Industry news

Facebook, Napster pioneer Sean Parker sets up $250M immuno-oncology center

Ben Adams / FierceBiotech

The billionaire Silicon Valley veteran Sean Parker will inject $250 million into the immuno-oncology research field in an effort to boost cancer survival rates.

Genetic tests identify 6 types of liver cancer among Japanese patients

EJ Lane / FeircePharmaAsia

A study published in the journal Nature Genetics has detailed 6 types of liver cancer among Japanese patients that were found through genetic tests in what is seen as an important marker for diagnostics and may spur development of targeted therapies for the cancer. 

Biopharmaceutical Outsourcing Continues to Grow

Agnes Shanley / Biopharm International

At a special biopharmaceutical manufacturing track at the 2016 Drug Chemicals and Allied Trades (DCAT) on March 16, 2016, Bill Downey, head of the market research firm, High Tech Business Decisions, shared results from its latest survey on the contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals.

CMC Development is Hot

Jim Miller / BioPharm International

Early development services are not the most glamorous segment of the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) industry, but these days they may be the hottest. Booming market demand is driving record growth, expansion, and acquisition activity.

Vaccine Development Faces Urgency and Challenges

Jill Wechsler / BioPharm International

ublic and private funding for vaccine development and production has grown noticeably, from $822 million in 2000 to $3.6 billion in 2014, spurred by the “Decade of Vaccines” (2011-2020) initiative launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the global health community five years ago. The campaign has helped move more vaccine candidates through clinical testing to market approval, according to an analysis in the February 2016 special issue on vaccines in the journal Health Affairs.

IBM Watson Health creates American Cancer Society, global health initiatives

Stacy Lawrence / Fierce Medical Devices

IBM will announce a pair of new Watson Health initiatives. One is with the American Cancer Society to apply the power of artificial intelligence to patient-oriented healthcare information, the other is an effort dubbed IBM Health Corps that aims to apply Watson's AI capabilities to better solve global health challenges.

New myeloma meds work better than the old, but they're far too expensive: Report

Tracy Staton / Fierce Pharma

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's new multiple myeloma drug assessment stirred up criticism even before it went public. Now, the not-for-profit group has unveiled its draft report, grading a half-dozen treatment regimens for cost-effectiveness.

$125M Regeneron deal in hand, CRISPR/Cas9 star Intellia files for IPO

John Carroll / FierceBiotech

Cambridge, MA-based Intellia reported this evening that it will reap $125 million in an upfront and equity stake from Regeneron, as the big biotech operation teams up on some bleeding-edge tech work. And it's using the occasion to launch a matching $120 million IPO.

Non-haematological cancer treatment market to almost double by 2021

Victoria White / European Pharmaceutical Review

The global treatment market for non-haematological cancers will almost double from $72.9 billion in 2014 to $140.8 billion in 2021, according to business intelligence provider GBI Research.

Cheaper drug prices the destination in China healthcare reform map

EJ Lane / FeircePharmaAsia

China's Premier Li Keqiang said the State Council has mapped out medical system reforms for this year with plans to buy drugs for public hospitals via a central system and then compare prices to pharmacies and other outlets for transparency.