News

FDA approves Herceptin for stomach cancer

Country
Switzerland

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Herceptin (trastuzumab) in combination with chemotherapy for HER2-positive metastatic stomach and gastroesophageal junction cancers, the drug’s manufacturer, Roche, announced.

FDA issues warning for prostate cancer drugs

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has asked manufacturers of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, which are used to treat men with prostate cancer, to carry warnings on their labels about the potential risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Cerenis Therapeutics raises additional €10 million

Country
France

Cerenis Therapeutics SA has raised an additional €10 million in the second closing of a Series C round to support its portfolio of therapies to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. This brings total funds raised in the C round to €50 million.

US regulatory warning for Invirase

Country
United States

New safety information has been added to the label for the HIV therapy, Invirase (saquinavir), describing potentially life-threatening side effects on the heart when used with Novir (ritonavir), the US Food and Drug Administration announced.

GSK’s sales decline in Q3

Country
United Kingdom

GlaxoSmithKline Plc reported a sales decline of 2% in the third quarter of 2010 to £6.8 billion. However, excluding events such as the suspension of Avandia (rosiglitazone) in Europe and restrictions in the US, sales rose by an underlying 6%.

Novartis’s net income rose 10% in third quarter

Novartis International AG has reported a 10% rise in net income to $2.3 billion in the 2010 third quarter on net sales of $12.6 billion. Recently launched products accounted for 20% of third-quarter sales, up from 15% a year earlier.

MDxHealth adopts a personalised-medicine strategy

Country
Belgium

OncoMethylome Sciences SA, which recently re-launched itself as MDxHealth, is shifting its business strategy away from the development of biomarker services for third parties to focus on stand-alone diagnostics for the detection and prognosis of cancers.

FDA approves Pradaxa for stroke prevention

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Pradaxa capsules (dabigatran etexilate) for the prevention of stroke and blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. The product has been developed by Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH.

FDA rejects new drug application for Bydureon

Country
United States

Eli Lilly and Co, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc and Alkermes Inc have received a ‘complete response letter’ from the US Food and Drug Administration for Bydureon which is intended to improve glycemic control for adults with Type 2 diabetes.