Industry news

India a potential center for orphan drug development and demand

India may be sitting on a pharmaceutical gold mine. It has more than 7 times the number of people affected by rare diseases than the United States, a less expensive workforce for making drugs and an often-criticized price-control system that, by definition, does not affect orphan drugs.

09 December 2015

Clearside closes $20M round for candidates that are injected into the eye's suprachoroidal space

Varun Saxena / FierceMedicalDevices

Ophthalmology company Clearside Biomedical just announced a $20 million Series C financing round to develop its proprietary formulation of triamcinolone acetonide that's delivered into the eye's suprachoroidal space via a microinjector, which it says is 10 times shorter than those used to administer drugs into the middle of the eye.

China superbug has already gone global, Danish researcher says

EJ Lane / FeircePharmaAsia

Never mind that report in a scientific journal last month that a new superbug resistant to all antibiotics might go global. It already has, according to a scientific magazine.

08 December 2015

Tobira Therapeutics Announces Data Presentations Highlighting Cenicriviroc at HEP DART 2015

Tobira Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBRA), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and other serious immuno-inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, today announced that data relating to cenicriviroc will be presented at HEP DART 2015 in Wailea, HI.

Singapore researchers close in on 'liquid biopsy' to track cancer progress, treatment

Matthew Driskill / FiercePharmaAsia

Researchers at the National University of Singapore say they are on the verge of having a blood test capable of keeping track of any cancer's development and the effectiveness of treatments for it as often as month to month.

Medidata reaches into South Korea with a CRO partnership

Damian Garde / Fierce Biotech

South Korean CRO C&R Research is adopting Medidata's ($MDSO) eClinical technology for its trials throughout Asia, striking a partnership to bolster its data analysis technology in a fast-growing market.

Advantage all? DTC ads boost prescription use and adherence, research finds

Beth Snyder Bulik / FiercePharmaMarketing

In the tussle between the American Medical Association (AMA) and pharma DTC advertising, new research gives ammunition to both sides.

07 December 2015

Neothetics Announces Issuance by USPTO of Fourth Patent Directed to LIPO-202 Lead Clinical Asset

Neothetics, Inc.  (NASDAQ:NEOT), a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the aesthetic market, today announced the issuance of U.S. Patent Number 9,198,885 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This patent is directed to specific methods of using LIPO-202 and other agents for the reduction of fat accumulation and is the fourth issued patent directed to  Neothetics'  lead product candidate LIPO-202, the first non-invasive injectable drug candidate for reduction of central abdominal bulging due to subcutaneous fat in non-obese subjects.

07 December 2015

Marinus Presents Additional Responder Analysis Data for Ganaxolone in Focal Onset Seizures at the American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting

Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders, announced the hiring of Jaakko Lappalainen, M.D., Ph.D., as Vice President of Clinical Development and Kimberly A. McCormick, PharmD, as Head of Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Lappalainen has 10 years of experience in the design, monitoring, interpretation and reporting of clinical trials at pharmaceutical research and development companies, including AstraZeneca. Dr. McCormick has more than 15 years of regulatory strategy and submissions experience at major pharmaceutical firms, including Shire and Pfizer. 

07 December 2015

Clearside Biomedical, Inc. Enrolls First Patient in Phase 3 Clinical Trial of CLS-TA Using Suprachoroidal Drug Administration

Clearside Biomedical, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative first-in-class drug therapies to treat blinding diseases of the eye, today announced that the first patient was enrolled in Clearside’s Phase 3 clinical trial, Peachtree, of CLS-TA, Clearside’s proprietary form of triamcinolone acetonide (TA), using suprachoroidal space (SCS™) drug administration for the treatment of macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis.