Merck, GSK, Bayer, Roche, Eli Lilly
Bloomberg reports that major changes are in store for Merck, for the second-largest US drug maker. Merck Top Scientist Plans Major Changes for Drug Research outlines Roger Perlmutter’s plans to bring forth a stronger organization
FDA advisors have voted in favor of approving GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment known as Anoro Ellipta, but have called for a post-marketing study in patients with more severe cardiovascular disease. The Pharma Times article, FDA Advisors Back GSK Potential COPD Blockbuster, states that a final decision is expected in December and if approved it will be the first, once-daily dual bronchodilator available in the United States
Broad Institute, the non-profit biomedical and genomics institute staffed by Harvard and MIT scientists has scored its latest big industry partnership with Bayer as outlined by Xconomy. Broad Institute Joins Up with Bayer to Find Targeted Cancer Drugs explains the partnership between the Broad Institute and Bayer and details how it will work. The goal is to find drug candidates that could have the chance to become personalized cancer treatments – those that target a specific genetic abnormality
The Wall Street Journal posted that Roche and Inovia entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement to research, develop and commercialize Inovio’s highly-optimized, multi-antigen DNA immunotherapies targeting hepatitis B and prostate cancer. Roche and Inovio Pharmaceuticals Partner on Inovio’s Prostate Cancer and Hepatitis B Immunotherapy summarizes the partnership between Roche and Inovio Pharmaceuticals and what they hope to accomplish with their collaboration
Lilly’s lung cancer treatment, Alimta was invented by a Princeton chemistry professor enabling Princeton to receive $524 million in licensing income. FiercePharma’s piece, Eli Lilly’s Alimta Gains May Cause Princeton Pain, describes how this royalty could change Princeton’s tax exemption status and how the Princeton case could impact the pharma industry
