Content about Research

May 9, 2013

Patient Views - May 2013 Methodology

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from Feb. 13 to 15, 2013. Participants responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers, and the survey yielded 644 respondents who were at least 18 years of age and owned either a smartphone, cell phone with Internet access or a tablet.

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from April 16 to 18, 2013. Participants responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers, and the survey yielded 698 respondents who were at least 18 years of age.

All data is self-reported and not validated.

Below is the demographic breakdown of the respondents and their behavior:

Gender

April 23, 2013

Warner Chilcott receives FDA approval for Minastrin 24 FE

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new contraceptive drug made by Warner Chilcott, the drug maker said.

DUBLIN — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new contraceptive drug made by Warner Chilcott, the drug maker said.

Warner Chilcott announced the approval of Minastrin 24 FE (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol capsules and ferrous fumarate capsules) for prevention of pregnancy.

The drug maker said an unnamed third-party company would manufacture the drug, but it did not expect to launch it this year.

March 11, 2013

Patient Views - March 2013 Methodology

All data is self-reported and not validated.

Below is the demographic breakdown of the respondents and their behavior:

Gender

February 12, 2013

Post-approval drug problems could be due to poor adherence in trials, study finds

Unexpected toxicities from prescription drugs that emerge years after regulatory approval may be due to poor medication adherence in clinical trials, according to a new study.

MCLEAN, Va. — Unexpected toxicities from prescription drugs that emerge years after regulatory approval may be due to poor medication adherence in clinical trials, according to a new study.

While much attention on medication adherence has focused on patients not taking the already approved drugs prescribed to them or not taking them properly, the new study, released Tuesday by Consumer Health Information, found problems with adherence in clinical trials as well.

January 8, 2013

Biotech regulatory environment has improved, report finds

Biotech companies saw a decline in project delays due to regulations over the past year, as more than half have said insurance coverage and reimbursement issues have become more difficult, according to a new report.

SAN FRANCISCO — Biotech companies saw a decline in project delays due to regulations over the past year, as more than half have said insurance coverage and reimbursement issues have become more difficult, according to a new report.

The 2013 California Biomedical Industry Report — by PwC, the California Healthcare Institute and BayBio — looked at California's biotech industry and how it faired in 2012.

December 3, 2012

Merck starts Alzheimer's drug trial

Merck has started a clinical trial that it hopes will eventually enroll 1,700 patients to evaluate an experimental drug for Alzheimer's disease, the company said.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Merck has started a clinical trial that it hopes will eventually enroll 1,700 patients to evaluate an experimental drug for Alzheimer's disease, the company said.

Merck announced the start of "EPOCH," a combined phase-2 and phase-3 study of the drug MK-8931, a 78-week trial in which patients will take either the drug in the 12-mg, 40-mg or 60-mg doses or placebo.

October 31, 2012

Sandoz starts phase-3 trial of biosimilar anemia drug

Generic drug maker Sandoz has started a late-stage clinical trial in the United States for a biosimilar treatment for anemia, the company said.

HOLZKIRCHEN, Germany — Generic drug maker Sandoz has started a late-stage clinical trial in the United States for a biosimilar treatment for anemia, the company said.

Sandoz, the generics arm of Swiss drug maker Novartis, said it had started enrolling patients for a phase-3 study of epoetin alfa, a biosimilar version of Epogen and Procrit, made by Amgen and Johnson & Johnson and used to treat anemia associated with chronic kidney disease.

October 26, 2012

Patient Views - October 2012 Methodology

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from Sept. 18 to Sept. 30, 2012. There were a total of 940 people who responded via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers ages 18 years and up who opt-in to participate in reasearch with AccentHealth.

All data is self-reported and not validated using medical records.

Below is the demographic breakdown of the respondents and their behavior:

Gender

October 18, 2012

FDA approves first drug for eye condition

The Food and Drug Administration has approved what it called the first drug to treat an eye condition that can interfere with the part of the retina responsible for reading vision.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved what it called the first drug to treat an eye condition that can interfere with the part of the retina responsible for reading vision.

The agency announced the approval of Jetrea (ocriplasmin), made by Iselin, N.J.-based ThromboGenics. The drug is used to treat symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion.

September 28, 2012

OncoGenex starts phase-3 trial of lung cancer drug

Drug maker OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals has started its third late-stage clinical trial of a drug for treating a type of lung cancer.

BOTHELL, Wash. — Drug maker OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals has started its third late-stage clinical trial of a drug for treating a type of lung cancer.

OncoGenex announced Friday the initiation of the phase-3 "ENSPIRIT" trial of custirsen in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, also known as metastasis, and whose disease has progressed after initial treatment with chemotherapy has failed.

September 13, 2012

FDA approves new MS drug

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for multiple sclerosis.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for multiple sclerosis.

Sanofi subsidiary Genzyme announced that the FDA had approved Aubagio (teriflunomide) as a once-daily, oral treatment for patients with relapsing MS.

September 10, 2012

Patients who stop taking insomnia drug continue having sleeping problems, Merck study finds

A study of an experimental drug for insomnia indicated that patients who stop taking it continue having sleeping problems, according to results of a clinical trial announced Monday.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — A study of an experimental drug for insomnia indicated that patients who stop taking it continue having sleeping problems, according to results of a clinical trial announced Monday.

Merck released data from a phase-3 trial of suvorexant in which patients who had been taking the drug daily for a year were switched to placebo for a two-month "discontinuation phase." Patients who were switched from the drug to placebo showed sleeping difficulties similar to those who had consistently taken placebo.

August 29, 2012

FDA grants priority review of Zytiga sNDA

The Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to a supplemental new drug application for a drug developed by Janssen Research and Development.

RARITAN, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to a supplemental new drug application for a drug developed by Janssen Research and Development.

August 27, 2012

Patient Views - August/September Methodology

AccentHealth collected data through an online survey conducted from July 19 to Aug. 1, 2012. There were a total of 745 respondents who were recruited via AccentHealth's national, online panel of network viewers ages 18 years and up who opt-in to participate in reasearch with AccentHealth.

Number of annual pharmacy visits

April 25, 2012

Amgen to buy Turkish drug maker for $700 million

Biotech drug maker Amgen is buying a pharmaceutical company based in Turkey, the companies said Wednesday.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Biotech drug maker Amgen is buying a pharmaceutical company based in Turkey, the companies said Wednesday.

Amgen said it would acquire 95.6% of Istanbul-based Mustafa Nevzat for $700 million in an all-cash deal, saying the purchase would allow it to expand in Turkey and the surrounding region. The company, also known as MN, is a major supplier of injectable drugs in Turkey and, increasingly, an exporter of medicines.

April 24, 2012

FDA outlines global food, drug, device safety strategy

Globalization has led to a rapid increase in the drugs and foods arriving on U.S. shores from abroad, a trend that has prompted U.S. regulators to transform their approach.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Globalization has led to a rapid increase in the drugs and foods arriving on U.S. shores from abroad, a trend that has prompted U.S. regulators to transform their approach.

The Food and Drug Administration released a report Monday detailing its strategies for what it called transforming from a domestic to a global public health agency.

April 16, 2012

Merck, Endocyte sign deal to develop cancer drug

Two drug makers have signed a deal to develop an experimental drug for treating two types of cancer.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Two drug makers have signed a deal to develop an experimental drug for treating two types of cancer.

Merck and Endocyte announced that they would develop and commercialize the latter's drug EC145 (vintafolide), currently in a phase-3 trial, as a treatment for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and a phase-2 trial for non-small cell lung cancer. Both studies are also using Endocyte's experimental diagnostic agent, EC20 (etarfolatide).

March 12, 2012

Watson starts phase-3 trial of Esmya

Drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals has started a late-stage trial of a drug made to treat benign tumors of the uterus, the company said Monday.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals has started a late-stage trial of a drug made to treat benign tumors of the uterus, the company said Monday.

Watson announced the initiation of a phase-3 trial of Esmya (ulitristal acetate) in women who have anemia due to uterine leimyomas, also known as uterine fibroids, which causes benign solid tumors that can lead to excessive menstrual bleeding, anemia and pain and may require surgery. Watson is developing the drug under a licensing agreement with Gedeon Richter.

January 18, 2012

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Azur Pharma combine

Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Azur Pharma will become one company, the two drug makers said.

DUBLIN — Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Azur Pharma will become one company, the two drug makers said.

The two said the it now will be a specialty biopharmaceutical company called Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc and will be based in Dublin.

January 18, 2012

Provectus receives FDA guidance for late-stage trial of melanoma drug

The Food and Drug Administration has provided guidance to Provectus Pharmaceuticals as the drug maker prepares to apply with the agency for approval to start a late-stage clinical trial of a drug for skin cancer, Provectus said Wednesday.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Food and Drug Administration has provided guidance to Provectus Pharmaceuticals as the drug maker prepares to apply with the agency for approval to start a late-stage clinical trial of a drug for skin cancer, Provectus said Wednesday.

Provectus is planning to start a phase-3 trial of the investigational drug PV-10 for melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body, and said the FDA told the company that a meeting with the agency in addition to the one they had in October would not be required.

December 23, 2011

Thomson Reuters report forecasts post-blockbuster era

Drug makers will focus on patient-specific therapies instead of drugs designed for use by a broad range of people over the next decade, according to a new report released Thursday by Thomson Reuters.

PHILADELPHIA — Drug makers will focus on patient-specific therapies instead of drugs designed for use by a broad range of people over the next decade, according to a new report released Thursday by Thomson Reuters.

The report, titled "The Changing Role of Chemistry in Drug Discovery" and based on drug industry productivity, patent data and other dynamics and trends, was released in recognition of the International Year of Chemistry 2011.

December 20, 2011

Watson, Amgen partner to develop biosimilars

Generic drug maker Watson and biotech manufacturer Amgen will work together to develop biosimilar antibodies for treating cancer, the two companies said.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Generic drug maker Watson and biotech manufacturer Amgen will work together to develop biosimilar antibodies for treating cancer, the two companies said.

December 13, 2011

FTC approves Valeant's acquisitions of Dermik, Ortho Dermatologics

The Federal Trade Commission has voted to approve Valeant's acquisitions of Dermik, a unit of French drug maker Sanofi that makes drugs for skin conditions, and Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Johnson & Johnson that also makes skin drugs.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — The Federal Trade Commission has voted to approve Valeant's acquisitions of Dermik, a unit of French drug maker Sanofi that makes drugs for skin conditions, and Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Johnson & Johnson that also makes skin drugs.

November 22, 2011

Par appoints new president, COO

Generic drug maker Par Pharmaceutical has promoted Thomas Haughey to president and Paul Campanelli to COO, the company said. The promotions take effect immediately.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — Generic drug maker Par Pharmaceutical has promoted Thomas Haughey to president and Paul Campanelli to COO, the company said. The promotions take effect immediately.

"With the acquisition of Anchen and the pending acquisition of Edict, Par is becoming a larger and more complex organization with three diverse locations and more than 300 additional employees," Par chairman and CEO Patrick LePore said. "These new challenges and opportunities require a president and COO to effectively manage the company and its subsidiaries."

November 2, 2011

ABC posts 3% revenue gain with $80.2 billion in sales

AmerisourceBergen on Tuesday recorded revenues of $20.4 billion for fourth quarter 2011 ended Sept. 30, up 3.5%. Diluted earnings per share increased 8% to 54 cents. For the year, AmerisourceBergen posted $80.2 billion in revenue, up 2.9%.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — AmerisourceBergen on Tuesday recorded revenues of $20.4 billion for fourth quarter 2011 ended Sept. 30, up 3.5%. Diluted earnings per share increased 8% to 54 cents. For the year, AmerisourceBergen posted $80.2 billion in revenue, up 2.9%.