Industry news

Physician payments linked to scripts for cancer drugs from Novartis, Pfizer and more: study

Arlene Weintraub / FiercePharma

Many lawmakers worry that when pharma companies pay physicians—for speaking engagements, say, or hotel rooms at conferences—those on the receiving end are more likely to prescribe products from drugmakers that dole out the money.

Cooperation with Russian partners helps Belarus reduce price for targeted therapy

Remedium

Cooperation with Russian partners helped Belarus reduce the price for targeted therapy by 3-4 times, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nativita Company Aleksei Sychev told the media, BelTA has learned. Nativita was the first company in Belarus to register targeted drugs, primarily monoclonal antibodies. 

Supplies of pharmaceuticals from Egypt to Russia jumped by 48%

GMP News

In 2017, Egyptian exports to Russia grew by 35%. This was announced by Tarek Kabil, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Egypt, on April 7 in Cairo. “Over the year, Egyptian exports to the Russian market significantly increased from $374.1 million to $504.6 million,” he said. “The milestone of half a billion dollars is an important step to achieve a qualitative leap in trade and investment relations between the two countries.”

Pfizer enters into the global health research network TriNetX

GMP News

Pfizer, a world leader in clinical trial innovation, has joined the TriNetX global health research network. As a member, Pfizer will have access to clinical data from TriNetX’s network of healthcare organizations to support clinical study and protocol design, site identification, and patient recruitment for clinical trials across a range of therapeutic areas and development stages. 

China stimulates the research and development of generics

GMP News

State Council General Office of China issued a document to further encourage the research and development of generic drugs. The document, entitled “Opinions regarding reforming and perfecting policies in the supply and usage of generic drugs,” stressed that the necessity of doing so is to lower healthcare costs, meet the demands of the public, and build a “healthy China.”

EMA and FDA accepted Pfizer’s submission for a review of lung cancer drug

GMP News

Pfizer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the company’s New Drug Application and granted priority review for dacomitinib. The European Medicines Agency has also accepted the Marketing Authorization Application for dacomitinib for the same indication.

EMA initiated a consultation focused on GMP non-compliance

GMP News

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) opened a public consultation period concerning the European Union’s template for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) noncompliance statements. GMP Inspectors Working Group is considering which actions will be required after an inspection concludes that a manufacturing site does not comply with GMP, especially in cases in which a statement of noncompliance could lead to a shortage of critical medicines.

Scientists distinguished a new class of antibiotics

GMP News

A team of researchers led by Brown University (Providence, USA) infectious disease experts and engineers has identified a new class of antibiotics that could one day help combat the alarming emergence of drug-resistant “superbugs.”

Pharma-2030 will be set around development of substance manufacturing in Russia

GMP News

According to Alexey Alekhin, Director of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry Development of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, Pharma-2030 Strategy should, first of all, consolidate the results achieved so far in the development of pharmaceutical industry.

Apple launches Health Records with 39 health systems. How soon will it reach clinical studies?

Angus Liu / FierceBiotech

Two months after the beta run, Apple has officially launched its Apple Health Records function, which allows users to access electronic health records from multiple healthcare providers in one place. Now patients of 39 health systems covering hundreds of hospitals and clinics can view their EHR from all participating institutions aggregated together on their iPhone. It means patients and physicians can better view medical information in the healthcare setting, but it could also change the clinical trial landscape, according to Joe Dustin, principal, mobile health at Medidata Solutions.