Content about biotechnology

NEW YORK — Electronic health platform Fitango is creating a three-part action plan to support childhood immunizations, the company said Monday.

Fitango announced the release of its new series of Preventative Actionplans, broken up according to age, respectively titled "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (0 - 2)," "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (4 - 6)" and "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (7 - 18)."

CHICAGO — Generic drug maker Hospira marked its fifth year marketing knock-off versions of biotech drugs in Europe Wednesday as it presented at the 2013 Biotechnology Industry Organization International Convention this week.

The drug maker said it delivered more than 5 million doses of biosimilar medicines to patients in Europe and Australia. The convention includes multiple sessions devoted to such topics as biosimilar regulatory approval, manufacturing and market formation, the company said.

WASHINGTON — A committee of Florida's state Senate has passed a bill that could limit the use of biosimilars in the state.

The Florida Senate Committee on Health Policy passed S.B. 732, sending it to the full state senate. The legislation would require pharmacists to inform doctors when a follow-on biologic was substituted for a brand-name biotech drug. The bill is similar to one signed into law last month by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration is seeking comment from drug makers and others concerning formal meetings between the agency and companies looking to market follow-on biologics.

A new bill (HB 365) in Florida's state legislature would allow pharmacists to substitute biosimilars for branded biotech drugs, according to published reports. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that the Health Quality Subcommittee of the Florida House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow for substitution while requiring pharmacists to notify prescribing physicians within five days and require the doctor and pharmacist to maintain a record for at least four years. A similar bill (SB 732) is pending in the Florida Senate, according to reports.

NEW YORK — A new bill in Florida's state legislature would allow pharmacists to substitute biosimilars for branded biotech drugs, according to published reports.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that the Health Quality Subcommittee of the Florida House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow for substitution while requiring pharmacists to notify prescribing physicians within five days and require the doctor and pharmacist to maintain a record for at least four years.

SCHLIEREN, Switzerland — Cytos Biotechnology will regain rights to an experimental vaccine against nicotine addiction that it had licensed to Novartis, Cytos said Wednesday.

The company said that Novartis would discontinue the project, known as NIC002. Cytos granted Novartis a license for NIC002 in 2007, but phase-2 trial results in October 2009 indicated that the vaccine spurred the development of nicotine-specific antibodies in patients, but did not increase smoking cessation.

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.

BURLINGTON, Mass. — A majority of prescribers would prescribe biosimilar versions of two treatments for rheumatoid arthritis within a year of their approval, according to a new study.

BAGSVÆRD, Denmark — A Food and Drug Administration panel has voted to support two experimental insulin treatments made by Novo Nordisk, the Danish drug maker said Thursday.

Novo Nordisk said the FDA's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee had voted 8-to-4 in favor of approval for insulin degludec and a combination treatment containing insulin degludec and insulin aspart.

While much of the focus on pharmacist-administered vaccinations has been on influenza and shingles, there also have been efforts to significantly expand the number of diseases against which customers at the local pharmacy can get protection.