The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine, for people 50 years and older to prevent pneumonia and invasive disease caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and colleagues have described how antigenic drift occurs on the influenza virus opening the possibility that more rational designs for influenza vaccines could be created in the future.
A novel study that will look at the relative efficacy of two marketed rheumatoid arthritis drugs has been initiated by UCB SA. The post-marketing study will compare UCB’s Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) with Abbott’s Humira (adalimumab).
The European Medicines Agency has announced the start of a safety review of aliskiren-containing medicines following a decision by Novartis, the developer, to stop a Phase 3 study of the drug in a new indication.
Sanofi SA has agreed to pay up to €180 million to privately-held Scil Technology GmbH for exclusive rights to the German company’s preclinical programme for cartilage regeneration. The programme is based on the rhCD-RAP protein.
AstraZeneca Plc has struck deals with companies operating in China and Japan giving it access to novel compounds in the therapeutic areas of oncology and diabetes. The separate deals involve preclinical and clinical assets.
Paion AG has announced significant staff cuts and a reduction in the compensation of its executive team in order extend the company’s cash runway and secure more time to reach a partnering agreement for its sedative, remimazolam.
AstraZeneca Plc has stopped development of olaparib for ovarian cancer on efficacy grounds. It has also announced the second trial failure of a new compound, TC-5214, for patients with major depressive disorder.
Novartis has stopped a Phase-3 trial of the renin inhibitor, aliskiren, in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment because of safety problems and evidence the drug wasn’t effective. Aliskiren was being studied in 8,606 patients globally.
Just back in Europe from the American Society of Hematology meeting in San Diego California, executives of Genmab A/S expressed optimism about the commercial prospects of the monoclonal antibody, daratumumab, which is being developed to treat multiple myeloma.