Today’s Top Three in Pharma 033109

When placebos outperform CNS drugs – an interesting article on Seeking Alpha. Afinitor – new cancer blockbuster for Novartis? – Novartis AG’s cancer pill Afinitor, approved yesterday by U.S. regulators, has the potential to generate several billion dollars in annual sales, according to the company’s head of oncology, David Epstein. Afinitor “could be a multi- [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 033009

AstraZeneca‘s Crestor reduces risk of blood clots in the veins – A new analysis from the JUPITER study shows that CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin calcium) 20mg significantly cut the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) by 43% (p =0.007) compared to placebo among men and women with low to normal cholesterol levels and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032709

Farewell, DNA – the Roche takeover of Genentech is a done deal. What will this do to the culture of both companies, I wonder? DiabetesTV? Forbes explains. Good news for Amylin and Eli Lilly on Byetta – no cardiovascular risks found. Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s diabetes drug Byetta wasn’t linked to [...]

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Why Pharma WILL Embrace New/Rich/Social Media

There’s a fair bit of angst circulating about how pharmaceutical companies will manage to start using some of the new on-line tools such as social media to enter more fully into the communications marketplace. I’m reminded of the same anxiety that existed, years ago, with early web adoption, and early eLearning adoption. You can’t go [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032609

Psychiatrists – no more $$, thanks – Amid the flak surrounding several prominent psychiatrists (see here and here) and their ties to the drug industry, the American Psychiatric Association has decided to drop all industry-sponsored meals and educational sessions from its annual conferences, the group announced today. Novo may dodge Takeda‘s fate with new diabetes [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032509

Just what we need – another takeover rumor! Is GSK interested in Allergan? Or, perhaps, is Allergan interested in its own acquisitions? Hospira cutting its workforce by 10%. Dendreon finds a new way to endanger Provenge. This is a head-scratcher… PLUS – Pfizer grabs its new Oncology Business Unit head from Cephalon. —— Subscribe to [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032409

Eli Lilly‘s Symbyax finally approved for depression – Eli Lilly has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use of a combo pill called Symbyax to treat treatment-resistant depression. “Until today, there has been no approved medication for treatment-resistant depression,” said Lilly Medical Director Dr. Sara Corya. “Now, after two failed attempts [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032309

Who doesn’t like a like takeover speculation? In this Seeking Alpha article, Cephalon and Genzyme are discusses as potentially attractive targets. ZS Associates projects a 25% cut in #of sales reps, from the 100k+ peak, by 2012. At its peak in 2007, the American pharmaceutical industry fielded 102,000 sales reps, said Chris Wright, managing principal [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 032009

FDA panel recommends approval of J&J/Bayer anti-clotting drug – Government health advisers said Thursday the benefits of an experimental anticlotting drug from Johnson & Johnson outweigh its risks, including bleeding and incomplete data about liver side effects. The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of cardiology experts voted 15 to 2 in favor of J&J’s rivaroxaban, [...]

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Today’s Top Three in Pharma 031909

FDA panel votes in favor of approval for Sanofi‘s Multaq – A panel of cardiology experts recommended Wednesday that an experimental drug from Sanofi-Aventis be approved to treat irregular heart rhythms linked to stroke. The Food and Drug Administration’s cardiology drug panel voted 10-3 in favor of the drug Multaq. The pill is designed to [...]

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