Regulation & Policy

Merck and Intercell stop vaccine trial

Country
Austria

Merck & Co and Austria’s Intercell AG have announced the end of a Phase 2/3 clinical trial of a vaccine for the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection. Trial enrolment had previously been suspended in April.

Vidofludimus misses primary endpoint in RA trial

Country
Germany

4SC AG has announced that a Phase 2b trial of its small molecule inhibitor of pro-inflammatory cytokines, vidofludimus, failed to meet its primary endpoint in a Phase 2b trial of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

European regulators to disclose more application data

Country
United Kingdom

The European Medicines Agency and national regulators in the European Union member states are proposing to relax procedures regarding the protection of  pharmaceutical data in order to put more information into the public domain.

FDA approves new antibacterial

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new antibacterial for the treatment of diarrhoea associated with Clostridium difficile in adults 18 years and older, according to the drug’s manufacturer, Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Intercell recalls a certain batch of encephalitis vaccine

Country
Austria

Intercell AG is recalling batch JEV09L37 its Japanese encephalitis vaccine, Ixiaro, because it is less potent than expected. At a result, the CHMP committee of the European Medicines Agency recommended revaccination with a different batch.

CHMP gives Benlysta positive opinion

Country
United Kingdom

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has given a positive opinion to Benlysta (belimumab), GlaxoSmithKline’s new medicine for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The drug was approved by the FDA on 9 March 2011.

FDA approves test for toxoplasmosis

Country
France

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first test for establishing whether a pregnant woman or a person with swollen lymph nodes who tests positive for toxoplasmosis has developed the infection within the past four months.

FDA approves new hepatitis C drug

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced the approval of Victrelis (boceprevir) to treat certain adults with chronic hepatitis C. It has been authorised for use in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin.

Roche makes submissions for personalised medicine

Country
Switzerland

The Roche group has made regulatory submissions in the US and Europe for vemurafenib, a new drug to treat metastatic melanoma, together with a diagnostic test that would identify people with tumours carrying a specific genetic mutation.

FDA approves new formulation of Sanofi Pasteur vaccine

Country
France

Sanofi Pasteur has announced US Food and Drug Administration approval of a new formulation of its Fluzone Intradermal vaccine that uses a microinjection system for intradermal delivery. Delivery is via a 90% shorter needle.