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 'boehringer ingelheim'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:22:09 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174864&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fb0mlnNwQLrQ%2F Over the weekend, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb released complete results of a Phase III trial for their forthcoming bloodthinner and, as expected, the findings clearly suggest the drugmakers have a treatment that will surpass rival meds. Why? Eliquis prevented more strokes with less major bleeding than warfain, the decades-old standard treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation, and also reduced the number of deaths. Consequently, the outcome underscores that one of the next, big marketing battles in the pharmaceutical industry will unfold after the drugmakers secure FDA approval, a step that is not expected until 2012. Already, Boehringer Ingelheim is marketing Pradaxa and Johnson & Johnson and Bayer expect to launch their Xarelto treatment later this year. Xarelto, by the way... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174864 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:47:47 +0100 5174864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159828&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fboehringer-vs-facebook-social-media.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159828 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:53:00 +0100 5159828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118993&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fro-VnpB2yDg%2F If numbers tell a story, then Bayer and Johnson & Johnson may have some explaining to do. The complete results of a widely anticipated study known as Rocket were just published and show their Xarelto bloodthinner is not only just as safe as warfarin - the standard treatment - but 21 percent better at preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. But there was more, and it was sobering. An editorial in the same issue of The New England Journal of Medicine maintains the use of multiple statistical analyses to assess the medication “muddied the waters” when it comes to fully understanding efficacy and effectiveness compared with warfarin. The point raised by Gregory Zoppo of the University of Washington, and Misha Eliasziw of the University of Calgary may prompt cl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118993 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:11:12 +0100 5118993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097083&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNigM4gh7KXI%2F And so, another working week is about to come to an end. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, of course, our signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our modest agenda includes golfing with our shortest of short people, catching up on some reading and taking at least one cozy nap. And you? How about a day at the beach? A night out with someone special? Or perhaps a shopping trip to stimulate what is left of the economy? Whatever you do, be safe and enjoy. Meanwhile, here is an assortment of tidbits. See you soon… Pharma Collaborations Are On The Rise (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery) Payers Will Want More Biosimilar Data Than FDA (Pharma Times) Cost Of Medicare Part D Drug Plan Is Dropping (The Los Angeles Times) Takeda And Amylin Pull The Plug On Obesity Drug (Bloomberg News) NICE Reje... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097083 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:08:49 +0100 5097083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029211&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2TajULYXlqU%2F Last month, a widely publicized study raised concerns about the safety of the blockbuster Spiriva inhaler that is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that, when administered in the mist form known as Respimat, there was a 52 percent increase in mortality risk compared with a placebo (see here). Not surprisingly, Boehringer Ingelheim, which makes the inhaler, disagreed. And in disputing the findings, the drugmaker made a point of saying the results were not based on new clinical evidence and that the meta-analysis relied on already publicly available data. BI also maintained that “robust evidence” has also been published about the safety of the older, powder version known as HandiHaler (read the statement)... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029211 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:25:23 +0100 5029211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008666&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fb0Td2mZIFjs%2F European Union antitrust regulators have ended a four-year probe into charges that Boehringer Ingelheim abused the patent system to thwart rivals from launching versions of the best-selling Spiriva med for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. To settle the investigation, the German drugmaker agreed to make changes in its intellectual property protections. As the EU noted, Boehringer is the market leader in COPD meds thanks to its Spiriva inhalers, which generated nearly $4.3 billion in sales last year. The fracas began, though, in 2003, when Boehringer filed patent applications for new treatments involving combinations of three categories of active substances, including a new active substance that was discovered by Almirall, a Spanish drugmaker. Almirall objected to the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008666 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:15:21 +0100 5008666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893917&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaIPonxw6_os%2F One year after an analysis of five studies involving some 60,000 patients found links between angiotensin receptor blockers and an increased risk of cancer, the FDA has now decided that these meds - which are used to control high blood pressure, do not pose such a risk. The study, which was published in The Lancet Oncology and prompted the FDA review, found that 7.2 percent of patients on an ARB were diagnosed with cancer compared with 6 percent on a placebo, which was deemed statistically significant. Put another way: one extra cancer case would occur for every 105 people taking the meds for about four years (back story). Most of the patients were taking Boehringer Ingelheim’s Micardis, a $1.5 billion seller, prompting an angry rebuttal from the drugmaker. Other ARBs that were studied i... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893917 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 19:21:10 +0100 4893917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883908&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F929PtH2PZsw%2F Good morning, everyone, and welcome back. We hope your weekend was relaxing and refreshing. Now, of course, the time has come to resume the routine of meetings and deadlines. And yes, we are coping by brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Mocha Nut Fudge - and we invite you to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to help you get in the groover. Hope your day goes well and see you soon… Five Lessons From The Niaspan Study (Forbes) GlaxoSmithKline Is Downgraded By Goldman Sachs (Associated Press) More Children Dying After Vaccination In India (India Times) JB Chem & Pharma To Hire 1,500 Medical Reps (The Economic Times) Sanofi Diabetes Drug Cuts Blood Sugar & Weight In Study (Reuters) No Workers, No Products: A Bleak Future For Renovo (Pharma Tim... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883908 Tue, 31 May 2011 12:03:14 +0100 4883908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829304&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMFHc1WKmzjk%2F Since 2002, Amylin Pharmaceuticals has worked closely with Eli Lilly to develop and market diabetes meds. Specifically, the two drugmakers sell the twice-a-day Byetta med and have been laboring to win approval for Bydureon, a once-weekly injectable that is designed to supplant the older drug. But like many partnerships, suspicision and mistrust often emerge and so Amylin has just filed a lawsuit in federal court charging Lilly with anticompetitive activity and breaching their “strategic alliance.” Why? This past January, Lilly signed a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim to jointly develop and sell several diabetes compounds that are in mid- and late-stage development, including a Boehringer oral diabetes agent known as linagliptin (read here). This has not sat well with Amylin, whi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829304 Mon, 16 May 2011 13:43:16 +0100 4829304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789635&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fh0ku9JI07Eo%2F An investigation by India’s health ministry has found that drugmakers running clinical trials in the country have not compensated survivors of most volunteers who died during their studies. Of 671 deaths that were reported last year, there is evidence that compensation was given in just three cases, The Business Standard writes. And so, the health ministry has asked 44 drugmakers to explain why they have not provided compensation, which is mandatory under the current law. Among those queried were Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Bayer, Merck, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi-Aventis. For instance, data compiled by the ministry show there were 152 deaths reported during Sanofi trials and 138 took place in Bayer trials. A Novartis spokesperson tells the paper that its clinical trial inves... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789635 Thu, 05 May 2011 12:27:52 +0100 4789635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780488&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGuogHFPFGkk%2F Good morning, everyone, and nice to see you again. A sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we hope we have solved our recent tech problems. We appreciate your patience. Meanwhile, we are brewing the usual cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Mocha Nut Fudge - and perusing the news of the world. Let us know if you hear something interesting. And, of course, have a productive and rewarding day… Pfizer Earnings Rise On Lower Costs (Associated Press) Novartis CEO Not Thrilled With Health Care Reform (Fortune) Shanghai Pharma Raises $2.2B, Investors Include Pfizer (Bloomberg News) Could Chemicals In Wine Improve Stent Performance? (Health Day) Teva To Buy Japanese Generic Drugmaker (Globes) FDA Approves Boehringer/Lilly Diabetes Drug (Pharma Times) Parex... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780488 Tue, 03 May 2011 12:02:39 +0100 4780488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734608&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fdid-boehringer-mishandle-this-adverse.html I follow many pharmaceutical companies (and employees of pharma companies; eg, these people) on Twitter. @BoehringerUS is one of them. To keep track of these accounts, I cross-post the tweets to this Pharma Marketing Forum (News Direct from the Pharmaceutical Industry), which automatically sends me a daily email message telling me what's been posted there. It's a good way for me to filter through all the tweets from the over 2,500 people I follow on Twitter.Today, I received notice of the following tweet from @BoehringerUS:@professorbunbun Please call Boehringer Ingelheim @ 800-542-6257 option 4 to report adverse events or product complaints.I traced back the Tweet timeline of @professorbunbun -- "Meredith: Just a girl trying to aclimate to the 21st century corporate world after three year... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734608 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:03:00 +0100 4734608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715016&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYiEPmFQ6yMo%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. This means, of course, the time has come to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda includes spring cleaning, taking one of our short people to a soccer match and catching up on some sleep. What about you? Anything special planned? A walk in the park? Reaching out to an old friend? Maybe planning the rest of your life? Whatever you do, have a great time. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Catch you soon… EU Backs Boehringer Pradaxa Stroke Prevention Drug (Reuters) US Will Negotiate Medicare Drug Prices: Obama (Pharma Times) EU OKs Bydureon Diabetes Med From Lilly & Amylin (Reuters) Genzyme MS Drug Shows Promising Five-Year Results (Mass High Tech) Glaxo To Sell Plant And Eliminate 250 Jobs (Memphis Business Journal) Glaxo To Se... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715016 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:33:47 +0100 4715016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653607&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVId4_w7jKkA%2F Yesterday, we wrote that California State Controller John Chiang sent a letter to Gilead Sciences to ask the drugmaker for a reduction in the price of Atripla, a key AIDS med. As it turns out, Chiang actually sent letters to a total of nine drugmakers, asking each of them to lower the prices on their AIDS meds and also extend supplemental agreements that were reached last year to relieve financial pressure on the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs around the country. The other drugmakers he wrote were Abbott Laboratories, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Johnson & Johnson’s Tibotec unit and ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture between Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline. In each case, Chiang wrote that California’s ADAP program has experienced a 257 percent ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653607 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:51:03 +0100 4653607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575244&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyX0B1GekJDo%2F Earlier this week, we wrote how the European Association for the Study of the Liver had difficulty maintaining an embargo on abstracts to be reviewed at its upcoming annual conference, even though the material is freely available on the Internet (see here). Then Embargo Watch notes that the public relations firm for the EASL is Cohn & Wolfe, which also represents various drugmakers, such as Allergan, Genzyme, Sanofi-Aventis, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Merck (see this). This raises a question: how can a public relations firm equitably run the media operations for a professional society conference and simultaneously represent drugmakers who may have a great deal at stake at these conferences? You know, abstracts from one or more clients could be on display at the gathering. How can the EA... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575244 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:36:35 +0100 4575244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377792&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FshWlI8o-q9M%2F Rise and shine. Another day is on the way. And here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the official mascots are barking and the short people are scurrying off to the school houses, we are preparing for the usual meetings and deadlines. We imagine you are doing the same. So as always, please join us for a needed cup of stimulation and take a moment to peruse the news of the world. We hope your day is productive and please stay in touch… Vertex Hepatitis C Drug Gets Priority Review (Associated Press) Merck Confirms Bleeding Risk With New Clotbuster (Reuters) Perrigo Buys Assets Of Paddock Labs (Bloomberg News) Forest Labs Says Depression Drug Fails In Study (Associated Press) UK Plans To Overhaul The NHS (The Guardian) Parents Upset At FDA Panel Rejection Of Lilly Drug (Xconomy) ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377792 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:03:28 +0100 4377792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305105&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F---sJ6wFY7c%2F This is hardly surprising. Given the ongoing talk at the FDA about placing greater emphasis on safety, no one should be shocked that the pace of drug approvals remains modest. Last year, 21 new drugs were approved, down from 25 in 2009 and 24 in 2008. However, the latest tally is actually higher than the 18 approvals issued in 2007. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the latest approvals included a few biologics that are expected to become sizeable sellers: Amgen won approval for Prolia, which is used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women; Roche’s Genentech scored with Actemra for rheumatoid arthritis; Boehringer Ingelheim received approval for Pradaxa, a new type of bloodthinner and Novartis garnered FDA endorsement for its Gilenya multiple sclerosis pill. And how can anyone ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305105 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:02:45 +0100 4305105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238146&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuW_5HEPTvp0%2F In the latest instance of pharmaceutical fraud, three companies - Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Roxane Labs unit and B. Braun Medical - have collectively agreed to pay $421 million to settle charges that they deliberately misreported pricing info in order to hike reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid. This is only the latest instance in which drugmakers have been tagged for rigging the average wholesale price charged federal healthcare systems. Numerous lawsuits and charges have been brought against nearly every large drugmaker by the feds and many states in recent years. With these settlements, the US Department of Justice has recovered more than $1.8 billion from drugmakers over pricing fraud. “By offering their customers one price and then falsely reporting... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238146 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 17:40:50 +0100 4238146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238147&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJub8q6MBpJY%2F There may not be many physicians running big drugmakers (lawyers seem to be more popular choices), but the pharmaceutical industry does employ oodles of people with medical degrees. But what makes some more likely to become high-ranking managers? An ability to work efficiently in the lab? Publish lots of studies? A keen knowledge of office politics? How about bedside manner? To find out, Amrop Battalia Winston, an executive search firm, assessed 39 docs and gauged 23 personality traits and motivational factors that may have helped some rise to the top. Among those queried were docs in clinical research and medical affairs and work as senior director; executive director; assistant vp; associate vp; therapeutic head or chief medical officer. And they worked for Boehringer-Ingelheim; Bristol-... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238147 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:44:38 +0100 4238147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168212&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLHFTjD-DAAg%2F Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you again. We hope your weekend was refreshing and relaxing. Now, of course, the routine resumes with all those meetings and deadlines. We share the feeling, of course. To cope, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation. Please join us. And as always, here are a few tidbits to help you along. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… J&J And Bayer’s Xarelto Beats Warfarin In Key Study (Bloomberg News) J&J’s Natrecor Doesn’t Kill Or Help Heart Patients (Forbes) Progress On Heart Disease Slows (The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) Genzyme Eyed Takeda As A White Knight (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Heart Drug Helps Milder Patients (Reuters) Merck Sets Growth Strategy In India (LiveMint) Brazil Lures Big Pharma (The Financial... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168212 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:55:18 +0100 4168212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082331&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1PftGII3ISA%2F Earlier this year, Boehringer ingelheim helped reignite controversy over female sexual dysfunction – whether Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder is truly a disorder and the extent to which medication may be a feasible solution - with an aggressive marketing plan for a pill called flibanserin. The episode encapsulated the debate over medicine versus marketing and occurred during a run-up to a closely watched FDA advisory committee meeting this past summer in which the drugmaker failed to win a recommendation (look here). Since then, Boehringer ditched plans to seek FDA approval (see this). And so we spoke with Ray Moynihan, an Australian journalist, who recently published a book called ‘Sex, Lies & Pharmaceuticals’ and has written extensively on this issue, about any lessons learne... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082331 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:14:41 +0100 4082331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045391&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FH7eAM_JKqhU%2F Three months after an FDA panel voted against a pill that was designed to treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in women, Boehringer Ingelheim has decided to discontinue development. The move caps a huge setback for the drugmaker, which geared up an enormous publicity effort to promote a pill that many were - to Boehringer’s delight - calling a female Viagra. Instead, the FDA panel voted 10-to-1 that flibanserin was not effective in increasing female libido, and then voted unanimously that potential side effects, such as depression and a loss of consciousness and depression, were unacceptable. The pill did show a statistically difference in generating sexually satisfying experiences compared with a placebo, but there was no statistically significant improvement on the co-primary en... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045391 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:32:38 +0100 4045391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031502&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fpharma-brands-benefit-from-mack-attacks.html Last week I attended the DigiPharm EU conference in London and had a great time meeting old friends and people I have only interacted with through social media such as Twitter and FaceBook. Several EU pharma people presented at the conference, including candidates for the Pharmaguy Social Media Pioneer Award. I'll have more to say about these people and their presentations later, but right now I'd like to focus on me.First of all, I gained 2 lbs! It was the English comfort food I was exposed to at a couple of tweetups and during the buffet lunch at the conference. Food such as bangers and mash, roasted pork belly, and Shepherds pie. And the drinking!I blame it all on Alexandra Fulford (@pharmaguapa) and Sam Walmsley (@sammielw), two English women who are my new best friends on FaceBook.Ale... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031502 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:06:00 +0100 4031502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987235&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FU68qlUuDW8M%2F Today is a big day for Boehringer Ingelheim. The FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee is reviewing its Pradaxa drug, which the German drugmaker hopes will win an endorsement for treating stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. That outcome appears highly likely, given that FDA reviewers took the unusual step of saying the med should be approved - albeit for only one of two doses sought by BI and without a superiority claim over Warfarin, the standard but difficult-to-take treatment (see the briefing documents here). But what does this mean for the competition? You may recall that several other large drugmakers are racing to get their own bloodthinners into the hands of the nation’s doctors - Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are developing apixaban,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987235 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:09:12 +0100 3987235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973111&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsNp0T-pISJQ%2F Since working dad best describes our place in the world, we do not pretend to know what all working moms want from their employers. So we dutifully glanced at Working Mother magazine to learn that several drugmakers - 11, in fact - made the latest list of the 100 best employers in the land. Which ones? Abbott Labs, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis. A notable exception is Novartis, which made the 2009 list (see here), but has since gained some notoriety for agreeing to pay a combined $402 million to settle a pair of embarassing class-action lawsuits brought by female employees who claimed the drugmaker engaged in a pattern of discrimination involving pay, promotion and pregna... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973111 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:33:26 +0100 3973111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973107&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fpharma-facebook-and-inappropriate-ads.html The following tweet from Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) was posted to the "News Direct from Drug Industry" forum on Pharma Marketing Network:Boehringer: Thank you. RT @Pharmafocus: Digital Pharma: Boehringer gets social with Facebook http://ht.ly/2DWD8This is a typical corporate Facebook page that includes general information about the company -- including information about the company's Jubilee (125th) celebration. It has a Wall with comments, but you cannot post comments to it -- it seems only invited guests can do that.CORRECTION: Anyone can post comments as long as they first click on "Like This" on the page. Still, most pharma companies don't allow comments. Even when they do -- as in BI's case here -- they have the ability to delete comments they don't link. That's fine.Let's get over the... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973107 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:56:00 +0100 3973107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965702&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FxylflFXqUYo%2F For the past three years, the reliability of the meta-analysis has been widely debated thanks to such a review that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine about the cardiovascular risks of GlaxoSmithKline’s Avandia diabetes pill (back story). At issue, of course, is whether a meta-analysis can sufficiently capture the sort of specific information needed to make a solid judgment about risks. Although such concerns have cropped up concerning other drugs, the FDA has largely avoided taking a position. The other day, however, three FDA staffers - one from the Division of Pulmonary, Allergey and Rheumatology Products in the Office of New Drugs, and two from the Division of Epidemiology in the Office of Surveillance - offered a cautionary word about the utility of the meta-an... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965702 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:05:25 +0100 3965702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3929458&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3Eqe6D-7b1U%2F Top of the morning to you. A sparkly day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are following various leads and trying to make sense of this big old world. To help the process, we are brewing our mandatory cup of stimulation. Please join us as you prepare to climb your own mountains. Meanwhile, have a great day and stay in touch… FDA Warns Of Increased Death With Pfizer Antibiotic (Dow Jones) Merck Cancer Drug Used In AIDS Trials (Bloomberg News) Europe Approves AstraZeneca’s Seroquel XR (PharmaTimes) Boehringer Ingelheim Opens Facility In China (Outsourcing Pharma) Appeals Court Upholds Lilly’s Evista Patents (Indianapolis Business Journal) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3929458 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:44:03 +0100 3929458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3921076&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F94A_3qfmuDs%2F The battle to prevent blood clots is heating up this week as several drugmakers begin releasing study results for their experimental drugs. At stake, of course, is a huge market for stroke prevention that is worth billions of dollars, since the new meds are designed to supplant warfarin and aspirin, which are troublesome or simply less effective. Toward that end, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer issued results showing patients taking their apixaban blood thinner were 54 percent less likely to have a stroke or damaging clot than those taking aspirin, and did not show significant signs of bleeding. Their Averroes study, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Stockholm, involved about 5,600 people suffering atrial fibrillation and who are unable to use warfarin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3921076 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:05:34 +0100 3921076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911870&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9LaUeTSAVOI%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? After all those meetings and deadlines, a respite is in order. We plan on spending time with two of our short people, catching up on sundry chores and maybe a nice drive somewhere with the radio turned up. What about you? Perhaps a day at the beach or a night at the movies? Whatever you do, go safely. See you soon and please do stay in touch… FDA Rejects Roche Breast Cancer Drug (Dow Jones) Genzyme To Increase Shipments Of Rationed Drugs (Boston Globe) Stallergenes Looks For US Marketing Partner (Bloomberg News) Montana Governor Has New Plan For Cheaper Drugs (Associated Press) FDA To Review Boehringer Ingelheim Blood Thinner Next Month (Reuters) Clinical Trial Patients To Get Routine Care Covered (MSNBC)... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911870 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:59:09 +0100 3911870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3903130&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ftv9Dj06babs%2F The retail prices for the 217 most widely used brand-name drugs rose an average of 8.3 percent last year, despite a drop in inflation, according to a new survey by AARP. And for the most popular meds, prices rose 41.5 percent, outpacing a 13.3 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index. The results were first reported in The New York Times and here is the complete survey. However, the findings may not match reality for many Americans who take lower-cost generics, according to John Vernon, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of North Carolina who consults for drugmakers. “It can easily be shown that branded prices are higher here than they are in other countries, but we have the lowest and the most competitively priced generic drugs in the world, and the generic share ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3903130 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:16:57 +0100 3903130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854748&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fp51ONR7dpCs%2F After months of tense negotiations and negative publicity over its posture toward AIDS drug pricing for state programs, Bristol-Myers Squibb and the ADAP Crisis Task Force are close to reaching an agreement that could be announced this week, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The agreement may include price freezes, lower rebates and expedited patient assistance programs, says Ann Lefert, associate director of government relations at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. The move comes as a growing number of state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs face a crisis, thanks to federal funding that has failed to keep up with demand caused by more people losing health insurance and shrinking state budgets. Some ADAPs have ballooning patient waiting lists a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854748 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:59:33 +0100 3854748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827343&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fpharma-symptom-quiz-goes-to-dogs.html I have often criticized the "symptom quizzes" that are found on many drug.com sites for not being very useful to patients. In fact, they are more useful to marketers (see, for example "OMG! Do I Have ED or 'Low T?' Or Both?! Pharma 'Symptom Quizzes' Are NOT in the Best Interest of Patient Health!").These tests are promoted as a way to measure your "risk" of having a medical condition such as congestive heart failure (CHF). The tests are often designed in such a way that practically everyone who completes the quiz is told they have some level of risk. For an example of how this works, see: "You Must Score Better than 84% on Viagra's Sexual Health Quiz to NOT Have Signs of ED."Now, Boehringer Ingleheim (find out how to pronounce it here) alerted me via its @boehringerus Twitter account to a ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827343 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:50:00 +0100 3827343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3795050&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fhow-do-you-pronounce-boehringer.html Yesterday, while at ExL's 6th Annual Public Relations & Communications Summit, I discovered that I was NOT the only person who had difficulty pronouncing "Boehringer Ingelheim," the name of a well-known, but difficult to pronounce German pharmaceutical company. At a roundtable discussion (see here), Kate O'Connor, Executive Director, Public Relations at Boehringer Ingelheim, corrected someone else who mispronounced her company's name. She then told us that she heard of a funny YouTube video that can help us with "Boehringer Ingelheim Pronunciation." Here it is (pretty funny): (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3795050 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:42:00 +0100 3795050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780565&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FhUrAUHm71Bo%2F With all those patent expirations under way, brand-name drugmakers, of course, are desperate to wring as much money as possible out of their products. So how do they counter the generic onslaught? There are several tricks and every company employs multiple strategies, although patent challenges were the most popular choice over the past three years, according to a new survey. Patent litigation, in fact, was pursued by 60 percent of those queried by Cutting Edge Information, followed closely by defensive pricing, which was popular among 57 percent of the respondents. Half of those surveyed also like to concoct new formulations or a next-generation drug, with new indications clocking in at 45 percent. Only 29 percent pointed to an authorized generic or generics subsidiary. Over the next thre... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780565 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:42:20 +0100 3780565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750275&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQ3eBZlyjWkI%2F The California Supreme Court has overturned a lower court decision that dismissed a price-fixing lawsuit brought by a group of pharmacies. They had charged the largest drugmakers agreed to set artificially high prices, and acted in concert to restrain reimportation of their lower-priced foreign drugs into the US and restrict price competition from generics. As a result, the drugmakers were able to maintain prices 50 to 400 percent higher than for the same drugs sold outside the US. The drugmakers - which included Abbott Labs; AstraZeneca; Novartis; Allergan; Boehringer Ingelheim; Eli Lilly; Johnson & Johnson; Janssen Pharmaceutica; Ortho McNeil; Ortho Biotech; GlaxoSmithKline; Pfizer; Hoffman-LaRoche; Aventis Pharmaceuticals; Amgen; Purdue Pharma; Merck; Bristol-Myers-Squibb, and Wyeth - a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750275 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:03:55 +0100 3750275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718695&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRnVigrnX3FU%2F Since the passage of the False Claims Act in 1986, the federal government has recovered about $22 billion through qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuits and a fair number of these have emanated from the pharmaceutical industry. An untold number of such lawsuits are always in the wings, as people who work with or for drugmakers attempt to expose alleged wrongdoing. There have been accusations that some whistleblowers are only in it for the money (see this), but life as a whistleblower has its challenges (see here). And so concerned that the pharmaceutical industry may not be doing enough to educate employees about whistleblowing protection, US Senator Chuck Grassley has written 16 big drugmakers to provide information about their programs. The letters went to Abbott Labs, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Br... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718695 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:34:30 +0100 3718695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690834&cid=t_151629_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FROzoJirhUZw%2F Ever since Viagra hit the stores (and bedrooms) drug companies have been searching for a comparable little pink pill. Viagra didn’t seem to do much for girls (we tried it once, we felt nothing). Now there’s a new pink pill that came really close to getting FDA approval, but failed. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Related posts:Poll: The Next President’s Top Priority Poll: Female Attitudes About Appearance Improving Medication Adherence with a Cell Phone (Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care) Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690834 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:29:24 +0100 3690834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683870&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQ3WgLWefK3Q%2F Four years ago, Boehringer Ingelheim set out to prove that its Aggrenox heart drug could beat a basic dose of aspirin in preventing strokes. The results came back in March, but the drugmaker hasn’t worked very hard to publicize them. Why? The trial was a bust - Aggrenox failed to meet the primary endpoint of reducing the risk of secondary ischemic stroke in 1,294 patients in Japan. The incidence among patients given Aggrenox was 6.9 percent compared with 5 percent for those on aspirin (look here). This is a problem for Boehringer, which markets Aggrenox to “reduce the risk of a subsequent stroke in patients who have had a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, or stroke due to a blood clot.” After all, Aggrenox is rather pricey, costing about $3 per pill, and it must be taken... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683870 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:52:49 +0100 3683870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683872&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FEPyViqp86VU%2F And the answer is…. GlaxoSmithKline, which led its counterparts in a host of variables that formed the second-ever Access to Medicine Index. European drugmakers, in fact, bested US rivals in making medicines available to people in developing countries, although the foundation that runs the project says this lead is shrinking. The index is designed to offer investors a way to compare pharma’s social responsibility records by measuring 106 indicators that examined activities across seven criteria such as philanthropy, patents, pricing and management (see more here). The latest report - the first was issued in 2008 - covers 27 companies, including 20 brand-name drugmakers and seven generics manufacturers, which have their own list and was topped by Ranbaxy Labs, now owned by Daiic... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683872 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:45:18 +0100 3683872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676895&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2XOY_lJHta0%2F After weeks of anticipation and debate, an FDA advisory committee decided a Boehringer Ingelhim pill that was tested for treating Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in women was neither safe nor effective. The voting was rather stark - all 11 panelists decided the side effects were unacceptable, and 10 ruled the pill, known as flibanserin, is not effective. The outcome is hardly surprising, given concerns outlined by FDA reviewers in briefing documents that were released prior to the meeting. The pill did show a statistically difference in generating sexually satisfying experiences compared with a placebo (read the report) - women reported an average of 4.5 per month compared with 2.8 before taking the pill, while the rate jumped to 3.7 for those on placebo. But there was no statistically s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676895 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:06:59 +0100 3676895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672033&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FTTuyvbBKQg8%2F For the past month, The Discovery Channel has been running on its web site a four-part series called ‘Understanding Female Sexual Desire.’ It has a CME label alongside the title - continuing medical education - although the network describes the programming as patient education. The sponsor is noted at the outset and it happens to be Boehringer Ingelheim, which tomorrow hopes to convince an FDA advisory panel to approve a pill to treat a disorder it calls female sexual dysfunction (see this). The series explores Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, which is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and Discovery is careful to not mention any drug, including flibanserin, the Boehringer pill, since none is approved to treat the condition. What role, if a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672033 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:38:37 +0100 3672033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3666221&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FjG93Fxo6YPA%2F File this under ‘from hot to cold.’ On the eve of what will be a closely watched and controversial FDA advisory committee meeting on Friday, a team of agency reviewers found the Boehringer Ingelheim pill, which is called flibanserin and was tested to treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, failed to meet agreed-upon criteria to establish effectiveness in two company studies. Specifically, there was no statistically significant improvement on the co-primary endpoint of sexual desire, although the pill did show a statistically difference in generating sexually satisfying experiences compared with a placebo (read the report here). The FDA Division of Reproductive/Urologic Drug Products cited several points of “major concern” heading into the meeting: The trials didn&#... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3666221 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:45:53 +0100 3666221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3659157&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FjA9j-WiJtWE%2F A new analysis of five previous studies involving about 60,000 patients found links between angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs, which are widely used blood pressure drugs, to an increased risk of cancer. Specifically, 7.2 percent of patients on an ARB were diagnosed with cancer compared with 6 percent on a placebo, which was deemed statistically significant. The study, which was published in The Lancet Oncology, determined that one extra cancer case will occur for every 105 people taking the meds for about four years, although there isn’t enough info to know if the risk disappears after the drugs are stopped. Interestingly, there was no difference in the rate of cancer deaths in people on the drugs compared to those not on them. “The risk for the individual patient is mode... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3659157 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:15:47 +0100 3659157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652688&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fv26Nzb8y-10%2F Next week, an FDA advisory committee will meet to review a Boehringer Ingelheim pill to tackle FSD, or female sexual dysfunction. This would be the first such drug for the US market and you will see a lot in the media next week. However, a growing group of psychologists, academics and public health advocates contend FSD isn’t an authentic medical condition, or at least not the sort of problem that should be treated with drugs (one critic is about to publish a book). Bandied about but never proven is the statistic that 43 percent of women suffer from this affliction (background). So we spoke with Leonore Tiefer, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, who heads the NewViewCampaign, a grassroots effort devoted to challenging the ‘me... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652688 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:36:59 +0100 3652688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629867&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-ufX5IqvErs%2F More than 100 people who claim they developed gambling and pornography habits after taking drugs used to treat tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease have filed a class-action lawsuitin Australia against Pfizer as well as Aspen Pharmacare, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. Some of the plaintiffs claim they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and suffered family breakdowns thanks to the compulsive behavior allegedly linked to the pills. Most developed gambling addictions but a few exhibited compulsive sexual behaviour such as looking at pornography on the Internet, the paper continues. The lawsuit claims Pfizer, which sold Cabaser, and Aspen, which sold Permax, failed to provide adequate warnings of increased risk of compulsive disorders. This is by no means the first time such liti... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629867 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:04:24 +0100 3629867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595897&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrBiehST_0UA%2F Next month, an FDA advisory committee will meet to review a Boehringer Ingelheim pill to tackle FSD, or female sexual dysfunction (see this and this about the pill). However, a growing group of psychologists, academics and public health advocates contend that FSD isn’t an authentic medical condition, or at least not the sort of problem that should be treated with drugs. Bandied about but never proven is the statistic that 43 percent of women suffer from this affliction (background). And so just in time for the regulatory show comes a new documentary called Orgasm Inc. (subtitled The Strange Science of Female Pleasure), which premieres in New York on Thursday and explores the issue by examining a host of views and products, including the Orgasmatron and an effort by Vivus Pharmaceutical t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595897 Mon, 24 May 2010 17:00:55 +0100 3595897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552549&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F14kRqbGeRwQ%2F A study of more than 3,000 Parkinson’s disease patients confirms earlier findings that those given GlaxoSmithKline’s Requip or Boehringer Ingelheim’s Mirapex were more likely to develop impulse control disorders, such as pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, compulsive sex or binge eating, according to a report in the Archives of Neurology (see the abstract). The disorders were identified in 13.6 percent of patients, including gambling in 5 percent, compulsive sexual behavior in 3.5 percent, compulsive buying in 5.7 percent, binge eating in 4.3 percent and two or more disorders in 3.9 percent. The disorders were more common in individuals taking the drugs, known as dopamine agonists, compared with patients who were not 17.1 percent vs. 6.9 percent. There have been l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552549 Mon, 10 May 2010 22:06:44 +0100 3552549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549567&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FI_HEEGxSij0%2F Welcome to the working week. We hope your weekend was pleasant and gave you a chance to refresh. Now, of course, the routine resumes, which means those meetings and deadlines loom once again. To prepare, we have assembled a few interesting items to jumpstart what is, so far, a sunny day. Meanwhile, we will brew yet another cup of stimulation. Have a good one and do stay in touch… NiCox Painkiller Heads For FDA Panel Review (PharmaTimes) Sandoz Building In Denver Catches Fire (The Denver Post) Teva And Baxter To Fight $500M Damages In Propofol Case (Bloomberg News) Spain Should Encourage Docs To Prescribe Generics (PharmaTimes) Cipla Revenue Forecast Misses Target (Bloomberg News) Boehringer Ingelheim To Accelerate M&A In China (Global Times) Merck To Shift India Office To Mumbai... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549567 Mon, 10 May 2010 11:33:24 +0100 3549567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542875&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaEC8QXIOt_M%2F A bill that would have gone into effect in Connecticut on July 1 to strictly limit gifts that drug and device makers could provide physicians and restrict the use of prescriber data died last night (this is the text). The bill hardly had bipartisan support as Democrats backed passage, while Republicans opposed (see here). For the legislation, which has been around while, to become law, the state assembly’s Public Health Committee must reintroduce the legislation during the next session beginning in January. Instead, in a last-minute maneuver, another bill did pass that simply requires adherence to existing codes adopted by PhRMA and AdvaMed. “This gets most people where they wanted to be,” says state senator Jonathan Harris, who chairs the Public Health Committee. “... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542875 Thu, 06 May 2010 17:59:04 +0100 3542875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490871&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fv_mXrkL6lAM%2F Four subsidiaries of the German drugmaker agreed to pay $7.75 million to settle allegations they overcharged the Wisconsin state Medicaid program by reporting inflated average wholesale drug prices. However, the settlement states the companies do not admit to any wrongdoing or violation. The settlement was part of a larger lawsuit charging 36 drugmakers with defrauding the Wisconsin Medicaid program. The four units - Ben Venue Laboratories, Boerhinger Ingelheim Roxane, Roxane Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals - allegedly reported inflated prices to the agencies whose data are used to determine Medicaid reimbursements (here is the settlement). “This settlement again demonstrates to anyone who attempts to defraud medical assistance programs that my office will pursue t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490871 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:49:32 +0100 3490871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487371&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FOyT2YYMmp-E%2F Rise and shine. Another day beckons. And this is a special one here on the Pharmalot corporate campus as one of the short people celebrates a birthday. An especially large cup of stimulation is in order…among other things. While we fuss, please enjoy these items and, of course, have a nice day… Acura Pharma Has FDA Panel Meeting (TheStreet) Biogen Profit Falls, Tysabri Sales Rise (Reuters) Boehringer-Ingelheim Considers More Takeovers (Bloomberg News) J&J Drug Sales Slump (Reuters) Novartis Profit Rises On Flu Vaccines (Bloomberg News) Roche Arthritis Drug Meets Goal, Safety Issues Linger (Reuters) Raloxifene And Tamoxifen Both Guard Against Breast Cancer (HealthDay) Array Signs $467M Deal With Novartis (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487371 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:58:36 +0100 3487371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420758&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3siamx0eDUw%2F This is a list of the top 20 drugmakers, ranked by global prescription drug sales for the 12 months ended Sept. 30, 2009, according to IMS Health, which prepared this for Reuters. The dollar sales are in billions and, next to that, is the percent change from the year-over-year period. As you can see, though, the results don’t include the mergers between Merck and Schering-Plough, and Pfizer and Wyeth, since these weren’t consummated until later in the year. 1 - Pfizer - $41.7 billion - (0.8) 2 - Novartis - $36.7 billion - 7.0 3 - Sanofi-Aventis - $35.1 billion - 3.3 4 - GlaxoSmithKline - $34.3 billion - (3.4) 5 - AstraZeneca - $33.2 billion - 7.8 6 - Roche - $31.3 billion - 8.6 7 - Johnson & Johnson - $26.9 bi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420758 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:43:51 +0100 3420758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259246&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F67-CG6gJlqA%2F The snow is falling steadily here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, and so many other places today. We hope your shovel is at hand. Nonetheless, the world continues to spin and so here are a few interesting items to help you persevere. Elan Projects A Profit For 2010 (Reuters) Philippines Plans New Round Of Price Cuts (PharmaTimes) Dendreon Prepares Plants For Provenge Approval (Bloomberg News) Sanofi Looks To Vaccines For Growth (Reuters) Boehringer To Buy Japanese OTC Maker (Bloomberg News) snowman courtesy of ld flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259246 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:08:04 +0100 3259246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2989405&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUg98-1GDXjs%2F That’s what Boehringer Ingelheim hopes to convince countless women. The German drugmaker is developing a pill designed to reawaken desire by blunting female inhibitions and unlike Pfizer’s Viagra, which boosts blood flow to the penis, this drug works on the brain, Bloomberg News writes. You can imagine the debate - is female sexual dysfunction caused by a mysterious interaction between body and brain, or a legit medical problem? “This drug has the potential to finally open the door to acceptance of the idea that decreased desire can be something that involves a dysfunctional way the brain works, and not only a bad partner,” Jim Pfaus, a neurologist at Concordia University, who tested the drug in rats, tells Bloomberg. “Of course it’s in your head.” Boehringer hasn&#... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2989405 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:34:31 +0100 2989405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963331&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMKV_4dafnTc%2F Two commercials for Flomax topped the ranking of the most recalled drug and vaccine ads during the 2008-09 TV season, according to a Nielsen analysis. The Boehringer-Ingelheim drug, which treats male urinary symptoms due to BPH, ran two ads that were recalled at a rate that was 42 percent greater than the average ad based on all newly-launched prescription drug ads. The latest installments of the Flomax DTC campaign feature men at a baseball game and men playing on a golf course. Lilly’s Cialis and Merck’s Gardasil tied for second on the list with 32 percent greater recall than the average drug ad launched last season. The Cialis ad was an extension of its “What are you waiting for?” campaign and featured outdoor tubs filled with various couples (you know the imagery by now... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963331 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:53:45 +0100 2963331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2013828&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F475077892%2F To be specific, this is an hour-long documentary about the race to cure FSD - otherwise known as female sexual dysfunction. In the wake of Viagra and the burgeoning market for impotence pills, CTV, which is Canadian television, commissioned a flick about the efforts by several drugmakers to develop a pill for women. The flick, called Pharma Sutra, airs this Saturday, December 6 at 7 pm EST. The filmmakers follow three drugmakers as they run the “marketing and scientific gauntlet” to cash in on what they were told is an estimated $5 billion “female Viagra” market. And they attempt to answer these questions: Does the future success of the drugs depend on a disease that may have been invented? Or will drugmakers actually meet the genuine needs of millions of women who are suff... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2013828 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:51:42 +0100 2013828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2013834&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F474577473%2F The actually tally is not precise, but Sanofi-Aventis currently employs about 6,500 reps in the US and the cuts will amount to something less than 10 percent, or ’single digits, percentage-wise,’ a spokesman writes us. So at most, that would mean up to 650 reps losing their jobs. Just as others have been doing, the drugmaker is implementing what it calls a ‘new commercial model,’ which requires fewer sales reps as third-party payers, for instance, get more promotional attention, as well as docs in certain regions or specialties, although the spokesman was not specific. Whatever the model, those familiar armies of sales reps are dwindling rapidly. Over the past several months, big drugmakers have laid off legions, including Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, Sche... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2013834 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:29:04 +0100 2013834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907880&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F431089121%2F Kansas Attorney General Steve Six sued 13 drugmakers today, alleging they unlawfully inflated drug costs paid by taxpayers through the state’s Medicaid program. The suit claims the drugmakers deliberately misreported pricing info in order to hike reimbursement. “We believe Kansas has lost millions of dollars as a result of these drug companies’ fraudulent pricing schemes,” Six says in a statement. “We allege that the drug manufacturers deliberately inflated the reported average wholesale prices and other wholesale prices for their drugs in order to increase market share for their products. This is a disturbing abuse of the Medicaid reimbursement system.” “Because of the drug companies’ inaccurate pricing, the Kansas’s Medicaid program ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907880 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:10:31 +0100 1907880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1886689&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F422612983%2F Several big drug makers are in a neck-and-neck race to introduce new drugs for treating blood clots, and the prize is a piece of a market estimated to be worth about $20 billion by 2016, The Wall Street Journal writes. Current treatments are effective and sell well but have problems - one is difficult to dose and has risks when taken with other meds and some foods, while another is an injectable, making long-term therapy difficult, the paper writes. Boehringer Ingelheim; Pfizer in a partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb; and Bayer in a partnership with Johnson & Johnson are all in late stages of clinical trials, the Journal notes. The new drugs are taken by mouth, which makes them easier to use, their dosing is less troublesome, and they need no laboratory monitoring, according to the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1886689 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:31:22 +0100 1886689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1871109&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F416662941%2F United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that several major drugmakers promised to invest more on researching treatments for the AIDS virus and diagnostic procedures for poorer regions. The drugmakers also agreed to invest more in prevention, including vaccines and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, Ban said in a statement issued after he met with top execs at pharma and diagnostic firms working on AIDS. “We noted that despite the gains, the epidemic continues to outstrip our best efforts. Only one-third of those who need antiretroviral treatment in low-and middle-income countries are getting it,” he said. “Each day, for every two people who are placed on antiretroviral treatment, five more are infected. Collectively, we still have more work to do.” Ban a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1871109 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:05:32 +0100 1871109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1865677&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F415172137%2F In observance of still more ancient traditions, we are signing off a little early this evening. Thank you all for stopping by as often as you did this week and we look forward to interacting with you again in a couple of days. On that note, we would like to remind you to feel free to forward items our way. Meanwhile, we leave you with these… Bristol-Myers Workers Win Extra ID Protection (Hartford Business) Euro RSCG Wins Glaxo’s Levitra Ad Account (AdWeek) Merck & Lilly Open Vaults For TB Research (The Seattle Times) Conflicting Data On COPD Inhaler (Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1865677 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:56:20 +0100 1865677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1853589&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fbi-pfizer-spiriva-clinical-trials-aint.html Spiriva, marketed by Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim, offered no advantage over an inhaled placebo for moderate-to-very-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, researchers reported on Sunday.MoreAlso, remember this. Looks like Spiriva might be the next Vytorin - sales-wise! (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853589 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:57:00 +0100 1853589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829478&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F402207457%2F Stroke sufferers can still benefit from the TPA clot buster even if they receive it up to 90 minutes beyond the current three-hour window following the start of symptoms, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine. The finding could potentially extend treatment to thousands more people each year and prevent many from being left disabled, the Associated Press notes. However, the results do not change long-standing advice that stroke victims seek immediate help. The study found the drug could safely be given up to 4½ hours after the start of symptoms. TPA is marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim, which funded the study, as Actilyse overseas and the med is sold in the US and Canada by Genentech as Activase. Here is the abstract. The best treatment is giving patients TPA to break... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829478 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:28:44 +0100 1829478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826207&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F401313754%2F This study is questioning whether this drug is safe for COPD patients. Regulatory reaction is needed to explain this risk.” In a joint statement, Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim maintain their analysis of 30 studies involving 19,545 patients found no increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause among the chronic lung-disease patients taking Spiriva. The results of the study, called Uplift, will be presented on Oct. 5 during the European Respiratory Society 2008 Annual Congress. “Once the complete study report for UPLIFT is submitted, the FDA plans to thoroughly review the data to confirm the preliminary findings for UPLIFT and also review all other available information,” an FDA spokesman tells Bloomberg. Meanwhile, a Veterans Affairs study published ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826207 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:22:30 +0100 1826207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1782892&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F387924446%2F For the second time this year, the drugmaker’s angiotensin receptor blocker has disappointed. Back in May, the blood pressure drug failed to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke when combined with standard antiplatelet therapy compared with a placebo. In the latest trial, called Transcend, an 80 mg dose failed to meet statistical significance in its primary endpoint of reducing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke and hospitalization for congestive heart failure. Micardis was again compared with placebo and combined with standard therapy, such as anti-hypertensives, blood thinners and statins, in high-risk individuals who can’t tolerate an ACE inhibitor. What’s interesting is the way Boehringer announced the results at the end of August. The press release be... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1782892 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:11:17 +0100 1782892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739493&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F377020749%2F Nice to see you again. A holiday weekend is closing in rapidly, but interesting items continue to appear. So who knows what today brings? Our betting is that many people will be scrambling to clear their desks. Meanwhile, we will keep watch. So, here you go… Boehringer Drugs Disappoint In Stroke Study (Bloomberg News) Hundreds Complain About Reformulated Glaxo Drug (National Business Review) India’s Sun Pharma Closer To Buying Taro (The Business Standard) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739493 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:41:14 +0100 1739493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1677367&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F353651342%2F Under sustained pressure from AIDS activitists, the drugmaker has frozen the price charged to state-run ADAP programs for Isentress, a novel HIV med that was recently introduced. In a letter to the Fair Pricing Coalition, Merck writes that the launch price will now remain the same through the end of 2010, the POZ blog reports. The moves comes after the activist group last fall initiated an Internet protest asking the drugmaker to “set a price that offers a reasonable profit without worsening the economic problems faced by patients and payers.” The activist group has been concerned that Isentress pricing - $27 a day wholesale, or about $9,900 a year - would have hurt state-run AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. In talks with activists last year, Merck indicated it would price Isentress in l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1677367 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:00:57 +0100 1677367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671776&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F351764861%2F A federal jury yesterday awarded $8.2 million to a plaintiff who claims that the Parkinson’s disease drug Mirapex caused him to gamble compulsively, according to Mealey’s Emerging Drugs & Devices. And the verdict came in the first bellwether trial in the Mirapex multidistrict litigation in the US District Court in Minneapolis. A second trial began yesterday, by the way. Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim, which are also defendants, moved to separate the injury phase from the damage phase. Gary Charbonneau says he was prescribed Mirapex in December 1997 to treat his Parkinson’s disease and stopped taking it in November 2005. He claims the drug caused him to become a compulsive gambler from March 2002 to February 2006, during which time he lost more than $260,000. And he aruged t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671776 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:52:00 +0100 1671776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1623002&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F335054868%2F The move comes two months after the drugmaker released disappointing results of a large study of its Aggrenox blood thinner, which failed to meet its primary endpoint, and Barr Pharmaceuticals won a patent challenge on Mirapex, a med for restless leg syndrome, suggesting a generic rival is looming. The neurology sales team, which peddles Aggrenox to neurologists for treating transient ischemic attacks and strokes, met last week in Chicago, where BI managers told them they are going to restructure. The bad news was delivered in lieu of a celebration of the Profess trial, which BI originally hoped would help Aggrenox grab market share from Plavix, the most widely used blood thinner. The reps were told that about 200 of them - or about half of the neuro sales team - may be shifted to primary... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1623002 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:26:56 +0100 1623002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1603405&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F331631042%2F A former Wall Street banker who claims he lost $3 million from compulsive gambling caused by the popular drug, which is used to treat Restless Leg Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease, is suing Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim for losses he accumulated while taking the pill, Reuters reports. Randolph Simens, 55, says he took the drug from 2002 to 2007 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and suffering hand tremors. “It put a little tickle in me and then snowballed within a month,” Simens, who filed the lawsuit in New York State Court on his own because he said he cannot afford a lawyer, tells Reuters. A Pfizer spokesman tells Reuters the drugmaker hasn’t marketed Mirapex since 2005, when medical studies first linked the drug to compulsive behaviors, inclu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1603405 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:51:05 +0100 1603405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492322&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F303973122%2F Spending was off slightly - $1.2927 billion compared with $1.2935 billion - according to DTC Perspectives, citing Nielsen Monitor-Plus data. In other words, no growth. However, the consulting firm notes that the results marked a turnaround from last year’s fourth quarter, when spending declined 15.2 percent, which marked the first quarterly drop since DTC began 10 years ago. The two top media channels struggled as DTC advertising on network TV fell 3.3 percent, excluding pharma corporate advertising, and print DTC in consumer magazines dropping 2.5 percent, also excluding corporate ads, according to DTC Perspectives. Network TV, the consulting firm adds, captured almost 34 percent of all measured DTC advertising in the period. Among brands, a decline in spending by the leading slee... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492322 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:09:06 +0100 1492322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492323&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F303973123%2F Boehringer-Ingelheim and Gilead Sciences took the step in response to entreaties by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which last March sent letters to nine drugmakers requesting their freeze their prices in light of the tight budgets facing state AIDS drug-assistance programs. The non-profit, which runs free AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Asia and Latin America, commended BI and Gilead, but continued to express disappointment that other drugmakers contacted - Roche, Abbott Labs, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Glaxo and Tibotec - remain non-committal at best. (Click on a drugmaker to read its reply). Merck has not responded at all, according to AHF. “We urge the other drug companies to follow BI’s and Gilead’s lead and to freeze price increases that create an unnecessary b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492323 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:56:50 +0100 1492323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446420&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F291692326%2F File this under How To Sink Your Own Boat. The drugmaker earlier this week released the long-awaited results of a large study involving two of its meds - the Micardis hypertension tablets and the Aggrenox blood thinner - and the outcome may, instead, thin employee ranks and give investors high blood pressure. The widely touted Profess trial, which was presented at the European Stroke Conference in Nice, France, looked at 20,333 patients in 35 countries. However, according to BI’s rationale, the entire effort was a bust. First, Aggronex failed to meet its primary endpoint - Plavix, far and away the most widely used blood thinner, was superior in secondary stroke prevention. Aggronex, by the way, generated about $400 million in worldwide sales last year. Another arm looked at whether ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446420 Fri, 16 May 2008 15:08:46 +0100 1446420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446055&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fboehringer-ingelheim-clinical-trials.html Said through gritted teeth:"We are proud to have sponsored the PRoFESS study," said Dr. Thor Voigt, Senior Vice President, Medicine and Drug Regulatory Affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc."We set out to advance the understanding of strategies for recurrent stroke prevention and will continue to evaluate the PRoFESS data to help physicians make more informed treatment decisions."The Trial:PRoFESS (Prevention Regimen For Effectively avoiding Second Strokes) was designed to examine the effects of different prevention regimens on recurrent stroke, including the antiplatelet agent AGGRENOX versus clopidogrel and the efficacy of MICARDIS, an antihypertensive, compared to placebo in preventing recurrent stroke in the presence of background standard antihypertensive therapy. The tri... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446055 Thu, 15 May 2008 19:34:00 +0100 1446055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1396216&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fboehringer-ingelheim-pradaxa-anatomy-of_24.html Back story here.Chandler Chicco Agency offshoot Litmus, based in London, is in charge of the global PR programme for Pradaxa.The account is led by Camilla Bull, who is well-versed in this area: she used to work on AstraZeneca's Exanta, an anti-VTE drug that was withdrawn two years ago after it was found to cause liver problems.Wave Healthcare Communications handles media relations for Pradaxa in the UK and Wave founding director Rod Ball leads the account.Anthony Y. Lauw is the Senior International Product Manager for Pradaxa at Boehringer Ingelheim. (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1396216 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:42:00 +0100 1396216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1388994&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fboehringer-ingelheim-pradaxa-anatomy-of.html A new oral direct thrombin inhibitor Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate) was launched in the UK today.It is approved for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in adults who have undergone elective total hip or total knee replacement surgery.More information here.European approval was based on data from the phase III RE-NOVATE and RE-MODEL studies, which indicated that both 150mg and 220mg of Pradaxa were as effective and safe as injectable enoxaparin (40 mg) in preventing VTE and all cause mortality following total hip replacement surgery and total knee replacement surgery in the RE-NOVATE and RE-MODEL trials, respectively.Both studies reported a low incidence and severity of major bleeding, similar to enoxaparin. In addition, the rates of ALT elevations > 3x times the upper li... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1388994 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:01:00 +0100 1388994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1312485&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F253892123%2F Another busy day draws to a close. And so the time has come for us to check on how the short people are faring with their after-school sports and curl up in front of the telly with the shortest one of all. Of course, first we must feed the dog. Meanwhile, we hope your day was productive and you do something fun this evening… The FDA is warning that Spiriva, a drug for COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is marketed jointly Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim, may increase the risk of a stroke. In a statement on its web site, the FDA says a preliminary analysis by Boehringer of about 13,500 patients from 29 clinical studies found that the risk of a stroke was 8 in 1,000 patients taking the inhaled drug, compared with 6 in 1,000 who took a placebo. This means that the est... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1312485 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:17:01 +0100 1312485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1126433&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F210106595%2F In these ethically challenging times, which drugmaker has its act together? Covalence, a research group based in Geneva that tracks ethical reputations, has released its 2007 list examining various industrial sectors. The firm compiles its rankings and charts by collecting reports - both positive and negative news - from the Internet and an ‘open network of correspondents’ among various civil-society groups, researchers, consultants and the like. The data is then coded, quantified and synthetized into curves and volumes. The rankings are, of course, relative. They merely compare drugmakers to one another and don’t examine ethics in absolute terms. In other words, company A is perceived as more ethical than company B, but that’s not the same thing as saying one or both companies are... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1126433 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:49:27 +0100 1126433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1027081&cid=t_151629_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fcultivating-astroturf.html We have previously posted about "astroturf movements," defined as artificial grass-roots movements bankrolled by corporations, and their applications in health care. It seems to be the season to cultivate astroturf (it is the US football season).The Wall Street Journal reported how Amgen "is pouring millions of dollars into a lobbying campaign to get Congress to change a Medicare rule that dealt a big blow to the company's lucrative anemia drugs." Part of this effort appeared to be an astroturf campaign,Since the summer, the company has run an Internet-centered campaign, Protect Cancer Patients, that tries to capture the feel of a grass-roots effort by encouraging cancer patients, survivors and family members to send in their stories and to upload video and audio testimonials. The Web site... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1027081 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:15:00 +0100 1027081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1025483&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F184665583%2F The advocacy group, which receives subtantial support from Glaxo and Boehringer-Ingelheim, is outraged by a video just released by the consumer group. That video, which we wrote about yesterday, debunks a TV ad for Glaxo’s Requip. The effort is the first in a new monthly series in which Consumer Reports debunks some of the claims in a drug ad. In the debut, the consumer group’s Jamie Hirsh chides the ad for describing symptoms that are so vague that almost anyone may suffer from RLS, but she does note the condition is real. And she offers a nearly sentence-by-sentence critique. For instance, a doc’s instant answer to the RLS problem is Requip. Then, however, the ad pauses and Hirsch says: “What he doesn’t mention is that before turning to medication, there are easier and chea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1025483 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:42:24 +0100 1025483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=980671&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35779&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pharmamanufacturing.com%2Fonpharma%2F%3Fp%3D1355 Professor Joachim Herz, M.D., from the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (USA), received this year’s Heinrich Wieland Prize from Boehringer-Ingelheim (BI) for his exceptional work on lipoprotein receptors. He was awarded a EUR 50,000 tprize in a ceremony at the Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Munich, Germany.Lipoprotein receptors are key regulators [...] (Source: On Pharma) On Pharma blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=980671 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:07:30 +0100 980671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=952292&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35779&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pharmamanufacturing.com%2Fonpharma%2F%3Fp%3D1330 Boehringer Ingelheim narrowly beat out Genentech and Amgen in Science’s annual survey of top employers in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and related industries. The survey was based on industry responses by participants to whom they regarded as the best, average and worst employers in the field. Respondents then rated the companies that they had chosen [...] (Source: On Pharma) On Pharma blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=952292 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:29:32 +0100 952292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=944705&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F168641977%2F The rain poured forth this afternoon and persists as we near the end of the day. We look forward to sunnier skies. Meanwhile, we console ourselves with these…. Boehringer-Ingelheim To Eliminate 220 UK Manufacturing Jobs (BBC.com) Gilead Seeks US, EU Approval For Viread For Hepatitis B (Yahoo/Reuters) EU Clears Schering-Plough Purchase Of Organon (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=944705 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:41:43 +0100 944705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=944708&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F168560426%2F Boehringer-Ingelheim. That’s right, a new survey in Science magazine determined that the European drugmaker scored best on nearly two dozen important criteria and, as a result, switched places with Genentech in the annual ranking. The six most important driving characteristics: doing important quality research; a clear vision toward the future; being an innovative leader; treating employees with respect; having work culture values aligned with personal values; having loyal employees and being socially responsbile. Here is the complete article. So who voted? There were 3,517 respondents surveyed between May 2 and June 6. Although this appears recent, we wonder if Amgen would have ranked as high last month, after a restructuring was announced. The participants were asked to rank compan... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=944708 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:24:55 +0100 944708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=624597&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrugreptoys.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Faggrenox-pen.html This is an excellent pen. Heavy, wide bodied, with ink that doesn't skip. I'm currently using it as my primary pen. (Source: Drug Rep Toys) Drug Rep Toys blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=624597 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:18:00 +0100 624597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=624614&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrugreptoys.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F11%2Fspiriva-pen.html Nice to hold, but really bad ink. If I actually cared, I'd change out the cartridge. I don't care that much. (Source: Drug Rep Toys) Drug Rep Toys blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=624614 Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:09:00 +0100 624614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=624609&cid=t_151629_150_f&fid=35603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrugreptoys.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fmicardis-pen.html This is actually a pretty good pen. The way it clicks open bothers me a bit, because I end up opening it as I slide it into my pocket, so I get black streaks on my nice white coat. I can't carry this one around the wards anymore. (Source: Drug Rep Toys) Drug Rep Toys blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=624609 Fri, 27 Oct 2006 23:06:00 +0100 624609