Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week!
pharmafile | January 18, 2019 | News story | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Netherlands, Novo Nordisk, Roche, astra zeneca, prcing, sequiris, top 10, uk politics
Job switches were the theme of this week as AstraZeneca lost three, high levels executives to biotechs amid a restructuring of the organisation. Meanwhile Roche’s Cindy Perettie became Foundation Medicine’s CEO while the former CEO of Novartis Corporation joined the board of the Florida-based immunotherapy firm, ImmunSYS.
In other news, the British government came under fire for their revolving door policy after it was revealed that new health minister Nicola Blackwood came from the board of a company hoping to win NHS contracts. Meanwhile the Dutch Health Minister attacked Novartis over their pricing practices. However the biggest story of the week was the news that Seqirus has been approved by the European Commission making it the first cell-based quadravalent vaccine available in the EU.
Novo Nordisk Pharmatech A/S and DKSH have partnered to provide high-quality cGMP quaternary ammonium compounds in eleven markets across Asia Pacific.
9. Government appoints health minister from firm trying to win NHS contracts
The British Government has come under fire over the appointment of former Tory MP, Nicola Blackwood, as a junior minister in the Department of Health and Social Care, after it was revealed that she had previously sat on the governance board of a company hoping to be contracted by the NHS.
8. Former CEO of Novartis’ US operations joins board of cancer immunotherapy firm
ImmunSYS, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based firm focused on the development of innovative cancer immunotherapy products, today announced that Douglas G Watson, the former CEO of Novartis Corporation (formerly known as Ciba-Geigy Corporation), will join the clinical stage biotech’s Board of Directors as the company’s Lead Independent Director.
7. Foundation medicine name Roche SVP as new CEO
Roche subsidiary, Foundation Medicine, today announced the appointment of Roche’s senior vice president in global oncology, Cindy Perettie as the company’s new CEO.
6. Dutch health minister attacks Novartis over orphan drug price hike
Dutch health minister Bruno Bairns has called for a meeting with Swiss multinational Novartis after the multibillion-dollar firm introduced a five-fold price hike on cancer drug Lutathera.
5. EMA approves more new active substances in 2018, but total recommendations fall
2018 was a strong year for European approvals according to the EMA; the regulator has recently released its Human medicines highlights 2018, revealing key insights on the progress it and achievements it made throughout the past 12 months.
4. AstraZeneca’s chief medical officer announces resignation amid wave of departures
AstraZeneca’s Sean Bohen has announced he will step down from his role as chief medical officer at the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker amid speculation that he would be leaving the firm.
3. Breast cancer cells can be transformed into fat cells using combination therapy, study shows
An innovative cancer treatment can turn malignant breast cancer cells into fat cells, thus preventing the formation of metastases (the process through which cancer spreads) in mice, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Cell.
2. US regulator to recruit 50 new gene and cell therapy clinical reviewers
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has said that the agency hopes to recruit 50 additional clinical reviewers for the group that oversees the clinical investigation, development and review of cell and gene products.
1. Seqirus secures first cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine approval in Europe
Seqirus has made it known that its new cell-based seasonal influenza vaccine Flucelvax Tetra has been approved by the European Commission for patients over the age of nine, making it the first cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) available in Europe.
Related Content
Roche’s Alecensa approved by FDA as lung cancer treatment
Roche has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Alecensa (alectinib) …
Genentech’s Columbi meets primary endpoint in phase 3 trial for lymphoma treatment
Genentech, part of the Roche Group, has announced that its phase 3 STARGLO trial has …
CHMP recommends Novo Nordisk’s Awiqli for diabetes treatment
Novo Nordisk has announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for …
