Industry news

Superbugs are outpacing science and economics in drug-resistance war

Mari Serebrov / BioWorld

A House subcommittee confronted the consequences of kicking the antibiotics can down the road, as lawmakers delved into the U.S. response to the growing global emergence of superbugs.

New BIA report shows UK biotech venture capital hit record high in 2015 with £489m raised

UK BioIndustry Association

The UK biotechnology sector continues to build on the success of previous years, raising an unprecedented £900m on the London Stock Exchange in 2015 and recording the highest level of venture finance in recent years, according to the latest report Money, momentum and maturity: UK biotech financing and deals in 2015/16 compiled by the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) in partnership with Evaluate and the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

How iPS cells changed the world

Megan Scudellari / Nature

Induced pluripotent stem cells were supposed to herald a medical revolution. But ten years after their discovery, they are transforming biological research instead.

16 June 2016

Tobira's Cenicriviroc Shown to Reduce Liver Injury in Independent Research Published in the Journal Hepatology

Tobira Therapeutics, Inc.  (NASDAQ:TBRA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel treatments for liver and inflammatory diseases, today announced that data from a liver injury model showed that cenicriviroc, a potent inhibitor of two chemokine receptors, attenuates liver inflammation and damage. The results from this study have been published in the journal Heptalogy.

A Digital Prescription for the Pharma Industry

Michael Kunst, Ashish Singh, Grace Shieh, Simon Kennedy / Pharmaceutical Executive

In two years, 93% of US doctors will be using electronic medical records—up from 30% two years ago—and 97% will have electronic access to treatment protocols, more than double the rate in 2011, according to Bain research (see chart below). Most US healthcare providers and payers also will go digital over the next five years.

Pharma and Biotech Financial Outlook: Hazy

Peter Young

The pharma and biotech industries are facing several structural factors specific to the sector itself, as well as external forces that are fostering uncertainty on overall global business and financial conditions. Political risks that could adversely impact investor perceptions about the viability of the industry’s long-term investment cycle are becoming more prominent, especially as the US begins a crucial presidential election season. Both major political parties are in the unprecedented position of challenging the industry’s historical business model based on the premise that high risk justifies high prices.

New Aggressive Treatment Shown to Halt Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis for a Prolonged Period

Randi Hernandez / BioPharm International

Previous attempts to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease characterized by the breakdown of the myelin sheath on axons and axonal degeneration in the central nervous system, have included a regimen of autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (aHSCT) following chemotherapy. The prevailing thought behind this treatment was to try to re-program the immune system so that it would stop attacking itself. Although this type of treatment has been marked by some successes, many patients experience disease reactivation shortly after treatment.

Leaving EU could be a setback for Life Sciences in the UK

Dr Alexander Moscho, Bayer UK & Ireland CEO / European Pharmaceutical ReviewEuropean Pharmaceutical Review issue 6 2015

A vote to leave the EU will have a knock on effect on the life sciences industry, deterring investment and making it harder for patients to access new medicines in the future.

US and EU Regulators Seek to Reduce Pharma Inspections

Jill Wechsler / Boipahrm International

As a key step toward reducing the need to inspect every drug production facility in Europe, FDA is looking to share un-redacted inspection reports with trusted European regulatory authorities. More extensive information exchange would help move forward a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which has been in the works for several years. The aim is to identify facilities with strong records of compliance with GMPs based on inspections by competent local inspectorates.

India mulls easier foreign direct investment in drug companies

EJ Lane / Fierce Pharma

India may allow foreign investors to buy up to 49% of existing drug companies as part of a push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to liberalize investment rules. Investors would just have to notify the Reserve Bank of India on any transactions.