September 2010

Termeer insists Genzyme is worth much more than $18.5bn

Longtime Genzyme CEO Henri Termeer has taken a public stand on Sanofi's low ball offer: "At $69 [a share, the current offer], the company is not for sale," he tells the Wall Street Journal. In fact, he expects the board to open up the process and seek a White Knight, or at least some new offer that would drive the price up high enough to whet Termeer's interest. Read the latest talk on Sanofi/Genzyme

August 2010

Genzyme investors hold out for higher Sanofi bid

Yesterday, we wondered just how Genzyme shareholders would respond to Sanofi-Aventis' now-public buyout offer. Today, thanks to Reuters and some analysts, we know. That is, we know what a dozen or so key investors are saying: No dice on that $69 per share, $18.5 billion bid. Read the very latest rumours and opinions on the Sanofi/Genzyme story

Endo looks for more acquisitions

Endo Pharmaceuticals' CEO David Holveck, a Johnson & Johnson alum, is modeling his company after the Big Pharma. Gabelli & Co analyst Kevin Kedra notes that Lidoderm--a patch to treat post-shingles nerve pain--will account for 47 percent of Endo's 2010 sales. Faced with the the loss of patent protection for it's main drug in 2015, the pharma company has been making deals to diversify. More on Endo's acquisition plans

Top 10 women in biotech

It's a well-worn cliché that men dominate the top ranks of the biotech industry. But over the past decade a group of extraordinary women has put that cliché to the test. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of our selection of 10 women who have excelled in the industry is that there were so many outstanding women in biotechnology to choose from. Read the full article on biotech's top women here

China's promise comes with pitfalls

Big Pharma is in the middle of a gold rush into China, seeking access to the fast-growing market. But what about the pitfalls? Read the full report on big pharma's China plans

Generic apps down in EU

There appears to be a marked slump in the number of generic-drug applications being submitted to EU regulators. To date, the number of applications started and finalized this year to date are 9 and 12, respectively. By the same point last year, 38 generic-drug product applications had been filed, according to a PharmTech report analyzing data from the European Medicines Agency. Read the full PharmTech report on generics here

Which biotechs are the least efficient?

SmartTrend has looked at the biotech industry to determine which companies are the least efficient. Using revenue per employee (RPE)--a ratio useful when comparing a company against others in its industry--SmartTrend found the five public companies that have the lowest efficiency relative to the size of their workforce. As is the case for many biotechs, these companies have little or no revenue but have spent million of dollars--and multiple years--moving drugs through the clinical trials process. Read the full SmartTrend report here

Any Sanofi deal for Genzyme may take time, at limited price

Sanofi-Aventis SA's pursuit of Genzyme Corp. is more likely to be a drawn out engagement rather than a shotgun wedding, and there may be other suitors. Read the latest report on the potential Sanofi deal

Report: Pharma industry a "market for lemons"

A new report is calling the pharmaceutical industry is a "market for lemons," in which the seller knows much more than the buyer about the product. In this market, the seller can profit, even if its products are less safe and effective than consumers are led to believe, Science Daily reports. Read this story in full at Science Daily

Big pharma takes on risk with biosimilar programs

Companies like Pfizer, Teva and Hospira are among the developers trying to get an early jump on the biosimilar drug market. A pathway for biosimilar drugs was approved when the healthcare bill was approved earlier this year, but the FDA has yet to set out clear guidelines for development of the copycat drugs. More on biosimilars at WSJ

Genzyme, Sanofi negotiations remain in low gear

Genzyme may be holding out for more money from suitor Sanofi-Aventis, but it could find it difficult to persuade investors it is better off on its own. Read the latest speculations on Sanofi/Genzyme

Alcon minorities may get higher Novartis bid

Novartis doesn't just have to worry about Alcon's balky independent directors as it works to buy out the eye-care company's minority investors. Alcon employees should be a big stumbling block, too, the Financial Times points out. Read more on Novartis/Alcon here

The virtual model works for biotech, big pharma

The virtual model of drug development features a core management group that coordinates R&D activities, which are largely outsourced to other parties. The benefits include less overhead and faster clinical progress. But when the idea first surfaced in the 1990s, venture capital funding was plentiful and biotech wasn't under as much pressure to keep its operations lean and mean. Read more on virtual biotechs

Vaccine sales up 16% in 2009

Vaccine sales hit $22.1 billion in 2009, up a healthy 16 percent from 2008. And forecasts predict that sales will continue to rise annually at a rate of 9.7 percent for the next five years. Wider adoption of currently available vaccines and the introduction of new products could push annual sales as high as $35 billion by 2015. Read more on the vaccine report here

Is pharma marketing ready for its digital close-up?

It might be time for drug marketers to abandon their TV-centric approach of of a real, live, well-thought-out digital strategy. As the blog KevinMD points out, plenty of new research shows that consumers increasingly are tuning out pharma's TV commercials. And in other industries, marketers are adopting interactive methods that engage people. Read more on the digital marketing report

Will new Genzyme stumble cripple its bargaining position?

After taking a good hard look at its troubled Allston plant, Genzyme (GENZ) has extended the scope of its repair mission to up to four years--which could extend federal oversight until late in the decade. And that whiff of lingering trouble could smell sweet to Sanofi, which would like nothing better than to be the only bidder at Genzyme's M&A party. Read the latest Genzyme report from Bloomberg

Biotech M&A frenzy shows no signs of slowing

With Genzyme in the news, we've all been hearing plenty about the wave of M&A deals that's been rolling through the world's life sciences industry. Last year Thomson Reuters tracked more than 1,400 such deals worth $206 billion worldwide, giving the Boston Globe the hard numbers it needs to assert that this is one trend that has yet to crest. More on M&A trends at the Globe

Abbott CEO says diversification delivers

Miles White has been CEO of Abbott Laboratories for 12 years, longer than any other current Big Pharma chief. And over those 12 years, he's done well by investors; the stock is up from $34 to around $50. How did he do it, and how does he plan to keep the momentum going, now that excelling at pharma is tougher than ever? Read the full interview with the Abbott CEO

Sanofi deal could bring $22m bonus for Termeer

Mergers and buyouts often bring windfalls to top executives. Remember Schering-Plough CEO Fred Hassan and his $33 million golden handshake after Merck bought his company? Or the $24 million bonus check for Wyeth's Bernard Poussot, once Pfizer took the reins? Read the latest Sanofi story at Reuters

Quiet panic at Genzyme as merger leaks dry up

After a week full of juicy tips about Sanofi's hotly rumored $18.4 billion offer for Genzyme, the business press has ended the week with little new to offer. About the only fresh report on Topic A in the biotech world today is from Reuters, which managed to reach an anonymous Genzyme staffer who expressed fears for his or her job safety if a big merger goes through. Get the latest on the Genzyme buyout here

Pfizer eyes M&A in emerging markets, generics

Think Pfizer has had enough of buyouts for awhile, now that it's partially digested the $68 billion Wyeth acquisition? Think again. CFO Frank D'Amelio told the German newspaper Handelsblatt that the company is scouting for potential buys in several specific areas, including emerging markets. Read more on Pfizer's M&A plans

Should Sanofi stick to smaller deals?

Now that Sanofi-Aventis and Genzyme are officially negotiating, deal fever is giving way to deal worry. As we reported yesterday, investors on the Sanofi side worry that the French drugmaker will pay too much for U.S.-based Genzyme, while Genzyme's shareholders worry Sanofi won't pay enough. See the Reuters take on Sanofi's deal strategy

Pfizer talks deal strategy as analysts buzz about Sanofi's next move

Now that Sanofi has started talking numbers with Genzyme regarding a possible acquisition, the biotech world is abuzz about bidding wars and the potential for new M&A deals. Pfizer's CFO, though, made it clear that his company has no wish to get in any contest to acquire Genzyme--or any big biotech developer. Read the Reuters Pfizer report

Early-stage deals are getting a lot sweeter for biotechs

Ask just about any biotech CEO about licensing strategies and you can almost guarantee that at some point the chief will mention that the best deal valuations come after the developer has a solid set of proof-of-concept data. But the Wall Street Journal's Jason Douglas writes that the shopworn biotech strategy no longer applies in an age when Big Pharma companies are spending more on development and less on research. Read WSJ's report on early stage deals

Sources: Merck KGaA looking to sell infertility business

Germany's Merck KGaA is reportedly trying to sell its infertility-treatment business in an effort to get out of the women's health arena, Bloomberg is saying, citing two people with knowledge of the plan. And one name being bandied about as a potential purchaser is generics giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Read the Merck story at Bloomberg here

Report: Sanofi, Genzyme far apart on buyout price

The bidding on Genzyme has begun, with Sanofi putting down a hard offer of $69 a share, according to the Wall Street Journal. But Reuters and others have their own sources who say that Genzyme's board wants to hold out for at least $80 a share, and possibly wait to see if another bidder steps up to drive up the price even higher. Read the latest on the Sanofi and Genzyme bid

July 2010

Sanofi looks beyond blockbusters

Sanofi CEO Chris Viebacher (photo) wants his company to avoid the peaks and valleys that come with blockbuster drugs such as Lovenox, a $2 billion-a-year anti-clotting drug that's now facing generic competition. Instead, he's looking at emerging markets, consumer health products and generic medicines to help boost revenue, as well as focusing more on deals for drugs aimed at smaller patient groups. Read more on the Sanofi CEO's outlook here

Is Sanofi determined to take over Genzyme?

How badly does Sanofi-Aventis want Genzyme? Only CEO Chris Viehbacher knows for sure. But analysts and other observers seem to think Sanofi needs just the kind of cash-flow boost that Genzyme might provide--and if Genzyme is interested in selling, Sanofi is really the company's best bet. Read the latest on the Sanofi/Genzyme story

Pharma execs lament European price cuts

One of the themes emerging from this round of pharma earnings reports is Europe--specifically, its price-cutting and cost-saving push and how it's likely to affect sales on the continent going forward. And the news is not positive. More on price cuts at Reuters

Milestones mitigate risk in biotech deals

Milestone payments are becoming an increasingly familiar aspect of many biotech deals, notes Reuters, as buyers try to mitigate the risks inherent with big purchases. Take Celgene's $2.9 billion buyout of Abraxis; the biotech giant set aside $650 million in milestone payments if Abraxis' key drug Abraxane hit certain goals. Read the full milestone payments report at Reuters

Lilly CEO: Pipeline to soften patent losses

Eli Lilly is looking to its pipeline to fill the gaps left by a number of high-profile drugs comping off patent. In October 2011, blockbuster Zyprexa will fall to generic competition; additionally, about three-quarters of Lilly's current revenue comes from eight drugs that will lose patent protection between now and 2017. Read the full interview in the Indianapolis Star

Novartis chief stands firm on Alcon bid

Novartis isn't budging in its fight to buy 100 percent of Alcon's shares. This, after some public saber-rattling on the part of Alcon's independent director committee, which calls the Novartis bid inadequate. More on Novartis' Alcon bid

Who's the biggest HIV drug seller of all?

Who's the Big Kahuna of HIV drugs? If you said GlaxoSmithKline or Abbott Laboratories, you're wrong. It's Gilead Sciences, at least according to sales figures compiled by Reuters. Read the Reuters ranking feature here

GSK-backed startup has ambitious plans for immunology

There's quite a competition these days for the best minds in the field of adaptive immune responses, and GlaxoSmithKline has provided Tempero Pharmaceuticals with some of the hottest recruits to be found in this emerging class of new drugs... More on this GSK immunology story

Can Eisai's new Alzheimer's drug fill blockbuster shoes

Eisai and Pfizer rolled out a new set of clinical trial numbers on their long-acting version of Aricept (donepezil), with the experimental 23 milligram extended-release formulation besting the 10 milligram immediate-release drug that the Japanese company relies on for the lion's share of its U.S. revenue. More on Eisai/Pfizer story

Big change in market-access strategies, execs say

What is the biggest change for today's pharma executive? Market access strategies, according to a survey by Cegedim Dendrite. Forty percent citied it as the part of their business undergoing the biggest changes, while 20 percent chose sales-force restructuring. More on this question here

How Novartis vaccines turned fear into function

To hear Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics' head of technical ops tell it, fear was the enemy when Novartis swept into its newly acquired vaccine company, Chiron. And conquering that fear was what allowed the Swiss drugmaker's vaccines unit to deliver H1N1 flu vaccine quickly--and globally--during last year's pandemic. More on the Novartis vaccine story

Abbott's flu vaccine business may represent a good deal for acquisitive drug makers

According to media reports, pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories is looking to auction off its influenza vaccine business in a deal that could be worth up to $600m. Abbott's established link to the Russian flu market and its advanced cell-based technology make the business an attractive prospect for would-be buyers, which may include the likes of GlaxoSmithKline and MedImmune. More on the speculative Abbott vaccine business auction

Genzyme maps big plans for R&D, manufacturing expansion

Genzyme isn't letting a little manufacturing crisis get in the way of its ambitious long-term growth plans. The big biotech outfit has blueprinted a massive 757,000-square-foot expansion at its Framingham, MA facility, with some 400,000 square feet of new space reserved for its research operations. More on Genzyme report here

With Novartis deal, Adimab expects profitability this year

Lebanon, NH-based Adimab has inked a research collaboration with Novartis, marking its fifth deal with a major pharma company in just over a year. The developer will use its discovery platform to identify fully human antibodies against two targets selected by Novartis. Novartis has rights to commercialize the identified antibodies, while Adimab gets an undisclosed upfront payment, preclinical milestones and licensing fees. Adimab could also receive clinical development milestones and royalties on sales resulting from the collaboration. More on the Novartis/Adimab story

For Eisai in China, the sales rep's the thing

Every drugmaker has its own peculiar strategy for dipping into the Chinese market. Japan's Eisai started with a joint venture with a local company, then moved on to operate on its own, adding one drug to its arsenal at a time. Sales reps have been key to the company's strategy, even when deciding which drugs to field first in China: Which drugs would attract sales people? More on Eisai's China sales strategy

Takeda Sets Aside 50 Billion Yen a Year for Product Acquisitions

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. will set aside 50 billion yen ($569 million) annually for the next three years to buy new products, said Mitsuo Oguri, a company spokesman in Tokyo. Read more on Takeda at Bloomberg

Italian drug studies trigger government price cuts

Italy is set to cut some drug prices, but it's not a deficit-reduction move. It's the outcome of a pay-for-performance program launched in 2007. Under that program, drugs would be studied in real-world use, and prices renegotiated depending on how effective they proved to be. More on this Italian price cut story

India takes centre stage as biopharma booms

New Jersey may still be America's medicine chest, but India is fast becoming the world's medicine plant. As Big Pharma turns to outsourcing to shed costs--and India's homegrown pharma industry turns out more and more of the world's generic meds--the subcontinent's drug output is growing fast. Some 13 percent growth is expected this year, the New York Times reports, to just over $24 billion. And R&D ops are also growing at a fast pace. More from the New York Times

EU: 'Problematic' patent deals on decline

Are drugmakers getting the antitrust message in Europe? If a new European Commission survey is any indication, they are. Regulators have sifted through patent settlements from July 2008 to December 2009 and found only nine "potentially problematic" deals between branded drugmakers and would-be generic rivals. That's just 10 percent of the 93 patent settlements concluded during that time frame. More on this patent deals story

Study: Top drug websites confusing, unbalanced

Top drug websites are like Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole, a new analysis finds, you never know where they might take you. Two academic researchers took a look at the websites of the 100 best-selling drugs and found a navigational "maze" and a confusing mix of information and marketing. More from UPI

U.S. drug prices aren't sky-high, study finds

What if that old story about U.S. drug prices beating all others was just that--a story? Well, a forthcoming study from the London School of Economics argues that in true apples-to-apples price comparisons, U.S. prices are at the most 25 percent higher than European prices, the Financial Times reports. And get this. Using this comparative method, U.S. prices are lower than Mexico's... More on this U.S. drug price report

Lilly CEO outlines deal strategy to beef up its pipeline

Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter has been making the rounds with financial journalists over the last few days, stressing that the pharma company will bet its future on a new round of deals with biotechs and the $4 billion to $5 billion it spends on R&D each year. And you can immediately discount any rumors you may hear about a big acquisition. More on Lilly's pipeline strategy

Sanofi's rumored buyout plans inspire guessing game

The scuttlebutt from Bloomberg late last week about Sanofi-Aventis' interest in acquiring an unidentified drug developer in the pricey neighborhood of $20 billion has triggered a fevered new game of name-the-target. Read more on the Sanofi rumours at Reuters

India strategy seen as springboard for emerging markets

The market for medical devices is worth up to $3 billion and growing at more than 10 percent a year, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers, drawing foreign firms such as GE Healthcare, a venture with India's Wipro, Siemens and Philips, which are also pursuing a local-for-local strategy in India. Read more on the Indian medical device strategy at Reuters

Report: Sanofi mulling $20bn deal

Citing five unnamed people "with knowledge of the situation", Bloomberg is reporting that Sanofi-Aventis is mulling a potential $20 billion deal with a U.S. company. The news service says CEO Chris Viehbacher briefed the board this week in a special meeting. Any potential deal is in "very early stages" and could still fall through, according to sources. Sanofi refused to comment on the report. More on the potential Sanofi deal

Only the biggest developers can play the biosimilar game

Over the next five years, the market for biosimilars will swell to $10 billion, but inly a handful of players with deep pockets and world-class R&D facilities will be able to play. Raed more on the biosimilars story

Post-merger, Roche emulates Genentech's attitude

When Roche finally closed its $47 billion buyout of Genentech, many industry watchers worried the Swiss company would stifle Genentech's famously laid-back culture. But if early reports are correct, it looks like Roche is the one that's had an attitude adjustment. Read more on the Roche/Genentech story at Bloomberg

GSK aims for biotech attitude at R&D ops

Biotech thinking is in. The Big Pharma midset is out. And you only have to stroll through the halls of GlaxoSmithKline's shrinking R&D ops to find telltale signs of the shift in development strategies.... More on GSK's R&D strategy from the WSJ

June 2010

Avandia decision a bellwether for Obama FDA

Obviously, the fate of GSK's diabetes drug Avandia is vital to the company, but it will also mark a defining moment for the Obama administration's FDA, as well as the entire pharma industry.

Avandia has been under scrutiny since 2007, when a study linked the drug to increased cardiovascular risks. Since then, research has been piling up, but it's not only contradictory, it's not all top quality data. More on the Avandia story

Key drugs for AZ, Pfizer get generic rivals

Two big drugs acquired generic competition in the U.S. this week. First, there is AstraZeneca's Arimidex treatment for breast cancer. Next, the Pfizer antidepressant Effexor XR. Together, the drugs accounted for almost $4 billion in U.S. sales. More on the AZ and Pfizer generic rivals

Supremes: Pfizer has to face Nigerian claims

The U.S. Supreme Court won't stop Nigerians from suing Pfizer in U.S. court. It was the company's last attempt to forestall lawsuits over the much publicised Nigerian clinical trial of Trovan, a meningitis drug.

Pfizer tested Trovan on Nigerian children during a 1996 meningitis epidemic. Afterward, families of some of the children alleged that the experimental drug had caused deaths and disabling injuries... More on the Pfizer Trovan lawsuit

Germany moves in on branded drug prices

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved a draft bill which aims to eventually save some €2 billion ($2.4 billion) per year on patented drugs by breaking up drugmaker's pricing power. Read more on the German cabinet's draft bill

Abbott targets sale of Solvay flu-vax unit

abbott Laboratories doesn' plan to hold onto Solvay's flu vaccine business. The company started marketing the unit last week, sources tell the Wall Street Journal, by sending out materials to several large healthcare companies. The business could fetch some €500 million, or $619 million. More on Abbott/Solvay story

Sanofi plans 'industrial scale' phase III program for dengue vaccine

Faced with the resurgence of dengue in the U.S. - where it hasn't been seen in 65 years - and around the world, Sanofi-Aventis says that it is ramping up an 'industrial scale' series of late-stage trials for a new vaccine with blockbuster potential. Read more on the Sanofi phase III story

Barron's: Pharma's better than Wall Street thinks

Are investors too gloomy about big pharma? A new article in Barron's suggests that's the case. Despite worries about the coming patent cliff - which will claim some of the industry's biggest drugs, such as Lipitor and Singulair - as well as what new drugs might fill the gaps, the pharma business doesn't necessarily deserve one of the P/E ratios in the market, the publication argues. More on the Barron's article

Global pharmaceutical R&D productivity declining according to Thomson Reuters, CMR International

The pharmaceutical industry continues to rely heavily on sales from an ageing portfolio of drugs, whilst the proportion of total sales from newer drugs has dropped, according to data released today from the 2010 Pharmaceutical R&D Factbook compiled by CMR International, a Thompson Reuters business. More on this report from Thompson Reuters

Eisai blueprints new R&D centre in India

Eisai is blueprinting its first drug R&D centre outside of Japan, with plans to invest $50 million in a new venture in India which will recruit 100 people to develop new therapeutics for the global market. Read more on Eisai's R&D plans at Bloomberg

Pharma pipelines mired by poor productivity, shrinking R&D budgets

With drug approvals for new chemical entities running at about half the level of the peak registered in 1997, pharma companies are actually seeing a reduction in the amount of money they earn from drugs approved in the previous five years, according to new research from Thompson Reuters. Read more on the pharma pipelines story at Reuters

J&J recall plant to stay closed through year's end

The disgraced Johnson & Johnson plant in Fort Washington, PA will stay idle though to the end of the year, the company says. The McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant - which made the children's versions of Tylenol, Benadryl and other drugs recalled in April, stopped production after FDA inspectors found a myriad of manufacturing problems. Read more on the J&J recall story here

Analysts fret over Pfizer's litany of pipeline snafus

The clock is ticking on Pfizer's final 18 month countdown on its $11.5 billion Lipitor franchise, but analysts are growing increasingly fretful about the pharma giant's ability to find new drugs to fill the looming revenue chasm. Read the Pfizer Lipitor story

Sanofi 'on track' to meet diabetes sales targets, Chancel says

Sanofi-Aventis SA is "well on track" to meet its target to double diabetes sales between 2008 and 2013, Pierre Chancel, who heads the company's diabetes division said in an interview. Read more from Chancel's interview at Bloomberg

Daiichi Sankyo "energetically" seeking cancer deals, partners

With late-stage data on an experimental blood thinner with blockbuster potential due next year and ambitious plans to push revenue, Daiichi Sankyo's European chief says that the Japanese pharma company would like to do some more deals along the lines of its $235 million buyout of Germany's U3 Pharma AG. Read the Daiichi story at Bloomberg

GSK chief backs a centralised European approval process

With European countries slamming the brakes on drug spending whenever possible, GSK chief Andrew Witty took the helm of the continent's pharma association calling for a 'new dialogue' between the industry and government officials and cautiously backing a radical revamp of the European approval process. Read more on this GSK story..

Fitch-rated global pharmaceutical companies may file 23 new drugs by end of year

According to Fitch Ratings' new Global Pharmaceutical R&D Pipeline report, it is estimated that drug authorities will field 23 new drug filings by the end of the year - the same slow pace seen over the past few years. The FDA has OK'd six new molecular entities and one vaccine while the European Medicines Agency authorised the marketing of five NME's and two vaccines. Fitch also expects that licensing will be favoured over consolidation deals in 2010. Read the Fitch article

Ranbaxy weighs closure of Indian bulk-drug plant

Ranbaxy Laboratories may shut down one of its biggest bulk-drug plants, Indian newspapers are reporting. Sources are saying that the Daiichi-Sankyo-owned drugmaker is outsourcing some production as it prepares to close the facility at Mohali, India. Among the outsourced products is the active ingredient in Ranbaxy's best-selling prescription drug, the cephalosporin antibiotic Sporidex. More on Ranbaxy story here

GSK, Merck tops at delivering meds to the poor

Who is doing the most to get medicines to the developing world? GlaxoSmithKline, at least according to this year's Access to Medicines Index, with Merck, Novartis, Gilead Sciences and Sanofi-Aventis rounding out the top five. More on the Access to Medicines Index

FDA urges pharma to develop new uses for old meds

The FDA wants drugmakers to take another look at some existing drugs. The agency released a list of 235 medicines that show promise as treatments for rare diseases, in hopes that companies would develop them accordingly. But given the cost of clinical trials - and the possibility that pricing pressures and small rare-disease markets might make it tough to recoup those costs - the FDA is facing an uphill battle. More on the FDA story

Gaining the inside track on new biotech tax credit

On 18 June 2010, the Internal Revenue service released Form 8942 and related instructions for applying for the Therapeutic Discovery Credit. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the Project Information Memorandum to be completed and submitted along with Form 8942. Read more about the biotech tax credit

Roche faces long delay for diabetes drug

Roche has delayed development of its potential blockbuster type 2 diabetes drug taspoglutide for up to 18 months due to hypersensetivity problems observed in trial subjects, including skin reactions and digestive symptoms. Read more on this Roche story

Few drugmakers translate cost cuts into efficiency

Have cost cuts made Big Pharma more efficient? By one financial measure - revenues per dollar of sales and administrative spending - not so much. Read more on this big pharma story here

Japanese pharma loads up on reps in China

Japanese drugmakers are looking to beef up their sales forcaes in China in a big way. Astellas Pharma is plotting to double its 300-strong contingent of reps to more than 600 by 2014. Meanwhile, Eisai is plotting to boost its marketing force to 1,000 by next year and to 1,400 by 2013; that's up from 730 now. More on the Japanese pharma story here

Sanofi cuts costs to cope with €uro trouble

We all know that, like its big pharma colleagues, Sanofi-Aventis has been on a cost-cutting drive; restructuring, consolidating and cutting jobs. But will European healthcare cuts force the French drugmaker to reduce spending - and payrolls - even more? Read more on this Sanofi story here

Yet another recall of J&J's consumer meds

Johnson & Johnson just announced recall no. 5. The company said it would recall four lots of Benadryl allergy pills and one lot of Extra Strength Tylenol - lots that the company "inadvertently omitted" from a previous recall launched back in January. More on J&J recall story here

Small Greek price hike induces Novo to return

Denmark's Novo Nordisk said it would resume supplies of its modern insulins to Greece after the country raised its price for the drugs. More on the Novo story here

Genmab shares spike on fresh rumours of a Glaxo takeover

A little fresh speculation regarding some old talk about a possible GSK takeover of Genmab inspired a spike in the Denmark developer's share price. Read the GSK/Genmab article here

Bayer CEO-in-waiting aims for sales, not margins

Waiting in the wings for his role as Bayer CEO, Marijn Dekkers is promising to focus on sales growth rather than profit margins when he takes the stage. Read more on the new Bayer CEO here

Sanofi CEO: Still on the hunt for new drug deals

Chris Viehbacher wasted little time in shaking things up at Sanofi-Aventis when he stepped in as CEO. Whipping out the company checkbook he has spent more than $9 billion on acquisitions, adding new programs and dropping others.... Read more of Chris' comments here at Bloomberg

Have off-label marketing deals deterred bad behaviour?

Have the much publicised off-label marketing settlements had any effect on drug makers? The companies say yes, as do some experts... But others aren't so sure. Read more on this debating question here

Drug makers fear rush of European parallel trade

In the wake of European price cuts, pharmaceutical companies fear not only a hit in their revenues, but a fresh surge in so-called "parallel exports" - estimated to account for a tenth of Europe's medicine trade elsewhere across the E.U., undermining their margins in many larger and richer countries.

Pfizer tops drug-sampling list with $2.7bn in spending

Pfizer is by far the biggest distributor of drug samples, new congressional data shows. As Dow Jones reports, the world's largest drug maker handed out $2.7 billion worth of free samples in 2007. That's almost 7 times the amount distributed by the company in second place..... Read this drug samples report in The Wall Street Journal

Indian biotechs shift focus to new collaboration deals

India's biotech industry is reporting a surge of new drug development collaborations as big pharma companies remodel their R&D strategies and look to cut costs and share risk... and the Indian developers are brokering lower research costs for an inside track on some early-stage programs. Read the Indian biotech industry in full here

GSK and MedTrust Online Team to provide cancer doctors better mobile access to cancer clinical trials

GlaxoSmithKline and MedTrust Online, LLC have announced the development of CancerTrials App, the first free geolocating cancer clinical trials application for the Apple iPhone and iPad platforms. Read more on this GSK/Medtrust story

J&J MD&D segment sees 80 submissions in next two years

Johnson & Johnson's Medical devices & Diagnostics segment has received more than a dozen regulatory approvals so far this year and it plans to make approximately 80 significant submissions across its seven franchises between 2010 and 2012. Read full J&J MD&D report here

Lilly CEO: Looking for deals, but not mega-mergers

Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter hasn't budged from his vow not to pursue a mega-merger, as many of the pharma's rivals have done. "We are not interested in a large-deal combination," he said at the Sanford C. Bernstein investor conference. Lilly has some tough years ahead, particularly between 2012 and 2014, when several of its major drugs go off-patent. Read more on this Lilly story in the Wall Street Journal

Huge biotech gets green light

Cambridge officials have approved development of what would be the region's largest biotechnology complex, a 1.7 million-square-foot research centre near Kendall Square. Read about this new centre in the Boston Globe report

Italy limits price cuts on medicine

Italy’s health minister has pledged to limit fresh cuts on the price of patented medicines by instead pushing for greater use of lower-cost generic alternatives Read the FT piece

Biotech Pulled Down by Capital Markets in May

The Burrill Biotech Select Index recorded a 10 percent drop in May to close below 300 for the first time in almost 18 months

Read more: Biotech Pulled Down by Capital Markets in May Read more in Burrill release

Sanofi R&D sets sight on eye diseases

Eye diseases will become Sanofi's third strategic disease area, Marc Cluzel told Reuters, next to diabetes and cancer which have been up and running as separate divisions with their own heads, R&D teams and budgets since earlier this year Read more about Sanofi R&D sets sight on eye diseases

United Spinal Association teams up with Allergan

United Spinal Association has partnered with BOTOX® maker Allergan, Inc., actor Henry Winkler, and four national patient advocacy organizations to educate the public on the low awareness and under-diagnosis of upper limb spasticity United Spinal Association Teams Up With Allergan

PharmaGap seeks licensing deal for its oncology candidate

The Company has maintained contact with and continues to provide data to the in-licensing groups in several major companies active in the cancer field. Recent tests at the National Cancer Institute and results from current and near term studies have been important in advancing these discussions More details at PharmaGap

Amgen wins FDA approval of D-mab

Two months ahead of schedule and just days behind European regulators, the FDA has approved Amgen's denosumab for post menopausal women with osteoporosis. Once the drug hits the market as Prolia, analysts expect that it will evolve into a multibillion-dollar franchise product - marking a key turning point for the world's biggest independent biotech. Read Amgen D-mab story in full

Strong dollar set to alarm pharma numbers

A strong dollar is good, right? Maybe, unless you're a U.S. drugmaker that exports lots of products to Europe. This means you - Pfizer, J&J, et al. Read the Dow Jones news report

Are partnerships in India keeping you up at night?

With strong R&D capabilities and a highly educated workforce at the right price, India presents an attractive alternative to European manufacturers facing increased costs at home.... But anyone who has worked in India knows it's not that simple. Read this article in full at PharmTech Talk

Amgen eyes deals in global expansion

Amgen is considering acquisitions in the pharmaceuticals industry as it expands its geographic reach and product range. While saying that a $20bn deal - the size that analysts say the company could easily finance - would "certainly be a very large acquisition" for Amgen, Kevin Sharer, Chief Executive, stressed that "expanding is important... and our industry is consolidating." Read more on Amgen at FT.com

May 2010

Venter Says Synthetic Genomics May Speed Flu Vaccines

Being able to create synthetic genes may enable companies such as Novartis AG to speed up development of flu vaccines as soon as next year, researcher J. Craig Venter said at a congressional hearing Read more at BusinessWeek

Glaxo Tries a Linux Approach

A decade ago, the Linux operating system helped spark a revolution in how software is developed. A move by GlaxoSmithKline PLC could test how well similar open-source principles work for developing new drugs

The pharmaceutical giant last week opened to the public the designs behind 13,500 chemical compounds that it said may be capable of inhibiting the parasite that causes malaria For more read the aticle at the Wall Street Journal

Teva sees opportunities in Latin America, Asia

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries sees chances to grow in Latin America, including such major markets as Brazil and Mexico. Eyal Desheh Teva's CEO, said the company doesn't have the right presence in Brazil right now and it should be able to get bigger in Mexico. Read the FiercePharma article

Sanofi-Aventis eyes Japanese generic drug market; to invest 5 billion Yen in Japan's Nichi-iko Pharmaceuticals

French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis said there was strong interest in the assets likely to be sold from its animal health operations and confirmed it was in talks with a partner to enter the Japanese drug market. Read more in an article at Reuters

Roche plots a survival course but sees no big biosimilar threat

As far as Roche CEO Severin Schwan is concerned, the European economic crisis will trigger deep cuts in healthcare spending, leaving room for only two types of big pharma players: Generic drugmakers with the economies of scale needed to market huge volumes of cheap therapies and innovators who can come up with a new generation of therapies that offer markedly better outcomes for patients. Read on...

Are emerging markets enough to boost big pharma?

Can pharma's emerging markets growth strategy really work? The Wall Street Journal raises this question in a column today suggesting the low margins in developing countries, plus the fragmented nature that we call 'emerging markets' could interfere with drugmakers' success at offsetting generic competition in the U.S. and Europe. Read the WSJ article

UK may yank pharma's pricing power

Will drugmakers' ability to set their own prices in the UK soon come to an end? It could, under a proposal now being floated by the new coalition government, Pharmalot reports... Read the full story here

Astellas staffs up for China sales drive

Big pharma has been jostling for market share in China. Now the likes of Pfizer and Bayer will have more competition in the fast growing market in the form of Japan's Astellas Pharma. Read the Bloomberg article

GE brings $3bn life sciences project to life

GE plans to invest a total of $3 billion over the next five years as it searches for new approaches to health that can cut costs. While that covers a gamut of technologies, there's a big biotech component as well. GE and Eli Lilly, for example, are at work developing "faster, cheaper and smarter cancer therapies." Read the report in full at Bloomberg

New York readies big biotech facility for homegrown developers

Shoved off schedule by a nasty recession, New York is looking to put its huge new biotech facility for early-stage developers back on track with plans to break ground soon on the first 100,000 square feet of space at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.

BioBAT is New York's answer to a commonly asked question: Why doesn't the city, home to some of the most acclaimed scientists in the medical field, play host to a booming biotech industry? More info

Pharma execs expect fines, M&A and easier credit

A new survey takes the temperature of pharmaceutical executives and the results are a decidedly mixed bag. Although they say the economy has improved and so has access to capital, they're not so confident about their own company's ability to innovate. They are expecting regulatory trouble in the E.U., but they're pretty sanguine about the U.S. healthcare reform. Here are the details, thanks to Pharmalot

A look back at the 2010 BIO Convention

The 2010 BIO International Convention drew 15,322 industry leaders to discuss and share the latest developments, challenges and most pressing issues facing the biotech industry.

The convention featured a record-setting 17,100 partnering meetings, in addition to 190 company presentations and an exhibition hall filled with 1,700+ exhibitors. For a first-hand account of the biotech industry's visit to the Windy City, check out the convention website.

Biotech and drug executives expect increase in M&A - Study

The looming patent cliff facing major pharmaceutical companies is pushing the industry into a critical phase in terms of drug innovation and consolidation, international intellectual property group Marks & Clerk reported on Monday. A study of 381 executives across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors conducted by Marks & Clerk showed that big pharma is becoming increasingly reliant on patent term extensions to safeguard essential blockbuster revenue ahead of a likely 'make-or-break' round of company acquisitions. More

Bayer to build U.S. innovation centre in San Francisco's Mission Bay

Bayer Healthcare will establish a U.S. Innovation Centre in Mission Bay, rotating researchers through the facility and working with UCSF in an attempt to build the German drug maker's product pipeline. The centre at 455 Mission Bay South will house Bayer's hematology research program. But scientists focused on cardiology, oncology, women's healthcare and diagnostic imaging also will rotate through the centre. Read more

Big pharma tries to think like a biotech whilst reengineering R&D

For many years, large companies such as GSK have relied on a handful of typically high-priced, mass-market 'blockbusters' that generate billions of dollars a year in sales. But as patents expire on drugs such as Lipitor, Pfizer's anti-cholesterol medicine that is the biggest selling medication in history, big pharma is having to rethink its business model. Read the full article here

After Drought, Start-Ups Start to Find Buyers

Big companies are back on the prowl for start-ups and the IPO market has come back to life, providing some relief to the battered venture-capital industry that invests in young firms After Drought, Start-Ups Start to Find Buyers

Merck to Seek U.S. Approval for 5 New Drugs in 2010

Merck & Co. said it will seek U.S. regulatory approval for five new medicines this year, including new treatments for hepatitis C and diabetes Merck to Seek U.S. Approval for 5 New Drugs in 2010

Cheaper drugs, vaccines forecast as collaborations grow between developing countries' biotech firms

The availability of more affordable drugs, vaccines and diagnostics that would help countless people worldwide is the foremost benefit expected from a growing number of collaborations between biotech firms in developing countries View full story at PhysOrg

That Pill You Took? It May Well Be Theirs

PFIZER’S corporate jet is at the disposal of its chief executive, Jeffrey B. Kindler, for business travel and a limited number of personal trips. Top Merck executives also have use of that drug maker’s corporate aircraft That Pill You Took? It May Well Be Theirs

Glaxo Plans Two Deals as Competition Pushes Prices Up

GlaxoSmithKline Chief Executive Officer Andrew Witty plans to announce two “small” acquisitions soon, after walking away from five potential purchases or partnerships since October Glaxo Plans Two Deals as Competition Pushes Prices Up

Optimism Grows For Biotech

Biotech executives who flocked to Chicago last week for the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO’s) annual convention came with a degree of optimism that the industry has turned a corner after a tough 2009 Optimism Grows For Biotech

CPEX says hostile bid by investor inadequate

CPEX Pharmaceuticals said the hostile bid by one its investors to take the firm private for $16 a share is inadequate and substantially undervalues the company, and urged its shareholders to reject the offer CPEX says hostile bid by investor inadequate

City and London form biotech ‘super cluster’

Cambridge and London’s biotech networks will be merged to form a global “super cluster” representing more than 750 life sciences companies City and London form biotech ‘super cluster

April 2010

Are EU drugmakers less fussed by reform?

The U.S. health-care overhaul will cut Sanofi-Aventis SA’s sales in the country by about 2 percent this year, adding to evidence that European drugmakers are less affected by the legislation than their U.S. counterparts Are EU drugmakers less fussed by reform?

Alexion remains takeover target, just not this year

Alexion Pharmaceuticals continues to be an attractive takeover target, but an expensive valuation and major trial data expected at the end of 2010 rule out the possibility of a deal this year Alexion remains takeover target, just not this year

Pharma's Future Depends on These Three Trends

Pharmaceutical companies have managed their business in much the same way for decades. But significant changes in government regulations, market conditions, and technology will force the industry to look for new business models and practices. Companies that don't adapt face an uncertain and unsettling future Pharma's Future Depends on These Three Trends

Biotech Industry Showing Resilience Despite Challenging Conditions

World's established centers of biotech activity reach aggregate profitability for first time Biotech Industry Showing Resilience Despite Challenging Conditions

Pfizer Pushes on New Biotech Drugs

Pfizer Inc. is developing improved versions of top-selling biotechnology drugs, becoming the latest big drug maker to take aim at the biotech industry Pfizer Pushes on New Biotech Drugs

Genzyme May Sell Off Noncore Businesses; Will Disclose Unit Detail

Genzyme, the biotech that is juggling manufacturing problems and a proxy fight with Carl Icahn, is open to selling off some of its noncore businesses, its CEO said in a briefing at Health Blog HQ. Here’s the Dow Jones Newswires story about the chat Genzyme May Sell Off Noncore Businesses; Will Disclose Unit Detail

US Pharma - an expensive free market

US pharma may have politicians that ask probing questions on their behalf, but that doesn't translate into getting a better deal from pharma US Pharma - an expensive free market

First Quarter Shows Biotech Flailing into New Decade

Last year saw a wonderful wave of venture cash crashing into biotech coffers. The 2009 yearend numbers were up significantly from 2008, with more deals done (57 vs. 43) and investors shoveling 38 percent more into Series A, plus 36 percent more into Series B rounds First Quarter Shows Biotech Flailing into New Decade

'Dead as Doornail’ Gene Therapy Revival Spurs Genzyme

Five years ago, doctors drilled a hole into Jean Erickson’s skull, pushed in a needle and injected a cold virus modified to help transport a gene into her bra 'Dead as Doornail’ Gene Therapy Revival Spurs Genzyme

Regenerative Medicine to Be a $20 Billion Industry by 2025

Explosive growth over the next decade in the field of regenerative medicine could aid medical device companies looking to develop "delivery systems" for cell therapies, according to an analysis released last week Regenerative Medicine to Be a $20 Billion Industry by 2025

Boehringer Chief Sees ‘Selected’ Deals as Sales, Earnings Flag

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Chairman Andreas Barner may use product deals and regional acquisitions to fuel growth as the world’s largest family-owned drugmaker faces competition from lower-priced generics Boehringer Chief Sees ‘Selected’ Deals as Sales, Earnings Flag

Global drug sales to top $1 trillion

Global pharmaceutical sales are expected to reach $1.1 trillion (717 billion pounds) in 2014 as growth in emerging markets helps offset the impact of generic competition for many of the world's top selling drugs, according to a forecast by IMS Health Global drug sales to top $1 trillion

Novartis to Cut 20% of Its U.S. Headquarters Staff

Swiss drug giant Novartis AG is cutting about 20% of its U.S. headquarters staff as it attempts to cut costs and reorganize the way it sells drugs in the world's biggest pharmaceutical market Novartis to Cut 20% of Its U.S. Headquarters Staff

Pharma sector: There is room for value buying

The Indian pharma growth story could not have got a more opportune time to unfold Pharma sector: There is room for value buying

Novartis buys generic lung drug firm Oriel

The move suggests the Swiss drugmaker may see an simpler route to market with Oriel's electronic inhaler device than with another device from Britain's Vectura Group, which Novartis has been working on, analysts said Novartis buys generic lung drug firm Oriel

Elan Revives Plan to Spin Off Its Drug Delivery Unit

Elan Corp. may split off its drug technology unit to create two publicly listed companies, reviving a 2008 plan to separate its main businesses Elan Revives Plan to Spin Off Its Drug Delivery Unit

Reform may spell $100m bio boost

A biotechnology tax credit and grant program in the national health reform law may amount to a $100 million windfall for Massachusetts biotechnology companies Reform may spell $100m bio boost

Pharmaceutical Industry Levers Up

Higher leverage contributes to downward rating migration; trend expected to continue Pharmaceutical Industry Levers Up

Astellas seen winning OSI Pharma at steeper price

Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc will likely win its battle for OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc as few rival bidders are seen, but it will need to raise its $3.5 billion offer Astellas seen winning OSI Pharma at steeper price

Obama Spurs Harvard Hiring While UnitedHealth Buys

The stimulus bill funding for comparative effectiveness research is already making its way onto the streets, backing new studies and spawning a series of related acquisitions, Bloomberg reports Obama Spurs Harvard Hiring While UnitedHealth Buys

New Merck races to the emerging markets

New Merck races to the emerging markets

World's top-selling drugs in 2014 vs 2010

Roche's cancer drug Avastin is expected to be the world's biggest-selling drug in 2014, as today's two top blockbusters -- Lipitor and Plavix -- lose patent protection in 2011 and 2012. In four years' time, the prescription drug league table will look very different, reflecting the growing commercial dominance of injectable biotech drugs, especially for cancer and rheumatoid arthritis World's top-selling drugs in 2014 vs 2010

Working For A Biotech Start-Up

Fledgling firms offer rewards that sometimes outweigh the risks of conducting high-stakes research on a fast track Working For A Biotech Start-Up

Bay St says life sciences fare better in US

Canadian life sciences companies that need to raise cash in capital markets are best served going south of the border for their financing needs, Bay Street specialty bankers said Bay St says life sciences fare better in US

UK's Vernalis targets acquisitions, in-licensing

British biotech group Vernalis said it was targeting for acquisition companies with later-stage drug development programmes, it said on Monday after posting a 27 percent rise in underlying revenue UK's Vernalis targets acquisitions, in-licensing

Novartis and Roche threaten to quit UK

The pharmaceutical firms Novartis and Roche have threatened to pull out of Britain and relocate thousands of jobs abroad, in an ongoing row over pricing for the NHS and rules surrounding safety trials Novartis and Roche threaten to quit UK

Bristol-Myers gives acting CFO permanent job

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co's (BMY.N) board has given acting chief financial officer Charles Bancroft the job officially, effective on Thursday, the drugmaker said Bristol-Myers gives acting CFO permanent job

Celgene sees inflammatory drugs driving new growth

Celgene Corp unveiled a raft of experimental new drugs on Thursday that it believes will supercharge its growth for years to come, including treatments for psoriasis, lung cancer and anemia Celgene sees inflammatory drugs driving new growth

New approaches to drug development needed

Drug development alliances and partnerships may be the best approach to bring new drugs to market, according to a panel of pharmaceutical and biotech industry leaders recently convened by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development New approaches to drug development needed

Pfizer Sees ‘Golden Age’ in Alzheimer’s, Cancer Drugs

Pfizer said it expects to have more products with sales in excess of $1 billion as it develops treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and pain Pfizer Sees ‘Golden Age’ in Alzheimer’s, Cancer Drugs

Alimera Sciences files for $87 mln IPO

To use proceeds partly for clinical research Alimera Sciences files for $87 mln IPO

Pfizer, Novartis and Eli Lilly got bulk of contentious patents

Rules against protection being granted to already known and long-ago patented drugs were allegedly violated Pfizer, Novartis and Eli Lilly got bulk of contentious patents

A Note of Caution on Biotech Strategy

Big pharmaceutical companies such as Merck & Co. have long looked to biotechs for new drugs to restock pipelines and bring revenues tomorrow, making biotechs the perennial subject of takeover chatter. But recent setbacks at Britain's Vectura Group PLC and Antisoma PLC underscore why a cautious licensing strategy may be a better alternative, at least when it comes to money-losing development-stage companies A Note of Caution on Biotech Strategy

Mylan Options Surge on Speculation of Pfizer Takeover

Mylan climbed to the highest intraday level in four years and trading of bullish options surged the most since July on speculation that the biggest U.S. maker of generic drugs may be acquired by Pfizer Mylan Options Surge on Speculation of Pfizer Takeover

Generics Game Will Get Tougher

Patent expirations have been a headache for Big Pharma in recent years, eroding revenues and causing many stocks to trail the broad market. But generic-drug manufacturers have thrived, with their products reaching 75% of total U.S. prescription volume last year against 57% in 2004, according to IMS Health. That has fueled a surge in shares of generic specialists such as India's Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Generics Game Will Get Tougher

Biotechs' struggles shifting to recovery

Some small public biotechnology companies that have limped along during the recession are making a resurgence amid a brightened credit environment and stock market bounce-back that have combined to ease the pressure on a handful of firms that were gasping for air a year ago Biotechs' struggles shifting to recovery

Rx Sales Jump 5.1 Percent to $300 Billion in 2009

The demand for pharmaceuticals turned out to be stronger in 2009 than originally anticipated, with a 5 percent increase in dollars spent on drugs, bringing the total to $300 billion, according to the latest figures from IMS Health Rx Sales Jump 5.1 Percent to $300 Billion in 2009

March 2010

Biotech inspired $295B in M&A deals over the last decade

Anyone who doubts just how obsessed biotech companies can be when it comes to deal-making should take a close look at a new report on all the wheeling and dealing that goes on around the global drug development business Biotech inspired $295B in M&A deals over the last decade

After Patent on Genes Is Invalidated, Taking Stock

Many biotechnology stocks fell on Tuesday as investors struggled to understand the impact of a ruling that threw out parts of two gene patents and called into question thousands more After Patent on Genes Is Invalidated, Taking Stock

Lilly’s Move To Fix Europe

If, like Eli Lilly, you face one of the worst patent expiry cliffs in the pharma sector, a desire to do M&A and strike more licensing deals is hardly surprising. What’s interesting is that the U.S. company has trained its sights on Europe Lilly’s Move To Fix Europe

Nycomed: From midpharma to bigpharma

Nycomed: From midpharma to bigpharma

For One Biotech, an Expiration Date With a Twist

Capstone Therapeutics, a small biotechnology firm, has developed a radical new therapy for investors, Breakingviews says For One Biotech, an Expiration Date With a Twist

Mixed Outlook for Pharmaceutical Industry following US Healthcare Reform

Mixed Outlook for Pharmaceutical Industry following US Healthcare Reform Mixed Outlook for Pharmaceutical Industry following US Healthcare Reform

Generic deals may still hold appeal for Pfizer

Pfizer may still be eager to buy generic drugmakers, after being outbid for Germany's Ratiopharm in an effort to shore up revenue as it braces for evaporating sales of its blockbuster Lipitor cholesterol treatment Generic deals may still hold appeal for Pfizer

A Company Races to Keep a Drug Patent

It has been called a case of being a day late and a billion dollars short — potentially one of the costliest blunders in drug industry history. But a court decision this week might be a reprieve for the company involved A Company Races to Keep a Drug Patent

New collaboration aims to speed TB drugs to market

U.S. regulators, drug companies, philanthropists and advocates announced a new alliance on Thursday to speed tuberculosis drugs to market, a day after cancer researchers and drugmakers launched a similar initiative New collaboration aims to speed TB drugs to market

Roche Looks to New Disease Areas

Swiss drug giant Roche Holding AG laid out its strategy for growth, telling investors it can continue a long winning streak by strengthening its already dominant position in cancer drugs and by expanding into new disease areas, such as diabetes and schizophrenia Roche Looks to New Disease Areas

Teva reaches deal to buy ratiopharm

Teva announced that it entered an agreement to acquire German generic drugmaker ratiopharm in a deal valued at 3.625 billion euros ($4.95 billion) Teva reaches deal to buy ratiopharm

Astellas Proposes OSI Directors in $3.5 Billion Bid

Astellas Pharma Inc. nominated a 10-person slate to replace the board of U.S. company OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. after directors urged investors to reject the Japanese drugmaker’s $3.5 billion hostile takeover Astellas Proposes OSI Directors in $3.5 Billion Bid

R&D Investment by U.S. Biopharmaceutical Companies

Despite a fragile economy, America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies invested a record $65.3 billion last year in the research and development of new life-changing medicines and vaccines - an increase of more than $1.5 billion from 2008, according to analyses by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) R&D Investment by U.S. Biopharmaceutical Companies

March Roars in for Life Sciences

Something for everyone—a big acquisition, an attempt at a hostile takeover, and an anemic IPO March Roars in for Life Sciences

After swine flu frenzy, biotechs come back to earth

For much of 2009, the swine flu was the biotech industry’s cash cow. The virus’s sudden contagion last spring spread rapidly and lucratively to the local life sciences community, where a handful of companies scrambled to assemble enough money and staffers to launch studies, conduct research and shape products to respond to the first documented flu pandemic in 40 years After swine flu frenzy, biotechs come back to earth

Aveo Pharmaceuticals Goes Public at $9, Falls Short of Hoped-For Range

Aveo Pharmaceuticals is proving once again that IPO investors have a limited appetite for biotech companies. The Cambridge, MA-based developer of cancer drugs sold its initial public shares to investors last night at $9, a long shot from its hoped-for range of $13 to $15 Aveo Pharmaceuticals Goes Public at $9, Falls Short of Hoped-For Range

Big Biotech M&A Targets: Who Could Follow Astellas' $3.5B Bid for OSI?

Last week’s news that Astellas Pharma had launched a $3.5 billion hostile takeover of cancer firm OSI Pharmaceuticals (OSIP) sparked speculation about which other big biotechs could be acquisition targets Big Biotech M&A Targets: Who Could Follow Astellas' $3.5B Bid for OSI?

Powerful growth of BIO-Europe Spring meets industry need for productive partnering

Gathering over 1,700 delegates from 1,061 companies in only its fourth year, BIO-Europe Spring 2010 provided proof of principle for conference producer EBD Group that “Partnering is here to stay in life sciences.” Powerful growth of BIO-Europe Spring meets industry need for productive partnering

Will Success Spoil Shire?

The British specialty company was once a one-drug shop. Now it’s one of mid-size pharma’s fastest-growing firms. So why is CEO Angus Russell fretting? Will Success Spoil Shire?

China building trust in drive to innovate

Market opportunities in China are staggering, yet it was a question of trust that dominated the Q&A period following the BIO-Europe Spring® panel discussion “Why China Should be Factored into a Company’s Development and Commercialization Strategy.” China building trust in drive to innovate

Sharp focus is key to making the cut in niche and regional markets

Big pharma is searching for niche opportunities to tease out further growth, moving into the rare diseases and regional markets that are the hunting ground for midsize companies Sharp focus is key to making the cut in niche and regional markets

Pfizer Chief Said to Make Case for Ratiopharm Deal

Pfizer Inc. said buying Ratiopharm GmbH would help the U.S. company beat generic competition and give the German drugmaker a bigger sales network in an acquisition plan presented today, according to two people with knowledge of the situation Pfizer Chief Said to Make Case for Ratiopharm Deal

We will cut drug prices by reducing production costs: GlaxoSmithkline

Did the entry of Daiichi Sankyo change your strategy for India or influenced your decision making process in anyway? We will cut drug prices by reducing production costs: GlaxoSmithkline

China Drug Cos Up On Hopes For More Medical Spending By China

China-based pharmaceutical company stocks posted gains Tuesday amid optimism that China's government will be making major investments in the country's health-care system this year China Drug Cos Up On Hopes For More Medical Spending By China

Bidding War Pits Pfizer Against Teva

The executives at some generic drug companies have a new catchphrase: There’s no place like Ulm. There’s no place like Ulm Bidding War Pits Pfizer Against Teva

German Merck has more takeover ideas

"We have indeed a few ideas. Acquisitions are a part of our strategy," Karl-Ludwig Kley told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung in an interview published on Sunday German Merck has more takeover ideas

GlaxoSmithKline Looking to Grow in India Via Buys

GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the world's second-largest drug maker by prescription drug sales, is looking at expanding in India GlaxoSmithKline Looking to Grow in India Via Buys

Eli Lilly Expects Japan Sales to Grow in ‘Mid Teens’ in 2010

Eli Lilly & Co., the world’s biggest maker of psychiatric medicines, expects revenue in Japan to increase in the “mid teens” this year Eli Lilly Expects Japan Sales to Grow in ‘Mid Teens’ in 2010

The biotech spring arrives in Barcelona

The theme here at BIO-Europe Spring 2010 is a new season for growing collaborations between Big Pharma and Little Biotech. And the key for developers is being able to fuel drug discovery programs in an environment where there's less cash on hand to fertilize the crops The biotech spring arrives in Barcelona

Astellas Needs to Raise OSI Bid by 15%, OrbiMed Says

Astellas Pharma Inc. needs to increase its $3.5 billion hostile takeover bid for OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. by 15 percent, said OrbiMed Advisors LLC, OSI’s fifth-biggest shareholder Astellas Needs to Raise OSI Bid by 15%, OrbiMed Says

Bristol-Myers Squibb Highlights Strong Pipeline, Strategic Execution in Meeting with Investment Community

During a meeting with the investment community today, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company provided a comprehensive business overview and an optimistic future outlook, highlighted by a robust, differentiated pipeline Bristol-Myers Squibb Highlights Strong Pipeline, Strategic Execution in Meeting with Investment Community

Pfizer Cholesterol Flops Cleared Path for Resverlogix

Resverlogix Corp., without a marketed product, may accomplish what Pfizer Inc., the world’s biggest drugmaker, couldn’t: Creating a new medicine that fights heart disease by raising so-called good cholesterol Pfizer Cholesterol Flops Cleared Path for Resverlogix

Abbott may be partner for Chi-Med

Hutchison China MediTech Ltd., the pharmaceutical company controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, aims to find a partner this year for its experimental treatment for a bowel disorder and plans to spin off its drug- development business within two years Abbott may be partner for Chi-Med

Big Pharma faces major slow down

Top pharmaceutical and biotech companies will witness a major slow down in sales growth between 2008 and 2014, according to business analysts Datamonitor Big Pharma faces major slow down

Astellas CEO aims for the stars with U.S. bid

Masafumi Nogimori saw first-hand how drugs were effective against infection, and so began a life-long love affair with the pharmaceuticals industry that has taken the 62-year-old CEO of Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) to the brink of the firm's biggest takeover deal Astellas CEO aims for the stars with U.S. bid

Pfizer Said to Bid Up to $4 Billion on Ratiopharm

Pfizer Inc., the world’s biggest drugmaker, is bidding as much as 3 billion euros ($4.08 billion) for German generic-drug maker Ratiopharm GmbH, said two people with knowledge of the talks.

Pfizer could make a presentation to Ratiopharm’s management as early as this week to support its bid, said the two people, who declined to be identified because they aren’t authorized to comment on the process. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Actavis Group hf are also bidding, and Ratiopharm is expected to decide by the end of the month, said one of the people. A third person knowledgeable about the process confirmed the timing Pfizer Said to Bid Up to $4 Billion on Ratiopharm

Interview: Jaume Masana, Esteve Phamaceuticals

New ventures and strategic alliances for Esteve Pharmaceuticals are presented to the Board of Directors of the privately funded Spanish pharmaceutical group through Jaume Masana, who is the Scientific and Business Development Director of Esteve. At BIO-Europe Spring® in Barcelona, Esteve is searching for innovative products and services to develop with partners, as well as opportunities for in-licensing agreements for its major markets Interview: Jaume Masana, Esteve Phamaceuticals

The Power of Successful Negotiation

A corporate focus on negotiations can help organizations reap substantial benefits The Power of Successful Negotiation

February 2010

Icahn aims to "fix" Genzyme, alludes to sale

One day after announcing he plans to nominate himself for the board of directors of Genzyme Corp., activist investor Carl Icahn said he aims to "fix" the ailing biotech company, which could include pushing for a sale Icahn aims to "fix" Genzyme, alludes to sale

Next Biogen Idec CEO May Be a Scientist

The future leader of Biogen Idec might be as familiar with a petri dish as he or she is with a spreadsheet Next Biogen Idec CEO May Be a Scientist

Genzyme in Icahn's Sights

Carl Icahn is taking the fight to Genzyme(GENZ Quote) in a bid to wrest control of the biotech company from embattled Chairman and CEO Henri Termeer Genzyme in Icahn's Sights

Merck joins the cost-cutting crowd

Following its merger with Schering-Plough, US drug giant Merck & Co. has announced a 'merger restructuring plan' that in its first phase will see 17,500 jobs cut Merck joins the cost-cutting crowd

Actavis Relies on Deutsche for Ratiopharm Bid

Actavis has severed ties with Sweden’s EQT in a bid for German drug maker Ratiopharm Actavis Relies on Deutsche for Ratiopharm Bid

Teva, Actavis Said to Be Final Ratiopharm Bidders as EQT Exits

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Actavis Group hf reached the final round of bidding for German generic-drug maker Ratiopharm GmbH as Swedish investment firm EQT Partners AB was eliminated, three people familiar with the auction said Teva, Actavis Said to Be Final Ratiopharm Bidders as EQT Exits

Drug Firms Apply Brand to Generics

Some prestigious brand-name pharmaceutical companies that once looked askance at the high-volume, low-cost business of generic drugs are now becoming major purveyors of generic medicines Drug Firms Apply Brand to Generics

Ratiopharm Shortlist Expected Early This Week

The list of bidders for German generic drug maker Ratiopharm Group International is been whittled down to two, a person familiar with the situation said Tuesday Ratiopharm Shortlist Expected Early This Week

Large Pharma and Small Biotech Deals Expected to Increase in 2010

Andrew Baum, a health care investment analyst from Morgan Stanley, issued a report last week titled "Exit Research and Create Value" advising large pharma companies to drastically cut back on their in house R and D spending in favor of in-licensing drugs from biotech firms that have reached later stage studies Large Pharma and Small Biotech Deals Expected to Increase in 2010

Big Patent Expirations of 2010

While the much-talked-about patent cliff won't hit until 2011, 2010 will still see patent expirations of some of the industry's blockbuster drugs Big Patent Expirations of 2010

Sanofi Profit Up, Beats Views; Plans More Acquisitions

French drugs company Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) plans to maintain its pace of acquisitions and focus on small- and mid-sized targets Sanofi Profit Up, Beats Views; Plans More Acquisitions

Bristol, Novartis Should Help Pay for Leukemia Drug, U.K. Says

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Novartis AG should pay some of the expense of treating British patients with their leukemia drugs, the U.K.’s health-cost advisory agency said Bristol, Novartis Should Help Pay for Leukemia Drug, U.K. Says

Overhaul’s Failure Will Ignite U.S. Health Mergers

Insurers, drugmakers and hospitals will likely slash costs and merge companies to maneuver through a U.S. health-care landscape marked by rising medical expenses and the loss of millions of potential paying customers Overhaul’s Failure Will Ignite U.S. Health Mergers

Abbott's buying binge may continue

As he begins a new decade as chief executive of Abbott Laboratories, Miles White hinted he may not be done wheeling and dealing even after a year of large purchases Abbott's buying binge may continue

Gene Patents Under Legal Attack

Federal court hearings continued Tuesday on a lawsuit that could transform biotechnology in the United States by eliminating gene patents Gene Patents Under Legal Attack

Slow-growing biomed sector in Bay Area needs a hand

The Bay Area’s biomedical sector eked out a 1 percent increase in jobs between 2008 and 2009, a number that may be small but one that observers say is evidence that the industry still needs to be nurtured statewide Slow-growing biomed sector in Bay Area needs a hand

Pfizer streamlines and prioritizes pipeline

Pfizer’s first updated pipeline since its acquisition of Wyeth includes fewer projects than before and is targeted to specific diseases; after the acquisition, the companies’ combined pipeline had 600 projects, but the number has been reduced to about 500. The new development pipeline, which includes both companies’ projects, includes 133 programs from Phase I through registration Pfizer streamlines and prioritizes pipeline

Glaxo Profit Beats Estimates as Savings Plan Expanded

GlaxoSmithKline reported fourth- quarter earnings per share that beat analysts’ estimates, helped by a sales boost from swine flu shots. The U.K. drugmaker plans to expand a cost-savings program Glaxo Profit Beats Estimates as Savings Plan Expanded

Pfizer Plans to Cut Research Spending By Up To $3B

The New York pharmaceutical giant outlined the aggressive cuts, which represent more than a quarter of the two companies' combined research budgets in 2008, as it reported fourth-quarter earnings of $767 million, or 10 cents a share, up from $266 million, or four cents a share, a year earlier Pfizer Plans to Cut Research Spending By Up To $3B

Novartis: no comment on talk may sell Roche stake

Rumors hit the market yesterday that Novartis might be looking to offload its ownership stake in crosstown rival Roche as a way to raise money for its buyout of the rest of eye-care company Alcon Novartis: no comment on talk may sell Roche stake

Ratiopharm auction narrows to two-way race

Israel's Teva and Iceland's Actavis, backed by Swedish buyout firm EQT, look set to battle it out for German generic drug maker Ratiopharm as the deadline for final bids approaches Ratiopharm auction narrows to two-way race

Ironwood Raises 30% Less in Biggest U.S. IPO Price Cut of 2010

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. raised 30 percent less than the drugmaker sought for its initial public offering in the biggest price cut for a U.S. IPO this year Ironwood Raises 30% Less in Biggest U.S. IPO Price Cut of 2010

Roche CEO Reckons The Drugs Will Work

It’s hardly surprising that the $47 billion takeover of Californian biotech firm Genentech last year left deep marks in Roche’s full year earnings report for 2009 Roche CEO Reckons The Drugs Will Work

Big drug groups urged to buy in test products

Large pharmaceutical groups should abandon their own early stage drug development and switch to less costly licensing from biotech companies, according to a new analysis Big drug groups urged to buy in test products

Ironwood Seeks 15% IPO Premium as Investors Lose in New Deals

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Imperial Capital Group Inc. will lead the busiest week for U.S. initial public offerings in two months after the first deals of 2010 were reduced or postponed Ironwood Seeks 15% IPO Premium as Investors Lose in New Deals

Novartis Sees Potential in Russia

Swiss drug maker Novartis is eyeing Russia as the next big opportunity in emerging markets, after placing a major bet on China, its chairman said Novartis Sees Potential in Russia

January 2010

Bristol CEO ‘Out Hunting’ for Deal With $10 Billion

Bristol-Myers Squibb Chief Executive Officer James M. Cornelius said his company is “out hunting” for deals and has $10 billion in cash Bristol CEO Out Hunting for Deal With $10 Billion

Biotech Feels the Effects of Age

Ten years ago, big biotechnology stocks were at an age when anything seemed possible. Investors believed the companies would make their wildest dreams come true Biotech Feels the Effects of Age

Claris talking to 3 more pharma majors for Pfizer-type deal

Claris Life Sciences, which recently entered into a drug supply pact with the largest global drug maker, Pfizer Inc, is in discussions with three other big companies for similar deals Claris talking to 3 more pharma majors for Pfizer-type deal

Selling a Health Business in the Developing World? Call Abbott

Abbott may see some familiar faces as it travels to distant lands. In the past few years, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis and GlaxoSmithKline have all made acquisitions or licensing deals to expand their business in emerging markets Selling a Health Business in the Developing World? Call Abbott

Pfizer trims drug pipeline after Wyeth merger

Pfizer cuts 100 drug-development projects Pfizer trims drug pipeline after Wyeth merger

Sanofi CEO says braced for generic Lovenox

Sanofi-Aventis is already anticipating the arrival of generic forms of its blockbuster anticoagulant Lovenox and doesn't view the drug as part of the company's future, its CEO said Sanofi CEO says braced for generic Lovenox

Biotech Vets Launch VenBio For Both Private And Public Deals

Biotech veterans from MPM Capital, OrbiMed Advisors, Pfizer Inc. and Morgan Stanley are out to transcend what they see as the limits of traditional life-sciences venture capital Biotech Vets Launch VenBio For Both Private And Public Deals

Galapagos to develop medicines in new strategy

Belgian biotechnology company Galapagos plans to develop its own products at its own cost and risk in a "important change of strategy", its Chief Executive Galapagos to develop medicines in new strategy

Venture Funding Stabilizes, Shifts to Biotech, Shuns Energy

Venture-capital funding for startup companies stabilized in the fourth quarter, with investor interest shifting toward drug development and away from clean energy Venture Funding Stabilizes, Shifts to Biotech, Shuns Energy

Tanabe sets new course for La Jolla laboratories

The Japanese drug company Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is shutting a La Jolla research facility that dates to the early 1990s and plans to start clean later this year with a new research focus Tanabe sets new course for La Jolla laboratories

Venture capitalists reawaken

Venture capitalists dramatically cut the funding they provide to start-up and growth companies in 2009, as total investments plunged to their lowest level since 1997. But in a sign that the worst could be over, the end of the year saw an uptick in both dollars and number of deals Venture capitalists reawaken

"Silent pandemic" will force drug price rethink

A "silent pandemic" of chronic disease is creeping up on poor countries and will force pharmaceutical firms to take a more tiered approach to pricing some of their most lucrative medicines "Silent pandemic" will force drug price rethink

Witty Opens GSK Library for Free Access to Malaria Research

GlaxoSmithKline Chief Andrew Witty stayed true to his word to help the world’s impoverished nations, announcing on Wednesday a strategy to bolster malaria research by opening up the company’s libraries and pledging to price vaccines at an affordable rate Witty Opens GSK Library for Free Access to Malaria Research

Biotech Financing Overview and Trends from Last Year’s Fourth Quarter

Last year started on a pretty somber note for the sector, with terms like “biotech nuclear winter” being used on a regular basis. However, after an extremely difficult first quarter, where a number of companies almost did not make it, the year ended up being decent overall Biotech Financing Overview and Trends from Last Year’s Fourth Quarter

Alcon calls Novartis offer 'grossly inadequate'

Independent directors sitting on Alcon Inc.'s board blasted Wednesday an offer to acquire the remaining shares of the eye-care company made by majority holder Novartis, calling it "grossly inadequate" and "offensive" Alcon calls Novartis offer 'grossly inadequate'

Indian biotech industry to top $10 billion by 2015

Positive triggers would propel India's biotech sector to become a ten billion dollars industry by 2015, CMD of Biocon Ltd Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said Indian biotech industry to top $10 billion by 2015

Pfizer, Teva set to tussle for Ratiopharm

The race for German generic-drug maker Ratiopharm has practically narrowed to Israel's Teva and U.S. drug major Pfizer Pfizer, Teva set to tussle for Ratiopharm

Last-ditch lobbying battle over biotech drugs

Makers of generic biotech drugs, backed by President Barack Obama and a well-placed congressional ally, are waging an eleventh-hour battle to reduce the competitive protection that the emerging health overhaul bill would give to brand-name producers of the expensive pharmaceuticals Last-ditch lobbying battle over biotech drugs

Risk still a red flag for biotech deals

Big pharmaceutical companies want to secure new products as blockbuster drugs lose patent protection, but their limited appetite for risk may slow the pace of dealmaking Risk still a red flag for biotech deals

Brand-Name, Generic Drug-Patent Settlements On The Rise

Cash settlements between brand-name pharmaceutical companies and generic makers over drug patents are on the rise, with 19 such deals in fiscal year 2009 compared with 16 in 2008 and zero in 2004, according to a report Wednesday by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Brand-Name, Generic Drug-Patent Settlements On The Rise

Biomedical research funding is slowing

After a decade of doubling, the rate of increase in biomedical research funding slowed between 2003 and 2007. Adjusting for inflation, the absolute level of funding from the NIH and industry appears to have decreased by 2 percent in 2008, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Biomedical research funding is slowing

2009 in Review: Headline-Making Stories in the Biotech Industry

2009 marked a year of extremes for the biotech segment. While headlines about major workforce reductions, slashing R&D projects to save money, and heightened FDA scrutiny ran rampant, good news also caught our attention. Here are the most important stories from last year 2009 in Review: Headline-Making Stories in the Biotech Industry

What's in the drug pipeline?

Find out in the annual review from Pharm Exec What's in the drug pipeline?

Pharmas are making smaller deals

The merger mania that began in the first half of the year — with Pfizer getting Wyeth, Roche getting the part of Genentech it didn’t already own and Whitehouse Station, New Jersey– based Merck getting Schering–Plough — was a pure survival strategy to minimize the pain of mass patent expirations that would have created large revenue gaps for the big pharmas over the next decade. Now that this frenzy has subsided for the moment, dealmaking is coming back to earth, and the major drug makers are looking around for deals that fit their long-term growth goals Pharmas are making smaller deals

Commission launches monitoring of patent settlements concluded between pharmaceutical companies

The European Commission can confirm that on 12 January 2010, on the basis of EU antitrust rules, it addressed requests for information to certain pharmaceutical companies asking them to submit copies of their patent settlement agreements Commission launches monitoring of patent settlements concluded between pharmaceutical companies

Big Firms Will Fight The Patent Cliff

As a wave of patent expiries on major products approaches big pharma’s shores, industry observers are calling 2010 the year of the patent cliff. Companies will continue to look for partners and purchases, both big and small, to offset the looming decline in sales Big Firms Will Fight The Patent Cliff

Icahn Considering Proxy Battle at Genzyme: Source

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who last year forced board changes at biotechnology company Biogen Idec Inc , may take aim at cross-town rival Genzyme Corp , according to a source familiar with the situation Icahn Considering Proxy Battle at Genzyme: Source

Teva’s Yanai Forecasts $31 Billion in Revenue by 2015

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s annual revenue probably will more than double to $31 billion by 2015 as rising health-care costs push patients and policy makers toward generic drugs, Chief Executive Officer Shlomo Yanai said Teva’s Yanai Forecasts $31 Billion in Revenue by 2015

Merck And Pfizer Plan 900 Job Cuts

Call it the proverbial one-two punch. On Jan. 31, Pfizer expects to chop 400 jobs from Monmouth Junction, NJ, where Wyeth maintained research offices. And on Feb. 9, Merck will eliminate 500 jobs attached to Kenilworth, NJ, where Schering-Plough had its headquarters, although it’s not clear which types of jobs will be affected Merck And Pfizer Plan 900 Job Cuts

FDA Drug Approvals in 2009 - Up (a Little) from 2008

Last year saw big changes at the FDA — starting at the top with a new commissioner, appointed by a new administration — but you wouldn’t know it from looking at the number of drugs the agency approved FDA Drug Approvals in 2009

Top 10 outsourcing trends for 2010

The economic recovery will result in the resumption of delayed outsourcing deals and increased hiring but uncertainty remains and this could drive M&A, according to the IAOP which has listed 10 trends to watch in 2010 Top 10 outsourcing trends for 2010

Biogen Idec Launches Search for New CEO

Drug maker Biogen Idec Inc. said on Monday it has launched a search for a successor to its chief executive and president, who plans to retire this summer Biogen Idec Launches Search for New CEO

Lilly Taps Contractors to Revive Pipeline

Eli Lilly & Co., like many other pharmaceutical companies, is seeking to make its drug-development efforts more productive as it copes with thin new-product pipelines. Its approach: hiring outside contractors to run tests on its drug candidates Lilly Taps Contractors to Revive Pipeline

Former Idera Pharma CEO at Helm of AesRx, New Startup With Sickle Cell Drug

Stephen Seiler has been hunting for cash to advance an experimental therapy for sickle cell disease into initial human studies Former Idera Pharma CEO at Helm of AesRx, New Startup With Sickle Cell Drug

Game-Changing Decade Transforms Biotech Ventures

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, starting up tomorrow’s biotech firms is a bit of “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” The riddle is that cutting-edge biotechnology may both increase and decrease risk Game-Changing Decade Transforms Biotech Ventures

High-tech’s hand-me-downs

Bay State’s unusually rich trove of used gear can make start-ups’ lives less expensive High-tech’s hand-me-downs