News

FDA approves Menveo for children

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Novartis’s quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine, Menveo, for children from two to 10 years. But it has turned back an application from the Swiss company for use of the vaccine in infants.

FDA approves rituximab as maintenance treatment

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab) as a maintenance treatment for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma who responded to initial treatment with the antibody, plus chemotherapy, Roche said.

Novartis reports growth from new products in 2010

Country
Switzerland

Novartis AG said that recently launched products represented 21% of sales in 2010, a year during which 13 medicines received regulatory approvals. Net sales rose by 14% in constant currencies to $50.6 billion.

Actelion, GSK drop sleep disorder drug

Country
Switzerland

Actelion Ltd of Switzerland and GlaxoSmithKline Plc have stopped clinical development of the Phase 3 investigational drug for insomnia, Almorexant. The decision follows a review of data from studies on the drug’s profile, including its tolerability.

Complete Response Letter issued for Avodart

Country
United Kingdom

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a complete response letter to GlaxoSmithKline Plc relating to its supplemental new drug application for Avodart (dutasteride) for prostate cancer. This does not affect approved uses for the drug.

AstraZeneca to nearly double the size of its share repurchases in 2011

Country
United Kingdom

AstraZeneca Plc plans to nearly double the size of its share repurchases in 2011 even though projected revenues remain flat or slightly negative. Continued productivity gains have made it possible to finance the share buybacks as well as to declare a 2010 dividend of $2.55 per share, up 11% from 2009.

Santhera and Newron report talks

Country
Switzerland

In separate statements, Santhera Pharmaceuticals of Switzerland and Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA of Italy have announced that discussions are taking place between them, the outcome of which cannot be predicted.

Oxford BioTherapeutics out-licenses preclinical antibody

Country
United Kingdom

In yet another example of the fast pace of cancer research, Sanofi-Aventis has signed an exclusive licensing deal with Oxford BioTherapeutics Ltd to gain access to a preclinical antibody programme that can be used to develop antibody-drug conjugate products.