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Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week!

pharmafile | May 31, 2019 | News story | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing China, FDA, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, environment, opioids, pharma, pricing 

The pharmaceutical industry is a big polluter than the automotive industry. This was our top story this week. The findings should force us to consider the damage the sector is doing to the environment as we ask ourselves what might be done to make pharma more green.

Meanwhile the UK government refused to sign up to a WHO resolution calling for greater transparency in drug pricing. Alongside Germany and Japan, Britain sought to protect its own interests as drug prices continue to rise.

In other news opioid drugmakers were accused of paying an Italian doctor to promote their drugs, while four firms have been accused of ripping off the NHS by artificially raising the price of an anti-nausea drug by 700%. Check out this week’s top ten!  

10. China approves GSK’s shingles vaccine Shingrix

GSK’s shingles vaccine has secured approval in China, the company said, after the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) authorised the therapy for the prevention of herpes zoster in adult patients over the age of 50.

9. Novartis’ $2.15m SMA drug Zolgensma becomes most expensive FDA-approved therapy

The FDA has approved Novartis subsidiary AveXis’ $2.15 million gene therapy Zolgensma for children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

8. FDA approves first therapy PIK3CA-mutated HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer

Novartis’ Piqray has secured approval from the FDA in combination with AstraZeneca’s Faslodex for the treatment of hormone receptor positive, HR+/HER2-, PIK3CA-mutated, advanced or metastatic breast cancer in both male patients and female postmenopausal patients.

7. Pfizer’s Lyrica fails at Phase 3 in treating primary generalised tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures

Pfizer has unveiled new Phase 3 data on the effectiveness of Lyrica (pregabalin) in the adjunctive treatment of primary generalised tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures in patients between the ages of five and 65 years old, revealing that the therapy failed to meet its primary endpoint.

6. Investigational Novartis therapy smashes primary and secondary endpoints in uncontrolled asthma

Novartis has announced the first findings on the efficacy of its investigational asthma therapy QVM149 in the treatment of inadequately controlled forms of the condition, showing that the drug met all of its primary and secondary endpoints in the trial.

5. FDA approves new tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea

The FDA has approved two new tests which make it easier to diagnose common STIs. The approval comes after a multi-site clinical study involving 2,500 patients.

4. Drugmakers colluded to drive up price of anti-nausea drug by 700%

Four pharmaceutical firms have been accused of illegally colluding to restrict the supply of anti-nausea medication Prochlorperazine after the price of the drug increased by 700%.

3. Pharma firms paid Italian doctor to promote opioid drugs

Opioid drugmakers paid an Italian pain doctor to promote opioid painkillers as a treatment for chronic pain, Italian prosecutors say.

2. UK government refuses to sign up to WHO pricing transparency resolution

The UK government has refused to sign up to a global resolution on transparency in drug pricing which urges governments to share information on the prices they pay for drugs

1. Pharma sector is a bigger polluter than the automotive industry

The pharmaceutical industry is a bigger polluter than the automotive sector, according to a study from researchers at McMaster University.

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