News

MorphoSys says 2010 result will be below forecast

Country
Germany

MorphoSys AG said its preliminary, unaudited financial results for 2010 show revenue of €87 million, up by 7.4% from a year earlier, and an operating profit of €10 million, down by 12.3%. Both figures are lower than the forecasted amounts.

FDA approves new antidepressant

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to treat major depressive disorder in adults. The drug, Viibryd (vilazodone hydrochloride), is a dual-acting modulator of serotonin neurotransmission developed by Clinical Data Inc.

Evotec to collaborate with Takeda on CNS discovery

Country
Germany

Evotec AG has announced plans to collaborate with Takeda Cambridge Ltd, a unit of Japan’s largest pharmaceutical company, to identify small-molecule modulators against GPCR and protease targets involved in neurological and metabolic diseases.

GSK to take 2010 fourth quarter legal charge

Country
United Kingdom

GlaxoSmithKline Plc has announced that it expects to take a 2010 fourth quarter charge of £2.2 billion relating to additional provisioning for a US investigation of its US sales practices and for product liability cases regarding Avandia (rosiglitazone).

Abbott withdraws drug application from the EMA

Country
United Kingdom

Abbott Laboratories Ltd has decided to withdraw its European marketing authorisation application for Ozespa (briakinumab) which was intended to be used for moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in adults, according to the EMA.

Merck stops trial of cardiovascular drug

Country
United States

Merck & Co has stopped a late-stage clinical trial of its anti-clotting drug, vorapaxar, and restricted a second study on the advice of an independent data and safety monitoring board. A regulatory filing for the drug had been planned in 2011.

UK scientists to study cancer stem cells

Country
United Kingdom

A group of prominent UK scientists has been assembled to carry out a two-year research project to investigate the role of cancer stem cells in the development, growth and spread of tumours in breast, prostate and head and neck cancers.