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 'eisai'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:50:50 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118997&cid=t_149432_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=5078034&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpESdhESRxXI%2F And so, another working week is drawing to a close. This is, of course, our signal to daydream about weekend plans. We have not yet finalized our agenda, but we do hope to catch up on some reading and spend time with our short people. We may even tidy up the Pharmalot corporate campus. And you? Anything special in the offing? A day at the beach? A night at the movies? Maybe a dinner with someone special? Or if you have a high pain threshold, you could track the children in Washington DC as they jeopardize the economy. Whatever your pleasure, have a great time, but be safe. See you soon… Pfizer Wins Prempro Case In West Virginia (Bloomberg News) Nevada Wins Right To Continue Hormone Replacement Lawsuit (Las Vegas Sun) Sanofi Won’t Make Genzyme Milestone Payment (The Boston Globe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5078034 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:10:06 +0100 5078034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069819&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqTojLUiGbPw%2F Last week, a bit of a row erupted over the decision by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Evidence, or NICE, not to recommend the Halaven metastatic breast cancer from Eisai over concerns about side effects and cost effectiveness (read here). The agency claimed that the estimated cost per quality adjusted life year, or QALY, would exceed $110,000, which is above the threshold NICE typically prefers. In response, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry trade group took the unusual step of issuing a disapproving statement. “There is serious concern in the research-based pharmaceutical industry about delay in new and innovative medicines reaching patients which potentially denies access to proven effective drugs for urgent clinical needs…The n... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069819 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:54:46 +0100 5069819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658624&cid=t_149432_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=4560595&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJEcHIO2cVRw%2F Here a layoff, there a layoff. The parade of job cuts continues apace as Sanofi-Aventis is planning to shed about 700 jobs in Europe as part of an ongoing shuffling of regional operations, according to La Tribune. Units in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom are being eyed for reorganization. After the shifts, the drugmaker will operate 10 European subsidiaries, compared with more than 30 currently. “Officially, the management wants to increase efficiency but it is mainly to save cost structure,” a Sanofi-Aventis union member tells the paper. “Ultimately, we fear that Sanofi does not turn its back on Europe”, says another. Some functions will be outsourced; payroll will go to Romania. Me... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560595 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:53:16 +0100 4560595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536451&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FF1tWDgOPbVU%2F Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again. A mild and sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the dogs are barking and a needed cup of stimulation is brewing. What does today hold in store? Meetings and deadlines, no doubt. We relate. So to help you along, we have gathered a few tidbits. Let us know if you come across something noteworthy yourselves. Meanwhile, have a good one… FDA Rejects MS Pill From Merck KGgA (Reuters) Roche Gets EU Backing For Avastin For Breast Cancer (MarketWatch) Celgene Discloses Fed Probe Of Cancer Drug Marketing (Dow Jones) Glaxo Offer To Pay Trainee Tuition Fees (BBC News) Glaxo HIV Drugs Not Tied To Heart Risks (Bloomberg News) Judge Rules Patent Settlement Documents To Remain Sealed (Dow Jones) Poor Health Literacy Leads To... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536451 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:40:14 +0100 4536451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4285351&cid=t_149432_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=4265627&cid=t_149432_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Felan-eisai-settle-for-related-reasons.html The parade of legal settlements of bad behavior by major health care organizations marches on. The latest to shuffle by are Elan Corp, based in Ireland, and Eisai Inc, based in Japan, for actions taken in the US.  According to Bloomberg:Elan Corp. will pay $203 million and a U.S. unit of the Irish drugmaker will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge to resolve an investigation of its marketing of the epilepsy medicine Zonegran.Elan will pay $102.9 million to resolve civil claims and $100 million in criminal fines and forfeitures, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Japanese drugmaker Eisai Inc., which bought the drug from Elan in 2004 for $128.5 million, also will pay $11 million to settle civil claims.The Elan Pharmaceuticals unit will plead guilty in federal court in ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265627 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4265627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172329&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFbCJyugESOg%2F Rise and shine. Another day is on the way. Although, clouds are hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus. Nonetheless, we are reminded, once again, of what the Morning Mayor would say: ‘Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.’ We urge you to tug on the ribbon. And, of course, please join us for a cup of stimulation and the news of the world. Have a great day, everyone… Docs Say Bloodthinner Race Is Too Close To Call (Reuters) Patent Upheld On Bristol-Myers Abilify Schizophrenia Med (Bloomberg News) Value-Based Pricing Is No Magic Bullet: ABPI (InPharm) FDA Approves Eisai Med For Breast Cancer (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Signs R&D Deal With UC San Francisco (The Wall Street Journal) Merck Loses 50 Execs In India (The Economic Times) Lupus Drug To... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172329 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:12:47 +0100 4172329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119714&cid=t_149432_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=3976706&cid=t_149432_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=3831556&cid=t_149432_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=3795059&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZLUd2i6CZag%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. Another pleasant day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where still more delicious summer breezes can be felt. Nonetheless, we are preparing for a busy day. In fact, here is a reminder that we will hold our first webinar today with Arnie Friede, who will discuss the FDA’s DDMAC and its jurisdiction. Please join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to help you get started. Have a great day… Merck Inks Deal To Market Gardasil In China (Reuters) Lawyer Who Swinded Wyeth Over Fen-Phen Is Suspended (WDAM) NICE Ordered To Reassess Celgene’s Vidaza (PharmaTimes) Allergan’s Botox Nears US Approval For Migraines (Investor’s Business Daily) India’s Regulator Tightens Standards For Drug Applications (Business Standard) ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3795059 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:40:37 +0100 3795059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718695&cid=t_149432_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=3706999&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FzTQ3Ns30cEA%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. Hope the weekend was relaxing. Now, of course, the routine returns as meetings and deadlines beckon. What better way to get prepared than to brew a cup of stimulation and survey the news of the world? Please join us as we indulge. Meanwhile, have a great day and stay in touch… Data Show Declining R&D Productivity (Reuters) Roche Diabetes Drug Continues To Disappoint (Dow Jones) Shire Braces For FDA Study On ADHD Drugs And Heart Risks (The Guardian) Eisai To Hire 100 People For Lab In India (Bloomberg News) Non-reimbursable Rx Sales Outpaced French Market Growth (PharmaTimes) Analyst Foresees Lilly Acquiring Amylin Pharma (Benzinga) Brand-Name Drugmakers Spend Too Little On R&D In Canada (Vancouver Sun) Vietnam Wants To Increase Access... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706999 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:52:50 +0100 3706999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683872&cid=t_149432_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=3676898&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIbrAMGa6g6I%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 something that’s become a regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Cegedim Dendrite promoted Angela Miccoli to Americas president, overseeing the US, Canada and Latin America. Most recently, she was senior vp for global business development and led customer relationship management sales... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676898 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:10:12 +0100 3676898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676899&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZRxrE7wS55A%2F Good morning, everyone. How are you today? The weekend is just around the corner, of course, and that means looking ahead to…. what? We expect to frolic with some industry types at a soiree and, otherwise, lounge around the Pharmalot corporate campus to catch up on some reading. As for you, we hope your plans are exciting. Meanwhile, here are a few news items of the world. Have a great time and, by the way, do remember to call Dad… Sanofi-Aventis Prostate Cancer Drugs Wins FDA Approval (Reuters) UK’s NICE Approves Amgen’s Prolia (Bloomberg News) Walgreens Launches Mobile Prescription Reminders (EWeek) Malaysia Forecast To Lead Generics Growth In Asia (PharmaTimes) Pharma Urged To Develop More Orphan Drugs (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Biotech Drug Tops Placebo In Knee Pai... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676899 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:48:30 +0100 3676899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621953&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1SWsyMDk1Dg%2F Another shiny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus. And what better way to celebrate than with a cup of stimulation? Go ahead, indulge. Or grab a bottle of water if you prefer. There is much to do, so here are a few items to help you get started. Have a great day, everyone, and catch you soon… UK’s NICE Backs First-Line Use Of J&J’s Velcade (Reuters) J&J Ran Fewer Tylenol Ads Before The Recall (Adweek) Eisai Gets Priority Review For Breast Cancer Med (Bloomberg News) Rising Dollar Adds Pressure On Drugmakers (Dow Jones) Big Drugmakers To Outsource More Biologics Production (OutsourcingPharma) Pfizer To Relocate Some Connecticut Employees (The Day) Coffee pix thx to chichcacha flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621953 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:02:08 +0100 3621953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573944&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyWRw6FKi8nc%2F Prices for the most widely used brand-name meds jumped 9.7 during the 12-month period ending in March, according to AARP, which called the increase the largest since the organization began tracking this sort of thing in 2002. Specialty drug prices rose 9.2 percent and generics fell by 9.7 percent. AARP notes that general inflation climbed 0.3 percent during the same period. AARP then makes another comparison - the average annual cost for three generic meds declined by $51 during this period, while there was a $706 increase for three brand name drugs. “The life-saving drugs Americans need are out of reach for many because of unjustifiable price hikes,” AARP Executive Vice President John Rother says in a statement. “Consumers desperately need a competitive prescription drug market that... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573944 Tue, 18 May 2010 12:23:54 +0100 3573944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526947&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGcH7rZ8YJbU%2F Another month, another list. Once again, there is speculation about which medications will generate the most revenue over the next few years. Interestingly, the latest conclusion mirrors another recent list that suggests conventional pills will easily be eclipsed. Only two small molecules make this newest ranking, which was compiled by EvaluatePharma. Not surprisingly, one of them is AstraZeneca’s Crestor cholesterol fighter, although the newest list differs slightly from this list. And so once again, there are myriad implications raised, including the strategic direction pursued by the biggest drugmakers and the costs for patients. The percentage figure refers to sales growth from 2009 to 2016… 1. Humira (arthritis) Abbott Labs/Eisai - $10.1b; 9 percent 2. Avastin (cancer) Roc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526947 Mon, 03 May 2010 12:47:00 +0100 3526947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416325&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAbTi8QEjMfs%2F Welcome back. We hope you had a nice weekend filled with relaxing moments and pleasant escapades. Now, though, the routine has resumed as meetings and deadlines beckon. As usual, we prepare by clutching the mandatory cup of stimulation. Grab your own or, perhaps, a bottle of water and greet the day. Here are a few items to help you on your way. Have a great day, everyone… Antisoma Halts Phase III Lung-Cancer Drug Trial (MarketWatch) Germany To Move Quickly To Enact Price Cuts (Reuters) Eisai Hit By Delay In Filing Sepsis Drug (Seeking Alpha) Roche To Cut 500 NJ Jobs (Dow Jones) Test Predicts Which Patients Benefit From MS Drugs (Bloomberg News) Merck Is A Bigger Beast To Feed (PharmaTimes) KV Pharma Sees Shipment Resuming In Fourth Quarter (St. Louis Today) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416325 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:45:17 +0100 3416325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3101065&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FESz8h25b33Q%2F And so another week is about to draw to a close. And not a moment too soon, yes? What will you do this weekend? Take a brisk walk? Catch up on sleep? Stimulate the economy by doing a little shopping? We will be shuttling assorted short people to and from all sorts of things, as always. But there is hope we can catch up on some paperwork and reading. While you ponder your own possibilities, here are a few items to help you start the day. Have a great weekend, everyone… Low Demand For Flu Vaccine Hurts Suppliers (The Financial Times) USPTO Upholds Merck’s Singulair Patent (Reuters) Eisai Buys AkaRx For $255 Million (Reuters) Photo courtesy of Flickr tipiro (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3101065 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:38:56 +0100 3101065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580448&cid=t_149432_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2Fo_U81ruUkno%2Feisais-patents-on-alzheimers-drug.html For those of you paying around $166 a month for Aricept there is good news coming soon. The patent for Aricept expires in November, 2010.I would expect the price of Aricept to fall fast once the patent expires.When a patent expires, a single generic drug manufacturer usually gets the competitive edge to manufacture and sell the drug for the first six months. After this six month period of exclusivity, any approved generic manufacturer can jump in and start manufacturing and selling the drug.I would expect the cost of Aricept to plunge to $20 a month in 2011. There should be some good healthy competition in the Aricept market.I remember when Zocor (Simvastatin) went generic. The drug quickly fell from around $120 a month to $20. Now that there is healthy competition it sells around $10. Gue... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580448 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:12:03 +0100 2580448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571157&cid=t_149432_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealth.usnews.com%2Farticles%2Fhealth%2Fdiseases-conditions%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Fattacking-alzheimers-with-a-new-test-for-amyloid-beta.html Living Alone Increases Odds of Developing DementiaMiddle-aged adults who live alone are twice as likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease later in life compared to those who are married or live with a partner. And the risk is three times higher among those who are divorced or widowed, according to a new study by Swedish and Finnish researchers.Go here to Continue ReadingAttacking Alzheimer's With a New Test for Amyloid BetaHoltzman's persistence is paying off. Until now, it typically took about two years to determine whether a new Alzheimer's drug was having an effect. But recently, he and colleagues devised a test that rapidly shows whether an experimental medication has a chance of working. "There aren't good ways without doing a long, expensive trial" to determine this, he says... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571157 Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:12:50 +0100 2571157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1413596&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F281502191%2F Pharma won a “stunning victory” over the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, which a UK Court of Appeal ruled had acted unfairly in refusing to allow Pfizer and Eisai full access to a computer model that was used to assess cost-effectiveness of their Aricept drug for Alzheimer’s, The Times of London reports. NICE had decided that the drug shouldn’t be prescribed on the NHS to patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, because it wasn’t worth the $5-a-day price tag. But Eisai and Pfizer, which jointly market Aricept, were put at a disadvantage during their appeal because NICE refused access to the data. The ruling doesn’t require NICE to make Aricept more widely available, but the drugmakers will now get full details of the com... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1413596 Thu, 01 May 2008 15:23:08 +0100 1413596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1382622&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F272793373%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 downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? Metabolex hired Donald Hill as cfo; AVOS Life Sciences hired Michael Goodman as vp; Eisai hired Bob Laverty as vp of communications; Introgen Therapeutics added Robert Pearson to its board; Roche Carolina named Hans Groeger site manager of its Florence facility; Adventrx Pharma named Jose Hechavarria vp of manufacturing; Secure Symbology named Adam Fe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1382622 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:24:21 +0100 1382622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1370867&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F270115415%2F And why not? The US dollar is playing how-low-can-you-go and drugmakers are distracted as they scramble to cut costs. “It’s like the Manhattan real estate market,” David Webster of Webster Consulting, tells Reuters. “What keeps it afloat are the Japanese and Europeans or whoever seems to be making money worldwide and whoever has a strong currency.” Here are the examples: Takeda Pharmaceutical agreed to pay $8.8 billion for Millenium Pharmaceuticals. Eisai recently acquired MGI Pharma for $3.9 billion. AstraZeneca bought MedImmune for $15.6 billion. Roche acquired Ventana Medical Systems for $3.4 billion. Glaxo paid $1.65 billion for Reliant Pharmaceuticals. And Novartis will buy a 77 percent stake in Alcon for up to $39 billion. Currency is in their favor. The... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1370867 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:55:56 +0100 1370867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1303460&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F251329034%2F Take heart. The weekend is near. Even if you bring work home with you, the time for relaxation and, maybe, fun is near. So attack those meetings and deadlines with enthusiasm and conviction. While we take the short people to school and encourage the Pharmalot mascot to poop, here are a few items to help you along… Shire Stock Rises On Pfizer Bid Rumor (Yahoo/Reuters) Eisai Seeks To Sell Aricept Jelly In Japan (Bloomberg News) Wyeth Sues Watson In Patent Dispute (Associated Press) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1303460 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:03:49 +0100 1303460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1082983&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F198015561%2F The maker of the world’s best-selling Alzheimer’s medicine is going after MGI in order to gain more cancer drugs, and is the latest example of what larger drugmakers are willing to do when faced with thinning pipelines. MGI investors will get $41 a share, which amounts to a 23 percent premium above MGI’s closing price on Friday, The Aricept Alzheimer’s drug is Eisai’s biggest seller, but revenue is expected to drop in 2010 when cheaper generics become available. Eisai shares plunged to a two-month low in October because of delays in potential successors, Bloomberg News notes. “This acquisition will also help us achieve our sales target of 1 trillion yen by 2012,” Eisai’s ceo, Haruo Naito, told reporters and analysts in a briefing in Tokyo. MG... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1082983 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:18:42 +0100 1082983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068802&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F194928633%2F Those cold winds are finally starting to dissipate, but now the flurries have emerged. This can only mean one thing - time for a cup of something hot and a chance to catch up on the items that came in with the breeze. Here they are…. Merck Forecasts Higher Profits In 2008 (Bloomberg News) King Pharma Loses Rehearing Bid On Altace Patent (HealthLaw360) Biovail And Watson Reach Deal On Cardizem (Yahoo/Reuters) Eisai Buys Rights To BioArctic’s Alzheimer’s Antibody (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068802 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:40:13 +0100 1068802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=993381&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F177477375%2F And so we promised to return. Dinner was smashing. A little cactus always agrees with us. But we did want to offer a few bedtime items. And so here they are. See you in the morning… Wyeth Prempro Lawsuit Dismissed By Minnesota Judge (Yahoo/Reuters) ViroPharma Gets No Respect (The Motley Fool) Eisai Stock Falls On Delays With Aricept Follow-Up (Bloomberg News) Merck’s Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy Yarno, Exercises Options (Yahoo/AP) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=993381 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 02:08:27 +0100 993381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=916220&cid=t_149432_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F163669762%2F Welcome to the working week. Overcast skies greet those of us who live in the nation’s medicine chest. But our own outlook remains sunny. We hope these will help you do the same…. Teva Can Resume Selling Generic Famvir (The Jerusalem Post) Sanofi-Aventis Gets FDA OK For Added Use For Taxotere (Yahoo/AP) Vernalis Shares Plunge After FDA Delays Painkiller Approval (Bloomberg News) Pfizer Struggles With ‘Bigger Is Better’ (The Financial Times) Eisai To Appeal UK’s NICE Decision On Alzheimer’s Meds (PharmaTimes) Rare Disorders And High Drug Costs (USA Today) Three Years On, Vioxx Litigation Continues (The Star-Ledger of NJ/AP) Online Pharmacies Growing Rapidly In The Czech Republic (Czech Business Weekly) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=916220 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:02:15 +0100 916220