Pharmaceutical Industry News Archive
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April 2008
April 1
Bayer Appeals Invalidity Ruling on Its Yasmin Patent Appeal Will Be
Heard by the Federal Circuit
Senator Grassley Asks Merck, Schering-Plough Additional Questions
About Vytorin Study
Takeda Joins the HRP Initiative to Discover Biomarkers of High-Risk
Atherosclerotic Plaque
EU Advocate General Ruiz-jarabo Maintains That a Pharmaceutical
Company Holding a Dominant Position Which Refuses to Meet the
Orders of Wholesalers, in Order to Limit Parallel Trade, Engages in
Abusive Practice
Connecticut Attorney General Sues U.S. Food And Drug Administration
Over Oxycontin
Pfizer Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Shares of Encysive
Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Announces Subsequent Offer Period
Roche NimbleGen Launches NimbleGen Sequence Capture Technology for
Targeted Genome Resequencing
April 2
Further Data Needed to Determine Risk of Heart Attack with Abacavir
Consumer Reports Poll: Most Say TV Drug Ads Should Include Info on
How to Report Side Effects
FDA MedWatch- Relenza (zanamivir) Changes To The WARNINGS AND
PRECAUTIONS Sections Of Prescribing Information For Relenza About
Postmarketing Reports Of Neurologic And Behavioral Symptoms
April 3
Zelnorm (tegaserod maleate) Information
Dendreon Announces $47 Million Registered Direct Offering
Schering-Plough Launches Productivity Transformation Program To
Confront New Challenges
Eisai to Resume Clinical Study to Evaluate E2012 as a Potential
Next Generation Alzheimer's Disease Treatment
Chugai: Reinforcement of Structure for the European Sales Bases
April 4
Abraxis BioScience Acquires Shimoda Biotech and Platco Technologies
Takeda Wins Definitive Decision in Patent Infringement Litigation
on Appeal against an ANDA Filer for Generic Actos
Grassley Questions Increases in Drug Maker Rebates to Physicians
Prescribing Anti-Anemia Drugs
Forsteo Receives Approval from the European Commission for the
Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis
April 7
Novartis to Acquire 25 Percent Minority Stake in Alcon from Nestle
Novartis to Acquire 25 Percent Minority Stake in Alcon from Nestle
Pfizer Reports Shares of Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc. Tendered
Pursuant to Guaranteed Delivery Procedures
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Announces Implementation of Strategic
Restructuring Plan
April 8
Repligen Announces Settlement with Bristol-Myers Squibb in Orencia
Lawsuit
Boehringer Ingelheim outpaces the market yet again in 2007
Bristol-Myers Squibb Selects Isis Drug Targeting PCSK9 as
Development Candidate for Prevention and Treatment of
Cardiovascular Disease
Pfizer Extends Subsequent Offering Period of Tender Offer for
Shares of Encysive Pharmaceuticals
EFPIA Calls on EU Institutions to Reform Patient Information Rules
Without Further Delay
Alligator Blood May Put the Bite on Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
Durect Provides Update on Chronogesic Research Program
GlaxoSmithKline Confirms Receipt of FDA Letter on Regulatory
Reporting
April 9
Neurogen Announces $30.6 Million Financing to Advance Clinical
Development Programs
Nektar Terminates All Negotiations With Potential Partners for
Inhaled Insulin; Increased Number of Lung Cancer Cases Observed in
Ongoing Clinical Studies of Inhaled Insulin Patients
Abraxis BioScience Announces Approval to Market Abraxane for
Metastatic Breast Cancer in Korea
VaxGen Restructures Following Termination of Proposed Merger
Novacea Receives Notification From Schering-Plough of Termination
of Collaboration Agreement
Pfizer Statement on Exubera Labeling Update in the United States
Harvard Announces Pioneering Collaboration with Merck & Co.,
Inc. to Advance Osteoporosis Research
April 10
Takeda to Acquire Millennium for US$25.00 Per Share in an All Cash
Tender Offer Valued at $8.8 Billion
Celera Grants License to Merck & Co., Inc. for Cancer Targets
ISTA Pharmaceuticals Announces Receipt of Subpoena Relating to
Promotional Practices for Xibrom
FDA MedWatch-Exubera (insulin human rDNA origin) Inhalation
Powder-Prescribing Information Updated To Include Information About
Primary Lung Malignancies In Patients In Clinical Trials
FDA MedWatch-Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system)- Product
Recalled Due To The Formation Of Rotigotine Crystals In The Patches
Pharma's Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Continues Shift to Physician
Offices, Online Programs
ArQule Provides Clinical Update on E2F-1 Program
Pregnancy and Cancer Top the List Of the Most Commonly Searched
Health Conditions
Biovail Announces Withdrawal of Legal Action by Eugene Melnyk
FDA issues a Communication About an Ongoing Safety Review of
CellCept and Myfortic
DMA Forecasts $10.6 Billion in 2008 Pharmaceutical Sales via Direct
Marketing; New Report Focuses on Pharmaceutical Industry
Genentech Announces First Quarter 2008 Results
April 11
Status of the E2007 (perampanel) Development Program
AEterna Zentaris Announces Changes to its Management Team
Leslie J. Browne Resigns as President and Chief Executive Officer
of Pharmacopeia, Inc.
PDL BioPharma Declares $500 Million Special Cash Dividend and
Announces Plan to Separate Its Biotechnology Operations From Its
Antibody Humanization Royalty Assets
PDI Signs Promotion Agreement with Major Pharmaceutical Company
April 14
Alcon Announces Plans to Build Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant
in Singapore
Teva Announces Brussels Court Decision To Revoke MSD's European
Patent On Fosamax
Responses From Pharmaceutical Drug and Device Makers to Grassley
Request for Disclosure of Support for Continuing Medical Education
Vasogen Announces Implementation of Strategic Restructuring Plan
Nutra Pharma Acquires Remaining Interest in Biopharmaceutical Drug
Discovery Company - ReceptoPharm, Inc.
April 15
AstraZeneca Settles US Nexium Patent Litigation with Ranbaxy
Shire to Introduce a New UK Listed Holding Company
Roche Fully Acquires Privately-Owned Biotech Company Piramed
Forest Laboratories, Inc. Reports Fiscal Year 2008 Fourth Quarter
Reported EPS of $0.55 Including $0.35 Per Share Charge for
Licensing Payment
Johnson & Johnson Reports 2008 First-Quarter Results:
Pfizer Completes Tender Offer for Shares of Encysive
Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Ingenuity Systems and Pfizer Announce Strategic Partnership for
Pathway Analysis
IMS Health Reports Global Prescription Sales Grew 6.4 Percent in
2007, to $712 Billion
Statins May Help Reduce Blood Pressure
Risk of Death from Rofecoxib in Some Trials May Have Been
Misrepresented by Study Sponsor
JAMA Editorial: Impugning the Integrity of Medical Science —
the Adverse Effects of Industry Influence
Use of Ghostwriters, Guest Authors Appears Frequent for Studies
Involving Rofecoxib
Merck Responds to Journal of the American Medical Association
Articles
April 16
EMD Serono Announces Planned Investment of $50 Million in Research
Center in Massachusetts
Abbott Reports Double-Digit Sales and Earnings Growth in First
Quarter and Reaffirms Full-Year Growth Outlook
Consumers' Average Prescription Drug Copay Drops as Generic Drug
Use Grows
Linguamatics Announces Expansion of Strategic Collaboration with
Pfizer
Lilly to Streamline Indianapolis Manufacturing and Engineering
Operations
Consumers' Average Prescription Drug Copay Drops as Generic Drug
Use Grows
Covalence: Ethical Ranking 1st Quarter 2008
Chemizon Announces a Second Expansion of Collaboration with Takeda
Chromos Provides Shareholder Update
Gilead Sciences Announces First Quarter 2008 Financial Results
April 17
Baxter Reports Solid First Quarter Financial Results and Raises
Full-Year Outlook
FDA Issues "Review of Therapeutic Equivalence Generic Bupropion XL
300 Mg and Wellbutrin XL 300 Mg."
Pfizer Reports First-Quarter 2008 Results; Reaffirms Full-Year 2008
Financial Guidance
GlaxoSmithKline and Regulus Therapeutics Form Strategic Alliance To
Develop MicroRNA Targeted Therapeutics to Treat Inflammatory
Diseases
Dynogen Pharmaceuticals and Apex Bioventures Mutually Terminate
Merger Agreement
Pfizer and AVANT Enter into Licensing and Development Agreement for
Novel Therapeutic Vaccine Candidate for Brain Cancer
Dainippon and Ono Discontinue Development for an Additional
Indication of Limaprost Alfadex
Roche Continues Solid Sales Growth in First Quarter of 2008 - Both
Divisions Significantly Outpace Their Markets
ViroPharma Announces Discontinuation of HCV-796 Development
Dynavax and Merck & Co., Inc. Update Status of Clinical Hold of
Investigational Vaccine Heplisav
Washington University in St. Louis and AstraZeneca Announce
Alzheimer's Research Collaboration
Growth Hormone is Used to Treat Twice as Many Short Boys Than Girls
in the U.S. and Asia; Gender Difference is Smaller in the Rest of
the World
Roche and the Institute for OneWorld Health Announce Research
Collaboration to Fight Neglected Diarrheal Diseases in Developing
Countries
Cangene Voluntarily Withdraws One Lot of its Vaccinia Immune
Globulin
HealthOpin III: Fearing Recession, Americans Cut Back on Healthcare
Spending
April 18
Federal Court in Canada Upholds Pfizer's Norvasc Patent; Decision
Prevents Launch of Generic Amlodipine Besylate Product by
Pharmascience until 2010
Energy and Commerce Leaders Release Comprehensive Food and Drug
Safety Proposal
ISS/Risk Metrics Recommends Renovis Shareholders Vote for Merger
With Evotec
April 21
Novartis Reports Higher Sales and Earnings in First Quarter of 2008
Showing Healthcare Portfolio Well on the Way to New Growth Cycle
Pfizer Japan Receives Manufacturing and Marketing Authorization for
Sutent
Vytorin Coverage with Leading Health Plans Revisited - See Uptake
of Generic Simvastatin and Crestor Without Need for Widespread
Formulary Changes
PCMA: Court of Appeals Upholds Challenge to D.C.'s PBM
Fiduciary-Disclosure Law
Report on 750 New Medicines in Development for Cancer Released in
Baton Rouge
April 22
April 23
April 24
Former Bristol-Myers Squibb Senior Vice President Indicted for
Lying to the Federal Government About Popular Blood-Thinning Drug
AstraZeneca PLC First Quarter Results 2008
Strong Double-Digit Net Sales Growth and Solid Earnings Growth
Highlight First Quarter for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Bayer Off to an Excellent Start in 2008
Arana and Kyowa Hakko to Co-Develop Anti-Cancer Drug
Genentech Announces Decision in Contract Dispute
April 25
Following a Good Start to the Year Shire Reaffirms Full Year 2008
Financial Guidance
Solvay Pharmaceuticals S.A. Launches Friendly Bid to Acquire
Innogenetics
Astellas and CoMentis Sign Agreement to Collaborate on the
Research, Development and Commercialization of Beta-Secretase
Inhibitors
Abbott Annual Meeting Highlights Outstanding 2007 Results,
International Growth and Near-Term Pipeline
Pfizer Enters into Research Consortium to Expand Understanding of
Diabetes and Obesity Pathobiology
