MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'arena'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:34 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125968&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FgEUN4aYZF2A%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Acucela hired Michelle Carpenter as senior vp for regulatory affairs and development operations. Most recently, she executive director for regulatory affairs at Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences. Before that, she was vp of regulatory affairs at Oculu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125968 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:11:41 +0100 5125968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118997&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FO0w2-RYQDAk%2F Last week, Arena Pharmaceuticals did some advance work surrounding the impending release of crucial data about its Lorqess diet pill, which was denied approval last fall by the FDA due, in part, to concerns the drug may cause tumors in rats and that efficacy was marginal. To allay those fears, the drugmaker conducted one new study and retained a group of independent pathologists to review other data (see this and this). The latest trial showed that concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid exposure were lower in human brains than in rat models given their pill (read here). The results prompted Needham analyst Alan Carr to write investors that the results “may alleviate certain FDA concerns with respect to the potential for brain tumors.” And Arena ceo Jack Lief, who has been critic... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118997 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:47:48 +0100 5118997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893913&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZzoVYKju9hA%2F Four months after receiving a complete response letter from the FDA for its Contrave diet pill, Orexigen Therapeutics has now put further development on hold after receiving an “unprecedented” request for a pre-approval clinical trial that the aspiring drug developer believes “would generate significantly more information than is necessary or feasible.” As a result, Orexigen plans an appeal this month. At issue are concerns over cardiovascular risks that prompted the FDA to request a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. In fact, the FDA told Orexigen execs that the agency plans to hold an advisory committee meeting early next year to assess cardiovascular issues with diet drugs, in general. This is only the latest indication the FDA is raising a high ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893913 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:28:00 +0100 4893913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704626&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCDMCl8OnIqI%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Do the cuts (and increases) contained in the six-month spending bill House Republicans posted overnight make sense, and do they go far enough in attacking the deficit and national debt? My response: Today’s Arena question captures perfectly what’s missing from our current budget debate. In listing a few of the compromises contained in the six-month spending bill House Republicans posted overnight, and asking whether those cuts (and increases) go far enough in attacking the deficit and national debt, it invites us to imagine that America is one big family, arguing over how “we” should spend “our” money. We’re not. As I wrote in last Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, we’re a constitutional republic, populated by discrete individual... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704626 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:33:23 +0100 4704626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658624&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ft-aVCoVtrjA%2F Hard to believe, but that is the word from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the outplacement consultants that track monthly changes in each industry. Their latest tally finds that job cuts in the pharmaceutical industry have fallen 87 percent, from 26,165 job cuts a year ago to 3,385 so far this year. This includes 960 planned layoffs announced in March. Consequently, the pharma biz no longer ranks near the top among industries that are laying off gobs and gobs of employees. For most of last year, the pharmaceutical industry had the unpleasant distinction of being the industy sector to consistently shed the largest number of people each month, trailing only the government sector. This time around, pharma did not even make the Challenger top ten (see the rankings here). Of course, jobs a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658624 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:52:37 +0100 4658624 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464705&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUzPmlJi0yIs%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that AstraZeneca hired John Yee as vp and US head medical officer. Previously, he was vp and global head, evidence-based medicine and health outcomes research at Genzyme, where he spent eight years. And before that, Yee was a faculty member at Harva... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464705 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:13:18 +0100 4464705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460183&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIscGIZzZVGw%2F For the second time in as many weeks, an aspiring maker of diet pills has cut its workforce in response to a rejection by the FDA. This time, Orexigen Therapeutics has dismissed roughly 40 percent of its staff, or 23 employees. Not huge numbers in the scheme of things, but certainly symbolic of the difficulty a trio of small companies is having as they attempt to win over a safety-conscious FDA. “We continue to believe in the potential of Contrave (its diet drug) and look forward to discussions with the FDA,” Orexigen ceo Mike Narachi says in a statement. “Unfortunately, given the near-term uncertainty of Contrave approval, we felt it prudent to consolidate and focus our resources. We are deeply grateful for the dedication and tremendous effort provided by all of our coll... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460183 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:48:27 +0100 4460183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424448&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F4AV-BeRptIw%2F Once again affirming ongoing safety concerns about the anticipated widespread use of diet pills, the FDA issued a so-called Complete Response Letter for Contrave, a drug developed by Orexigen Therapeutics. The move comes less than two months after an FDA advisory panel recommended the pill for approval, but also voted in favor of requiring additional studies to gauge cardiovascular risks (back story). In disclosing the rejection, Orexigen ceo Michael Narachi disclosed the agency wants the drugmaker to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. “We are surprised and extremely disappointed,” he says in a statement. Had the FDA approved Contrave, the pill would become the first new prescription diet drug to reach US consumers since 1999, when the FDA endorsed Ro... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424448 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:30:49 +0100 4424448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419450&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDuEhKTsDWM0%2F For the past few months, Arena Pharmaceuticals ceo Jack Lief has been at the center of controversy over the extent to which the drugmaker’s Lorqess diet pill may have links to tumors in rats and, more specifically, whether data about this possibility was disclosed correctly. Last September, he was chastised for not conveying any info prior to disclosure that was made publicly by FDA staffers, who discussed the data in documents submitted for an FDA advisory panel. After the panel voted down the drug, he argued that “we believe that (Lorqess) does not pose a cancer risk to humans at the recommended therapeutic dose…There is an immense amount of data generated in drug development. We did not, and still do not believe that the data’s relevant to humans and, as such, did not be... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419450 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:37:56 +0100 4419450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4406030&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fu6wIn052s0o%2F Reeling from setbacks in obtaining approval for its Lorqess diet pill, Arena Pharmaceutical is laying off 66 employees - about 25 percent of its workforce - and continues to maintain that a resubmission can be filed with the FDA by the end of the year. However, the drugmaker could not guarantee the deadline can be met and offered a laundry list of issues to first resolve with FDA staffers. The list includes what the drugmaker deemed as “non-clinical issues” involving ties between Lorqess and tumors in rats, a notion that has plagued Arena executives for months, especially after Arena ceo Jack Lief was criticized for failing to more thoroughly vet the topic with investors prior to the rejection by the FDA advisory panel last September (see this). In a statement, Arena says five ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4406030 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:34:16 +0100 4406030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4285351&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsM8mIx_spwY%2F After meeting with FDA officials to review the recent rejection of its Lorqess diet pill, Arena Pharmaceuticals now plans to refile its application by the end of 2011. This means, of course, its drug probably not become available until 2012 and, by then, could well be the last of a new round of diet pills to arrive in pharmacies. Hardly a competitive advantage. You may recall that an FDA advisory panel voted 9-to-5 last September not to recommend approval for Lorqess over concerns the drug may cause tumors in rats and efficacy was marginal. Meanwhile, Vivus failed to win agency approval for its Qnexa pill over side effect issues (look here), although the same FDA panel more recently did endorse the Contrave drug from Orexigen Therapeutics (read this). The three-way race is being closely w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4285351 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:20:57 +0100 4285351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281552&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXw5i4ajxIVo%2F Hello, everyone, and top of the morning to you. Another shiny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are scrambling to do too many things at once. Sounds familiar, yes? To cope, we are quaffing yet another cup of stimulation. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to help you along. Hope your day is productive and do stay in touch… Arena To Refile Obesity Drug By End Of 2011 (Reuters) Biogen And Elan Want To Update Tysabri Label (Bloomberg News) J&J Shareholders File Suit Over Manufacturing Gaffes (Bloomberg News) Novo Sales Rep Sues For Wrongful Termination (West Virginia Record) Teva And Takeda Settle Actos Patent Lawsuit (Reuters) Vertex Ends Part Of Telaprevir Study For Hepatitis C (Bloomberg News) Pharmacist Jailed For Mail Fraud (Standard Speaker) (Sou... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281552 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:17:56 +0100 4281552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238145&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGuLviF9y5LA%2F In a surprise move, the FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Advisory committee voted 13-to-7 to recommend that Orexigen Therapeutics’ Contrave diet pill be allowed on the market. If the agency follows the advice, which is not guaranteed, Contrave would become the first new prescription diet drug to reach US consumers since 1999, when the FDA approved Roche’s Xenical. The panel, however, also voted 11-to-8 that additional studies are needed to ascertain cardiovascular risks. Nonetheless, the recommendation has the potential to drastically change the weight-loss market and, perhaps, put a dent in the burgeoning population of obese people, which has become a public health issue. Despite the clamoring for new diet tools, the same FDA panel earlier this year bounced two other n... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238145 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:49:42 +0100 4238145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225654&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZFTHevu79xk%2F Twice this year, an FDA advisory committee refused to recommend new diet pills for marketing approval. First, Vivus failed to win approval for its Qnexa drug and the same fate then met Arena Pharmaceuticals and its Lorqess med (see here and here). Next Tuesday, however, the third in this controversial trifecta will make an appearance - Orexigen Therapeutics and its Contrave pill. Will the outcome be different? The FDA briefing documents point out some safety issues, but there do not appear to be any great surprises either, suggesting that, well, anything is possible. On one hand, four studies conducted by Orexigen demonstrated that overweight patients lost, on average, 4.2 percent more weight than patients taking a placebo. On the other hand, this falls short of the FDA guideline that ther... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225654 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:47:33 +0100 4225654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152273&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FO1X6uNbncO0%2F When the FDA issued a complete response letter last month for the Arena Pharmaceutical diet pill, the agency cited a few reasons: pending results of a trial in 604 patients with diabetes, concerns that the pill may cause tumors in rats and efficacy was marginal (look here). There was no mention, however, of another issue that two months ago prompted an FDA advisory panel to reject the drug in a 9-to-5 vote: valvulopathy, which is heart-valve disease (see this). Now, though, that issue might just be revisited. This morning, Arena issued the results of the awaited trial for its Lorqess pill and valvulopathy cropped up again. After 52 weeks, 2.9 percent of the people on the diet drug developed valvulopathy, compared with just 0.5 percent on a placebo. Arena, however, says the trial was not po... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152273 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:31:40 +0100 4152273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119714&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FW3v5dhlNOsg%2F Earlier this year, there was nothing short of hoopla surrounding the notion that a new trio of diet drugs may win FDA approval. Why? Obesity remains a huge health problem (no pun intended) and there hadn’t been a new prescription diet pill since Roche’s Xenical arrived in 1999. And with FDA advisory committee meetings planned, the reasoning went that the agency saw the need for a new therapy. All of which made sense, to a point. But this is an era when the FDA is under pressure to ensure that safety is a high priority. And rightfully so, given recent controversies over manipulation of clinical trial data and side effects surrounding various meds, as well as agency infighting. Diet pills, however, have merited special attention thanks to the 1997 withdrawal of part of Wyeth&#821... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119714 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:09:20 +0100 4119714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4106060&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpHeo8jvbsAY%2F The intense bickering leading up to the FDA decision to reject - for now - the Arena Pharmaceuticals Lorqess diet pill has some angry investors looking for the proverbial silver lining. For instance, in discussing the complete response letter issued by the agency late last week, investors have noted on blogs and message boards that the drugmaker will soon report preliminary data from a clinical trial in obese diabetics and that an independent third-party will be retained to review tumor data in rats. For weeks, some investors have been railing that the FDA conducted a biased, or at least flawed review, after agency staffers released a report prior to an advisory committee meeting last month that focused on tumors in rats. To press their point, an online petition was begun. Since then, the ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4106060 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:22:50 +0100 4106060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098457&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9e7B44LUKWI%2F Those who argued there was a ‘fat chance’ the FDA would approve the Arena diet pill were correct. The drugmaker issued a statement this morning saying the agency sent a complete response letter and the rejection can be attributed to waiting for results of a trial in patients with diabetes, concerns the Lorquess pill may cause tumors in rats and that efficacy was marginal. The outcome is hardly surprising, given the issues raised by FDA reviewers at an advisory committee meeting (look here). The session may have prompted outrage among some investors, who generated considerable attention by circulating a petition insisting FDA staff was biased, but the agency is exercising considerable caution these days over safety issues (back story). This is especially true for diet pills afte... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098457 Sat, 23 Oct 2010 14:58:54 +0100 4098457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098462&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FofgMWGHYZdw%2F Today is the day that countless people - from the overweight to those overweighted in Arena Pharmaceutical stock - may learn whether the FDA will approve the drugmaker’s diet pill. Not every agency deadline is so closely watched, but this one is generating enormous attention for two reasons - diet pills have not fared well despite the rising rate of obesity and an unusual push by angry investors who believe the FDA unfairly reviewed the drug - which we were the first to report (see this). Last month, you may recall, an FDA advisory committee voted 9-to-5 that the risks of the Lorqess diet drug developed by Arena outweighed the benefits. The decision came after concerns about valvulopathy and, in particular, links to malignancies in rats at higher doses, which were revealed in FDA bri... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098462 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:57:50 +0100 4098462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055957&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAN4d2O3u9_g%2F The decision late last week by the FDA to encourage Abbott Laboratories to withdraw its Meridia diet pill has obvious implications for other drugmakers seeking approval for obesity drugs. But will those companies gain or lose? The answer will depend on the extent to which the FDA sees the need to offer more options to fight fat while weighing (pun intended) pressing safety concerns. On one hand, there are few options available to overweight Americans: Roche’s Xenical, which is also sold over-the-counter by GlaxoSmithKline as Alli, and phentermine, the surviving half of the infamous fen-phen weight-loss cocktail (the other half, fenfleuramine, along with a chemically related pill were both recalled in 1997 due to serious heart and lung side effects). But these are only modestly effect... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055957 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:53:29 +0100 4055957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031504&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiG4QgbXyXhs%2F Last month, an FDA advisory committee voted 9-to-5 that the risks of the Lorqess diet drug developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals outweigh the benefits. That move came after concerns about valvulopathy and, in particular, links to malignancies in rats at higher doses, which were revealed in FDA briefing documents and caught some people, including Wall Street analysts, by surprise. The decision caused a stir among investors and a subsequent controversy about whether Arena properly and promptly disclosed the existence of the tumor data (look here). In comments made to Wall Street analysts following the FDA panel vote, ceo Jack Lief insisted the info was handled correctly. An FDA decision is expected later this month. Now, a petition has begun circulating the Internet in which the FDA is being as... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031504 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:21:30 +0100 4031504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3981013&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F33pA4HZ1krY%2F No one at Arena Pharmaceuticals could accuse ceo Jack Lief of being a rat. In a conference call yesterday with analysts after an FDA panel rejected the drugmaker’s Lorqess diet pill due to safety concerns, Lief acknowledged that different forms of cancer had been seen in rats treated with high doses. But he stressed that “when we learned of the data, we promptly discussed it with the FDA.” But then Cowen analyst Phil Nadeau asked if the info was ever made available to the public or was the FDA briefing document released this week the first time investors might have learned of this finding. Lief replied by saying “…we believe that (Lorqess) does not pose a cancer risk to humans at the recommended therapeutic dose…There is an immense amount of data generat... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3981013 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:06:18 +0100 3981013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976706&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fc3GfNw9GHL8%2F In a decision that is not very surprising, an FDA advisory committee voted 9-to-5 that the risks of the Lorqess diet drug developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals outweigh the benefits. The move came after concerns about valvulopathy and links to malignancies in rats at higher doses, which were revealed unexpectedly in FDA briefing documents (see here). This is the second time in recent weeks that the FDA Endocrinologic and Metabolic Advisory committee has shot down a new diet drug. In July, the panel Qnexa pill developed by Vivus (see this). The vote also is a big setback for Eisai, which recently paid $50 million for the rights to sell Arena’s drug; and agreed to cough up $160 million based on development and approval milestones, and a $1.16 billion, one-time payment based on annual sal... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976706 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:09:14 +0100 3976706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976710&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FT-EWnRbXh7I%2F At first blush, diet pills appear to be all the rage these days. There are no fewer than three new obesity drugs that have generated enormous interest - among investors and patients - this year. And for awhile, the anticipation has suggested this troubled market - which has been littered with recalls, litigation and limited effectiveness - may finally generate real progress. Recently, though, there has been as much concern as optimism. Two months ago, an FDA advisory panel voted against marketing approval for Vivus’ Qnexa pill over worries about usage by pregnant women and psychiatric side effects (back story). [Yesterday, another panel couldn't decide whether to yank Abbott Labs' much older Meridia drug, which is linked to cardiovascular risk, or issue stronger warnings]. Today, an... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976710 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:00:06 +0100 3976710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913122&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealing-the-spirit-more-profitable-than-healing-the-body%2F2010.08.28 Yes, it’s true – most doctors may soon be government employees. No, not the Lasik surgeons, the plastic surgeons, or the dentists — they were clearly more focused on career day. But is it necessarily a bad thing if all of your income comes from federal, state, or local governments? If your business is caring for the medical needs of the less fortunate, a Medicaid doctor or a VA doctor perhaps, then your luxury box may be something more Thoreau-like, maybe some nice lawn furniture in the backyard. On the other hand, if your business model involves caring for recently-released prisoners or drug addicts, then you are in the financial sweet spot. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr John M* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913122 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3913122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899484&cid=t_161633_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fassessment-ingenix-makes-hie-move-acquiring-axolotl Last week, Ingenix announced that it would be acquiring Axolotl. Probably no one was happier than the folks at Gilat Satellite Networks who had invested $4.5M in Axolotl over ten years ago, had written off that investment during the dot-com bust in 2001 and now is looking at getting some $24M in cash plus another $3M by year’s end. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899484 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:20:29 +0100 3899484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831556&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7PdyP6SApPE%2F Eight months after their counterparts in Europe told doctors to stop prescribing the Meridia diet pill, the FDA has finally scheduled an advisory committee meeting to review safety risks. A spokesman for Abbott Labs, which sells the drug, confirmed the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs advisory committee will review Meridia on Sept. 15, a day before Arena Pharmaceuticals’ lorcaserin is reviewed. The move comes in the wake of a trial known as SCOUT, which emerged last November and showed an increased risk of serious, non-fatal cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart attack, when comparing the drug with a placebo among nearly 10,000 patients. The trial was designed to assess the impact of weight loss on cardiovascular problems in a large group of overweight people taking the pi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831556 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:00:39 +0100 3831556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758106&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDjg7tRYJ3HQ%2F What will it take to convince a panel of experts that a diet pill is safe, not just effective? Vivus is the latest company to fail to come up with an answer. An FDA advisory committee today voted 9 to 7 to reject its Qnexa pill, which was effective in clinical trials, but worried panelists about usage by pregnant women and psychiatric side effects. These concerns were raised by agency medical reviewers (look here), given that diet drugs are widely expected to be used on a long-term basis. The outcome contradicts what some Wall Street analysts were cautiously predicting - a vote in favor of recommending approval, albeit with labeling and marketing restrictions, which would have made Qnexa the first new prescription diet pill in more than a decade. However, this has been a three-way race. Tw... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758106 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:14:15 +0100 3758106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754072&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpWOUBv8r4-w%2F Rise and shine, another day is on the way. Although the pace is likely to feel slower now that the FDA panel meeting on Avandia is done. Then again, there is another meeting today about a diet pill, which should be interesting. Meanwhile, please join us as we brew the mandatory cup of stimulation and scan the news of the world. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… Thieves Steal Two Glaxo Trailers (SecuringPharma) Vivus Diet Drug Faces FDA Panel Today (Reuters) Novartis Quarterly Profit Rises (Bloomberg News) Arena’s Diet Pill Helped With Weight Loss (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754072 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:20:49 +0100 3754072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718693&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuxvU1Buf_Gg%2F More than a decade ago, the fen-phen weight-loss cocktail and a related diet pill called Redux made headlines after links to heart and lung troubles forced a recall, which eventually cost Wyeth $21 billion in charges. Other prescription drugs - Abbott’s Meridia and Roche’s Xenical - never fared well due to side effects. Sanofi-Aventis never sold Acomplia due to psychiatric side effects. And even the over-the-counter Alli pill, which is really a version of Xenical, is suspect these days thanks to concerns over liver injury (see here). Now, though, a trio of would-be diet pill makers is focusing attention anew on the long-disgraced obesity market. This is underscored by Eisai’s willingness to pay $50 million for the rights to sell Arena Pharmaceuticals’ lorcaserin in... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718693 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:57:20 +0100 3718693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629870&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuuoSiaC2UfA%2F And so another working week is about to draw to a close. And not a moment too soon, yes? What are your plans this weekend? A trip to the beach? A stroll in the park? Running around with your own short people? As for us, we have a full menu that includes yet another lacrosse tournament and showing off the newest Pharmalot mascot. Time is also alotted for the official Pharmalot nap. Whatever you do, have a great time and see you soon… Ranbaxy Recalls Painkillers In The UK (Bloomberg News) Hormone Patch May Be Safer For Women: Study (Reuters) Pfizer Recalls Products Made By Claris (Dow Jones) J&J Misled Pennsylvania On Risperdal Risks (Bloomberg News) Abbott Wins FDA Approval For Ovarian Cancer Test (Medill Reports) Merck Creates Collaboration For Cancer Research (The Star-Ledger) ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629870 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:20:55 +0100 3629870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625777&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fph5u0_86NrQ%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. A busy day is under way here at the Pharmalot corporate campus where we are chasing various short people off to the schoolhouse. And then there are those meetings and deadlines. No doubt, you can relate. So time to reach for the mandatory cup of stimulation and scan the news of the world. Have a good one… Elan CEO To Quit In 2012 (Reuters) Roche Ends Enrollment For Avastin NHL Trial (Reuters) USP Forges Stronger Ties To Russia And Ukraine (InPharmaTechnologist) Avandia Helps Prevent Diabetes In Low-Dose Combo (Bloomberg News) Orexo And J&J Sign Respiratory Disease Deal (PharmaTimes) FDA Panel Rejects AstraZeneca Infant Lung Drug (Bloomberg News) FDA Panel To Review Arena Diet Pill (Reuters) New Zealand To Review Recalls (Stuff) (Source: Ph... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625777 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:47:51 +0100 3625777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564202&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fp-W5nW88_Ek%2F And so another working week will soon draw to a close. Already, we foresee brisk walks with the official Pharmalot mascot and cozy naps on the official Pharmalot couch. What will you do this weekend? Before getting carried away, there are those meetings and deadlines to conquer. So please join us as we quaffe a cup of stimulation and prepare for the day. And have a great weekend, whatever you do. See you soon… Pfizer And Strides Sign Deal For Oncology Drugs (Reuters) FDA Rejects Teva Petition To Block Generic Copaxone (Globes Online) How Valuable Is Arena’s Fat Pill? (Seeking Alpha) Diet Pills Are Bought Too Easily In The UK (BBC Watchdog) Florida May Tighten Psychotropic Drug Rules (Daytona Beach News-Journal) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564202 Fri, 14 May 2010 12:04:38 +0100 3564202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463860&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJaZrlnZOQB4%2F Rise and shine. Another day is under way and who knows what it will bring? Perhaps opportunity will knock. Certainly, there is much to do. So grab a cup of something stimulating, or a water bottle if you prefer, and embrace the moment. To help you along, here are a few items of interest. Have a great day, everyone, and stay in touch… Roche Denies Plans To Leave The UK (Dow Jones) Obesity Drugs Await FDA Approval (The Wall Street Journal) Roche Buys Insulin Pump Maker (Reuters) Gilead Starts Late-Stage Test Of 4-In-1 HIV Drug (Associated Press) Bayer Stock Rises On Novartis Bid Rumor (Reuters) Novartis’ Gilena Slashes MS Relapse Rate (PharmaTimes) Wockhardt Looks Wobbly (Financial Express) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463860 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:11 +0100 3463860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359216&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FzEiv7-Y0wkk%2F There are gray skies hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus this morning, but our spirits are sunny. And why not? If nothing else, the weekend is just around the corner. Yes, there are deadlines and meetings between now and then, but still, we look ahead to spending time with the short people and catching up on our to-do list. What will you do? While you ponder, here are a few items to help you along. Whatever your choice, have a nice weekend… Birth Control Pills May Help Women Live Longer (Bloomberg News) Nigerian Start-Up Fights Counterfeit Drugs (The Wall Street Journal) Arena Will Launch Diet Drug With Or Without A Partner (Reuters) Roche’s Avastin Fails Prostate Cancer Study Goal (Bloomberg News) Merck’s Vytorin Effectiveness Study To Continue (Associated Press... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359216 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:35:59 +0100 3359216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3326961&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVDed4mPfv20%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a letter to congressional leaders, President Obama wrote of his openness to including Republican proposals in his health care legislation. Dropping a few Republican ideas into a government takeover of health care is like sterilizing the needle before a lethal injection: a nice thought, but the ultimate outcome is the same. Two of the four Republican ideas – federal grants to states that adopt medical malpractice liability reforms, and ratcheting upward Medicare’s physician-price controls – would increase government spending. The president’s health savings accounts (HSAs) proposal would merely loosen the noose around consumer-directed health plans. Undercover investigations in Medicare and Medicaid are likely to be as unsuccessful as past efforts to comba... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3326961 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:04:19 +0100 3326961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3225013&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcwGhX8k34Sw%2F Hello, everyone. Nothing like a brisk Sunday morning to move you to curl up and catch up on some reading. Here on the sunny but quite cold Pharmalot corporate campus, we are doing just that. And, of course, quaffing a cup or three of needed stimulation. Later, we hope to take the official Pharmalot mascot for the usual constitutional. Whatever you do today, we hope it is enjoyable. Meanwhile, here are a few items to keep you fresh. Have a great time… GLAXOSMITHKLINE WILL CUT UP TO 4,000 JOBS as part of its plans to restructure its workforce and focus increasingly on emerging markets, according to The Times of London. The bulk of the cuts will be in America and Europe, and are part of the drugmaker’s efforts to shift resources away from low-growth territories into parts of the world... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3225013 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:17:48 +0100 3225013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3182169&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FleTUXXseucI%2F By Michael F. CannonEven if Democrat Martha Coakley wins 50 percent of the vote in the race to fill the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (ahem) term, there are other numbers emanating from Massachusetts that present a problem for President Obama’s health plan. On Wednesday, the Cato Institute will release “The Massachusetts Health Plan: Much Pain, Little Gain,” authored by Cato adjunct scholar Aaron Yelowitz and yours truly. Our study evaluates Massachusetts’ 2006 health law, which bears a “remarkable resemblance” to the president’s plan. We use the same methodology as previous work by the Urban Institute, but ours is the first study to evaluate the effects of the Massachusetts law using Current Population Survey data for 2008 (i.e., from the 2009 March suppl... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3182169 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:12:07 +0100 3182169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3171889&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqfHgYHyCgPg%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a new study titled, “Obama’s Prescription for Low-Wage Workers: High Implicit Taxes, Higher Premiums,” I show that the House and Senate health care bills would impose implicit tax rates on low-wage workers that exceed 100 percent.  Here’s the executive summary: House and Senate Democrats have produced health care legislation whose mandates, subsidies, tax penalties, and health insurance regulations would penalize work and reward Americans who refuse to purchase health insurance. As a result, the legislation could trap many Americans in low-wage jobs and cause even higher health-insurance premiums, government spending, and taxes than are envisioned in the legislation. Those mandates and subsidies would impose effective marginal tax rates on lo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3171889 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:31:52 +0100 3171889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3119063&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNK7mXe7uAfY%2F A long holiday weekend may be in the offing, but the Pharmalot corporate campus is still humming. And why not? The world has not stopped spinning, after all, and there is always something interesting going on. So while you prepare for the holiday or simply slow down the usual pace, here are a few items to help you along. Meanwhile, we pass along holiday greetings and hope everyone has a wonderful few days to relax. See you soon… UK’s NICE Won’t Cover Sanofi’s Multitaq Heart Drug (Bloomberg News) Teva-Kowa Buys Most Of Taisho (MarketWatch) Merck Ends Deal With Arena For Heart Drug (San Diego Business Journal) FDA Tells Pfizer Its Lyrica Anxiety Data Is Lacking (Associated Press) Health Plan Loses Suit Over Zyprexa Marketing (Legal Intelligencer) Pfizer Loses Bid To ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3119063 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:56:16 +0100 3119063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977268&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfbouaqOhHe0%2F President Obama’s approach to health care reform — forcing taxpayers to subsidize health insurance for tens of millions of Americans — cannot not change the status quo on abortion. Either those taxpayer dollars will fund abortions, or the restrictions necessary to prevent taxpayer funding will curtail access to private abortion coverage. There is no middle ground. Thus both sides’ fears are justified. Both sides of the abortion debate are learning why government should not subsidize health care. Tip of the hat to President Obama for creating this teachable moment. Meanwhile, Catholics should be outraged at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (to which my grandfather served as counsel). Yes, the USCCB helped prevent taxpayer funding of abortions in the H... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977268 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:42:32 +0100 2977268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2971880&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiuYpk8X2ArI%2F Democrats are having difficulty corralling 218 votes for the Pelosi bill because Americans do not want government to be as big and as powerful as the House leadership does. Pro-life Democrats do not want a government so big that it can force taxpayers to fund abortions. Pro-choice Democrats do not want a government so big that it uses subsidies to restrict access to abortion coverage. Other Democrats don’t want a government so big that it turns the United States into a welfare magnet. The American people don’t want the Democrats’ approach to health care generally. The more time the public has to digest ObamaCare, the more they dislike it: And the Pelosi bill is the most expensive and extreme version of ObamaCare.  Opposition will climb higher when the public learns the bill costs s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2971880 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:14:49 +0100 2971880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2958816&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwjQRYX3dyZs%2F This morning, Politico’s Arena asks: “Election 09: What’s the message?” My response: A note on NY 23, then to the larger message in yesterday’s returns. Already this morning we’re seeing an effort to spin the NY 23 outcome as a warning to Republicans and a hopeful sign for Democrats. Yet the striking thing about that outcome is how close a third-party candidate came in the face of opposition from the Republican establishment. And the ultimate outcome can doubtless be explained simply by absentee ballots, plus voters unaware of the last-minute developments in the race. Thus, given those factors, the NY 23 outcome is perfectly consistent with returns in the rest of the country. (In fact, Conservative and Republican votes in that race total more than 50 per... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2958816 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:18:12 +0100 2958816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2939277&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNgrfiHFqwnM%2F Let’s simplify things and say there are essentially two parts to the health care bills moving through Congress: an individual mandate that would effectively nationalize health care, and a government-run program that would explicitly nationalize it slowly, over time. One explanation for Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) including the government-run program — supporters call it a “public option”; I prefer Fannie Med — in the Senate bill is that Fannie Med’s popularity is on the rise.  Another explanation is that Reid had to include it to remain majority leader and get left-wing Nevadans to work for his re-election. But a third explanation, not inconsistent with the others, is that the savvier Democrats know that all they need to nationalize health care is... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2939277 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:36:41 +0100 2939277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931290&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWCsYDfXmScc%2F Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. The rain clouds are hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus, but our spirits are sunny. And why not? We are here to enjoy another day and that counts for a lot. So while we reach for another cup of stimulation, here are some of the latest items to help you on your way. Hope your day is swell… FDA Approves Glaxo & Genmab Leukemia Drug (Reuters) ZymoGenetics Gets $70M For Starting Hep C Study (Associated Press) Arena Tries To Position Its Obesity Pill (Xconomy.com) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931290 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:06:52 +0100 2931290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920159&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSluhLULSoik%2F David Freddoso of the Washington Examiner reveals how the monopolies that states enjoy over licensing doctors, nurses, and other clinicians reduce access to care for low-income Americans: Stan Brock just wants to help. The former co-star of “Wild Kingdom” wants to deliver free medical, dental and vision care to the poor. Whereas most politicians talk about “bending the cost curve” in health care, Brock simply wants to break it – to provide care free of charge, at the hands of unpaid volunteer doctors and dentists using donated equipment. Brock’s group, Remote Area Medical, wants to bring its services to Washington, and soon. He wants his volunteer eye doctors to grind new glasses on the spot for those having trouble seeing. He wants his dentists to pull ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920159 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:57:53 +0100 2920159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2908575&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPfrTVhvf31w%2F Today’s  Arena question over at Politico asks: Is Fox News a “legitimate news organization?” Is the White House smart, or not so smart, to take on Fox? Is Fox News a “legitimate news organization?” As compared to what? The New York Times? NPR? MSNBC? Please. The Obama team, Democrats like my good friend Walter Dellinger, and the so-called Mainstream Media (MSM) howl about Fox News for two main reasons. First, Fox is covering news the MSM ignores because it doesn’t “fit.” And second, in part because of that, the Fox audience continues to grow while the MSM audience is shrinking, raising a serious question about whether the MSM is any longer “mainstream.” Let’s not pretend that the MSM doesn’t “manage” the n... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2908575 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:56:40 +0100 2908575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904857&cid=t_161633_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCi50C2kTAYs%2F Last week, editors at Politico posed two questions to an online panel to which I contribute: “ACORN: Underplayed or overblown?” and “Will the Dems ever get their act together on healthcare?” The two are intimately connected by a simple proposition: “Most people want more housing and health care than they can afford.” Of course, for “housing” or “health care” one could substitute whatever one wishes: food, clothing, cars, education, entertainment, vacations, you name it. Economists call this the problem of scarcity, and it’s the beginning of economics. In a free society, most individuals, families, and firms will deal with that problem through such homely measures as creating and husbanding wealth, planning for the future, an... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904857 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:27:00 +0100 2904857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1871105&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F416720606%2F In an era where ceo compensation is hotly debated, one sport is keeping tabs on the overpaid, but not overworked. So proxy advisor Glass Lewis has come up with a list of the most eggregious examples that it calls ‘Pay Dirt,’ which focuses on “the best examples of boards and compensation committees that have failed in their fiduciary duty to link pay with performance.” The 42-page report slices and dices ceo pay and performance several ways, but we noticed that King Pharmaceuticals ceo Brian Markison shows up on the firm’s ranking of the S&P 500 Overpaid 25, a dubious distinction. To be specific, Brian ranked No. 23 with about $30.3 million in total compensation, while King stock fell about 36 percent and earnings per share growth plummeted nearly 37 perce... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1871105 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:46:25 +0100 1871105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283636&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F246734607%2F The sun is streaming across the Pharmalot corporate campus this morning, which is an invigorating site. Before we make another cup of favorite stimulant, however, we want to make you aware of the latest developments. So catch up on events as you gear up for those deadlines and meetings. And good luck as you set out to conquer the world… Gleevec May Impair Female Fertility (Forbes/HealthDay) Pfizer Nigeria Case To Proceed April 28 (AllAfrica.com) Arena Obesity Drug Expected To Pass Safety Review (San Diego Union-Tribune) Amgen To Pay $520 Million For Experimental Cancer Drug (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283636 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:35:56 +0100 1283636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1107124&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F203411986%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs being announced each month. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? Covance promoted Wendel Barr to chief operating officer; Pacira Pharma hired Dave Stack as ceo, prez and board member; AstraZeneca named Penny Stoker as vp, global human resources services; Merck added Harry Jacobson, a Vanderbilt University vice chancellor, to its board; Anavex Life Sciences added J&J exec Cameron Durrant to its board; SGX P... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1107124 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:49:16 +0100 1107124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=999555&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F178678450%2F And so the end of the week is nearing. But there is still much to do today. We have our hands full, in fact, and imagine that you do as well. And so as we prepare ourselves for meetings and projects and, of course, next week, here are a few items to keep you in the groove… Pfizer Remains Mum On Fate Of Exubera Plant In Indiana (The Tribune-Star) Japan’s Astellas Pharma Opens Sales Office In India (Bloomberg News) FDA Seizes Unsanitary Drugs From General Therapeutics (St. Louis Business Journal) Arena Pharmaceuticals Raises $109M In Stock Offering (Yahoo/Reuters) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=999555 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:59:17 +0100 999555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=958987&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F171335243%2F The sky has turned dark, which is a signal that the time has come to tend to other matters, such as helping the short people with homework. Those of you without homework will, hopefully, enjoy the evening. Here are a few items, meanwhile, that you may have missed… Boston Scientific To Cut 2,300 Jobs (Yahoo/Reuters) Glaxo Files A Temporary Injunction Against US Patent Office (IPWatchdog.com) Pfizer Reports Earnings Tomorrow Amid A Gloomy Outlook (Bloomberg News) Arena Pharmaceuticals Reports A Wider Loss (Yahoo/AP) IMS Health Profit Declines In Recent Quarter (Yahoo/Reuters) US Is Dragging Its Heels On Biosimilars: Report (BioPharmaReporter.com) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=958987 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:08:36 +0100 958987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=864408&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155114479%2F The little drugmaker disclosed study results this morning indicating its experimental obesity pill doesn’t appear to cause the kind of heart-valve damage that forced Wyeth to withdraw two diet pills - one-half of the fen-phen combo and a related pill, Redux - exactly a decade ago. An independent safety-monitoring group recommended that a two-year trial of 3,100 patients continue after scans showed no increased risk of heart damage following six months on the pill, compared with a placebo. “It’s an important milestone to help us understand the safety of our drug,” Jack Lief, Arena’s ceo, tells Bloomberg News. “If we had a fen-phen type of effect on the heart, we should see it by now.” Known as lorcaserin, the drug is designed to stimulate a protein... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=864408 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:53:58 +0100 864408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=862235&cid=t_161633_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155010894%2F Yes, indeed, time for another day. And so here are a few items to help you get caught up. And please do take our latest poll in which we ask whether medical journals should disclose all variety of financial ties to drugmakers (click here or scroll down). Roche Sues Teva Over Boniva Osteoporosis Drug (Yahoo/AP) Sepracor Signs Glaxo To Market Lunesta Outside US And Japan (Yahoo/AP) Arena To Continue Studies For Obesity Pill (Yahoo/Reuters) Patent Reform Moves To US Senate (eWeek.com) Erbitux Improves Survival In Lung-Cancer Patients; Merck Shares Jump (Bloomberg News) Swedish Politician Defends Thailand In Compulsory Licensing Dispute (ScandAsia.com) Novartis’ Sandoz To Launch Generic EPO In Europe Next Month (MSNBC.com) Palatin’s Plan For Sexual Dysfunction Drug Goes Limp (The S... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=862235 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:23:44 +0100 862235