UCB and WILEX to enter into strategic alliance to develop UCB's preclinical oncology portfolio

UCB to become a strategic investor in WILEX

12-Jan-2009 - UCB Pharma S.A. (UCB) and WILEX AG announced that they have agreed to enter into a strategic partnership. WILEX will acquire world-wide rights to develop UCB's entire preclinical oncology portfolio, comprising two small-molecule programmes and three antibody programmes. UCB retains exclusive ...

Antisoma receives FDA approval for oral fludarabine, plans commercialisation deal to bring drug to US patients

23-Dec-2008 - Antisoma plc announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its tablet formulation of fludarabine phosphate ('oral fludarabine') as a second-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Oral fludarabine provides an alternative means to administer ...

Algeta appoints Andrew Kay as President and Chief Executive Officer

17-Dec-2008 - Algeta ASA announced that Mr. Andrew Kay has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer and will take up the role on 19 January 2009. Dr. Thomas Ramdahl will continue as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Mr. Kay (53), B. Pharm., will join Algeta from ...

Bayer Strengthens Research and Development

Pharmaceutical pipeline is well filled, with 50 projects currently in phases I to III of clinical testing

16-Dec-2008 - The Bayer Group is to further expand its research and development activities despite the current financial and economic crisis. “The task now is to set the right course. Only through innovation can our company generate the growth that is essential to safeguard its sustained success,” said Werner ...

MorphoSys Announces Second Clinical Milestone in Therapeutic Antibody Program

First HuCAL-based Antibody to Enter Clinical Trial in Second Indication

15-Dec-2008 - MorphoSys AG announced that its licensing partner, Centocor R&D Inc., has enrolled a patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial with a HuCAL-derived fully human antibody. A Phase 1 clinical trial using the same antibody in oncology patients was initiated in 2007 and is ongoing. The new trial is in an ...

Great opportunities for developers of biosimilars

Between 2009 and 2019 blockbuster biopharmaceuticals with a total value of over 50 billion $US will lose patent protection.

05-Dec-2008 - Biopharmaceuticals or biologicals are drugs synthesized by “recombinant DNA technology”, a gene technological process developed in the mid seventies. In contrast to classic low-molecular drugs like Aspirin®, for example, which can be produced by way of chemical synthesis due to their simple ...

Oxford Genome Sciences Changes its Name to Oxford BioTherapeutics

03-Dec-2008 - Oxford Genome Sciences announced that it has changed its name to Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT). The new name will take effect immediately. According to the company, the name reflects the company’s complete focus on the discovery and development of targeted antibody medicines to address large and ...

Cytotoxic therapies to feel sting of generics

02-Dec-2008 - Cytotoxic therapy, or chemotherapy as it is commonly known, has been the cornerstone of cancer treatment for many years and involves the use of drugs that are toxic to all cells – including those that are perfectly healthy. Whilst relatively effective, this leads to the unpleasant side effects ...

Daiichi Sankyo and ArQule Enter Into Strategic R&D Partnership to Progress Novel Compounds to Target Cancer

Product Development Agreement Focused on ARQ 197, c-Met Inhibitor,

13-Nov-2008 - ArQule, Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. announced that they have entered into two agreements that form the basis of a strategic relationship for the development and discovery of novel oncology therapeutics. ArQule and Daiichi Sankyo will co-develop ARQ 197, a proprietary, orally administered, ...

IMS HEALTH Forecasts 4.5 - 5.5 Percent Growth for Global Pharmaceutical Market in 2009, Exceeding $820 Billion

03-Nov-2008 - The global pharmaceutical market is expected to grow 4.5 - 5.5 percent next year, a pace similar to 2008, according to the IMS Global Pharmaceutical and Therapy Forecast™ released by IMS Health. The forecast predicts global pharmaceutical sales to surpass $820 billion in 2009, reflecting ...