The US Food and Drug Administration has extended the approved indication for the blood-thinning drug Brilinta (ticagrelor) to include the long-term use in patients with a history of heart failure. The approval was announced on 3 September.
Repatha (evolocumab), a new drug for lowering cholesterol in patients with cardiovascular disease or familial hypercholesterolemia, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Developed by Amgen, the drug received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency in May.
Germany-based Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH has launched a subsidiary in the US with the support of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in order to develop adoptive cellular therapies for the treatment of a range of cancers.
Merus BV of the Netherlands has entered into an agreement with investors to sell up to €72.8 million in Series C preferred shares to support the development of its bispecific antibody therapeutics which are based on the company’s own transgenic mouse technology.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc has announced plans to acquire Sprout Pharmaceuticals Inc - just two days after Sprout received US regulatory approval to launch a new drug for low sexual desire in premenopausal women.
A new drug intended to treat low sexual desire in women has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Addyi (flibanserin) is the first pharmaceutical for this condition, which is known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
H. Lundbeck A/S produced some promising sales figures in its report for the first half year but this was overshadowed by another, more severe, cost cutting exercise by its newly appointed chief executive, Kåre Schultz.
Merck & Co Inc has announced plans to collaborate with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas to investigate combinations of its checkpoint antibody Keytruda (pembrolizumab) with other agents as possible treatments for three solid tumours.
A Phase 2 study of venetoclax, a new drug for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), has shown a clinically meaningful reduction in cancer cells in patients with a specific genetic mutation known as the 17p deletion. The patients all had refractory CLL.
Evotec AG increased its revenue by 37% to €55 million in the first half year, helped by favourable exchange rates, milestone payments and fees from pharmaceutical partners for whom it provides services. For the year as a whole, the company expects revenue to grow by 35%.