4420456374_64a3d7e6aa

Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week

pharmafile | March 24, 2017 | News story | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing top ten 

With the weekend on the horizon and a new issue of Pharmafocus hitting press, we review the most read, shared and discussed topics featured on our website this week.

It’s been a big week for trial data and drug approvals, though not all of the news is positive: while Parkinson’s patients can celebrate the first new FDA-approved treatment in a decade, Novartis licks its wounds over the borken promise of its heart failure drug serelaxin, which tanked in Phase 3 trials. But perhaps the most shocking newss this week was the emergent link found between the use of a popular hormone pregnancy test and potential birth defects.

10. Genentech plans second Phase 3 Alzheimer’s trial following endpoint failures

Genentech, Roche’s biotech group, has announced its plans to conduct a second Phase 3 study for crenezumab, its anti-Abeta antibody for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease.

9. Novartis’ psoriasis drug allows some patients to go into remission

Novartis released data on patient’s reaction to Cosentyx for the treatment of psoriasis, finding that as many as 21% of patients maintained clear skin for one year without treatment. The benefits were even seen to continue after two years in 10% of patients.

8. Array BioPharma in disarray over withdrawal of NDA

Array BioPharma has announced that it has pulled its new drug application (NDA) for its drug, binimetinib, for the treatment of NRAS-mutant melanoma. The drug was found to display only marginal efficacy over standard treatment.

7. Pregnancy test pill used through 60s & 70s connected with birth defects

An unsettling new investigation has revealed a potential cover-up of birth defects linked to a hormone pregnancy test, with echoes of the thalidomide babies case of the 1950s.

6. FDA approves first Parkinson’s treatment in a decade

The FDA has approved Xadago (safinamide) as a supplementary treatment for Parkinson’s in patients currently taking levodopa/carbidopa and who are also experiencing bouts of ineffectiveness of these medications.

5. AstraZeneca hit with second blow on $2.7 billion drug

AstraZeneca’s hyperkalaemia drug has been hit with a second rejection by the FDA in the course of a year due to manufacturing issues in the production of ZS-9.

4. Immunotherapy: The three major treatments that are changing cancer prognoses

The promise of Immunotherapy as a game-changer for cancer treatment has been evident since its advent in the space. However, 2016 was the year where it really came to the fore. We examine the leading immunotherapies in the market and their development as we move further into 2017.

3. GSK begins £92 million expansion of UK site

GSK has officially broken ground on the expansion of its site in County Durham. The expanded site will be an aseptic sterile facility that will make liquid biopharmaceuticals, located at its manufacturing base at Barnard Castle.

2. Ibuprofen linked to 31% increase in risk of cardiac arrest

A study emerging from Denmark has found that the use of over-the-counter pain killer, Ibuprofen, is associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrest. Research found an increase of 31% in cardiac arrest risk through the use of the anti-inflammatory.

1. Novartis heart failure drug sinks at Phase 3 trials

It looks like the once promising future for serelaxin may be in tatters, as it failed to impress in a Phase 3 trial to reduce cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure in patients with acute heart failure.

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