| Two Drugs Can Make Cancers Less Fatal New uses for two established cancer drugs significantly increased the time patients survived without their disease progressing, in studies that provide fresh evidence of how cancer is often becoming a chronic disease. online.wsj.com |
Walgreen to Honor CVS Deal Walgreen is willing to honor existing pricing terms for patients under contract with CVS Caremark's pharmacy-benefit manger unit. online.wsj.com |
FDA Dislikes Novartis on Facebook: Biotech's Latest Mishaps The Burrill Report submits: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified Novartis (NVS) that information the drug maker has on Facebook about its cancer drug Tasigna is misleading because it makes claims of its efficacy, but fails to note any risks. The agency also said in a letter to the company that the content inadequately communicates Tasigna’s FDA-approved indication and implies superiority over other products. The FDA noted that Novartis failed to submit the marketing material as required under regulations. Tasigna is indicated for certain forms of chronic myelogenous leukemia in adult patients resistant or intolerant to prior therapy that includes imatinib. The FDA also approved Tasigna for second line treatment of chronic or accelerated phase Ph+ CML. The agency told the company to cease the dissemination of the problematic promotional materials and provide a written response. Cypress Bioscience (CYPB) said it was cutting 123 employees or 86 percent of its workforce as part of an effort to cut operating costs by about $10 million a year. The announcement came as part of broader steps being taken by the company that includes plans to discontinue or sell its personalized medicine services business by the end of the third quarter and discontinuing its rights under its agreement with Forest Laboratories to co-promote Savella, its drug for fibromyalgia. Forest has agreed to pay Cypress a one-time payment of $2.0 million to help facilitate with this transition. Cypress will retain all other rights under its agreement with Forest including its royalty on Savella sales and may pursue the opportunity to re-activate the co-promotion right through discussions with Forest in the future. Forest will maintain promotional levels behind Savella.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Sanofi Still Bidding for Genzyme - And at the Same Price Derek Lowe submits: Well, so much for my fantasy of Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) walking away from their attempt to buy Genzyme (GENZ). They went public Sunday with a $69/share offer - even lower than most people were thinking - and just a little while ago, Genzyme publicly turned them down. What's more, this is apparently the same price at which Genzyme (privately) balked earlier in the summer. The big difference now, of course, is that the dollar figures are out in the newspapers. And the only reason to do it that way, at least as far as I can figure, is if you're going to try to wage a hearts-and-minds battle for Genzyme's shareholders: a hostile offer, or at least the credible threat of one.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Alliance Healthcare Services Schedules Conference Call and Webcast to Review Third Quarter 2010 Financial Results [Business Wire] - Alliance HealthCare Services announced today that it will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company’s third quarter 2010 financial results, which are scheduled to be released after the market closes on Wednesday, October 27, 2010. us.rd.yahoo.com |