Industry news

New Diagnostic Tools Emerge in War Against Superbugs

Denise Roland / The Wall Street Journal

A new front is emerging in the fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs—one that doesn’t involve the development of new drugs. Companies are racing to develop diagnostic technologies that can be used by hospitals and clinics to pinpoint the cause of common infections quickly. That should cut down on the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics, a major driver of drug-resistance in bacteria.

Blacklisting Icahn: How Some Drug Companies Keep Out Activists

Miles Weiss / Bloomberg Business

When Concordia Healthcare Corp. agreed to issue a 14 percent stake to a private equity firm, the Canadian drug manufacturer tucked into the deal several layers of protection from shareholder activists.

Indian drugmakers eye Japanese market for acquisitions

Matthew Driskill / FiercePharmaAsia

Indian drug companies are said to be trying to widen their presence in Japan, the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market, according to a report by Livemint.

Forbes: For multinationals, CFDA reform paramount

Matthew Driskill / FiercePharmaAsia

Forbes magazine recently polled 50 drug multinational company executives asking them what was most important in their dealings with China, and 86% of those interviewed said reforms to the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) "were going to be essential for their company's future" there.

Top 20 generics companies by 2014 revenue

Eric Palmer / FeircePharma

To most of the world, the term "generic" suggests something everyday, common or bland, but to the drug industry generic is anything but bland. It represents a high-volume, low-margin business that is certainly not for sissies.

FDA starts beta-testing 'the most advanced bioinformatics platform in the world'

Nick Paul Taylor / Fierce Biotech

The FDA has started testing the precisionFDA platform it developed with DNAnexus. The closed beta test phase is the precursor to a more widespread rollout of the system, which the CEO of DNAnexus has described as being "the most advanced bioinformatics platform in the world."

U.S. investigative panel to look into drug pricing next year

Sarah N. Lynch / Reuters

House of Representatives investigative panel said it plans to hold a 2016 hearing on skyrocketing drug costs, a move that comes at a time when Valeant Pharmaceuticals International is facing increased scrutiny into its pricing practices.

If You Paid $500 for a Gene Test, Would You Know What to Do With It?

John Tozzi / Bloomberg Business

DNA4Life offers a $249 test to help customers understand whether their genes put them at risk of having bad reactions to more than 100 common medicines. Interleukin Genetics sells a $169 test that “may help you lose more weight by properly matching diet and exercise plans” to genetic profiles. And DNA-CardioCheck has suggested its test, at $450, is a "reliable method to determine whether or not you might be at risk for developing blood clots which might result in cardiovascular disease."

16 November 2015

Tragara and Lee's Pharma Enter into Exclusive Licensing Agreement to Develop and Commercialize TG02 in Greater China Market and South East Asia

Tragara Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Tragara), a privately held clinical oncology company developing new treatments for cancer, announced today that China Oncology Focus Limited, an affiliate of Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited (Lee's Pharma), has licensed Tragara's oral multi-kinase inhibitor, TG02. Lee’s Pharma, a public biopharmaceutical company listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 950), has an operating history of over 20 years in China's pharmaceutical industry.

Analysts: Apple could turn to corporate markets to give Apple Watch a boost

Emily Wasserman / FierceMedicalDevices

Apple has dealt with setbacks for its Apple Watch since rolling out the product earlier this year, shelving certain health features prior to launch and facing complaints over the accuracy of the device's heart rate monitor. With its med tech aspirations for the watch on the back burner, some analysts think the company could turn to corporate markets to boost sales for the product.