees Celsius "with no degradation."
The researchers also found the vaccines could be stored for a year or more at 37 degrees Celsius with only minimal losses of vaccine.
Watson To Pay $47 Million For Drug To Prevent Premature Birth.
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. press reported that it will pay $47 million upfront for a Columbia Laboratories Inc. drug that is being developed for the prevention of premature birth." Watson will pay $45.5 million more if the drug, currently marketed as Crinone and Prochieve, "succeeds in clinical testing, gets approved, and reaches the market." The companies also are working "on a late stage clinical trial of Crinone for the prevention of premature birth in women with a short cervix."
Bristol-Myers Has 60 Potential Drugs In Its Pipeline.
Executives at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. told analysts at a business briefing that the drug maker has 60 potential drugs in development, seven in late-stage studies." Bristol-Myers "said it expects future revenue from those medicines and growing sales from existing drugs to help offset an expected plunge in Plavix sales in 2012." The key drugs in development "include the blood thinner apixaban, organ transplant drug belatacept, cancer drug brivanib, diabetes drug dapagliflozin and skin cancer drug ipilimumab."
The Wall Street Journal reports that GlaxoSmithKline PLC seeks to expand in India through both acquisitions and core business growth, Glaxo CEO Andrew Witty said, "Opportunities will be evaluated based on a variety of factors, including the strategic nature of the fit."
Synta Pharmaceuticals To Restart Development Of Skin Cancer Drug.
Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. announced that "it will restart development of its skin cancer drug candidate elesclomol," a decision reached "after consulting with the Food and Drug Administration." The company "said it expects to start at least one new clinical trial in the second half of 2010." The drug is designed to treat metastatic melanoma. The company halted a trial of elesclomol due to safety issues and an increased number of deaths among those on the medicine.
Roche Expects Increase In Sales From China.
Perrigo Co., a maker of the over-the-counter drugs, "said it would buy Orion Laboratories for $48 million in cash, expanding its market in Australia and New Zealand." Perrigo "said the addition of Orion," which makes and distributes pharmaceutical products to hospitals, "will boost annual sales by more than $30 million and add to earnings in the first year."
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