Analysis of:
Pharma need not worry too much about President Obama (www.pharmatimes.com)
President elect Obama will try , most probably unsuccessfully, to take on insurance companies in orfder to fulfill his election promises of "close to universal" health care.
Generics will thrive, but Big Phrama , especially those with innovative products and biotech companies will continue to pr...
Analysis of:
Autism linked with rainfall in study (www.boston.com)
A recent study infers taht periods of increased rainfall could be linked to increase in number of children dioagnosed with autism.
The causla l;ink of rainfall is unlikely, but most probably reflects other factors like children staying more indoors and thus watch more TV, get less sun exposure and...
Analysis of:
Genentech Submits Application to U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Avastin in the Most Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer (www.gene.com)
Genetech's Avastin have shown modest increase in progresion free survival and overall survival in patients with gliobalstoma multiforme, the most common and most agressive malignant brain tumor
With such data, Avastin is expected to join Temodar as chemotherapy agent approved for this tumor with...
Analysis of:
Pharma need not worry too much about President Obama (www.pharmatimes.com)
The implication is that our new chief executive has "bigger fish to fry" than attaching drug costs??
Analysis of:
Glaxo Plans 12% Reduction in Its U.S. Drug Sales Force (online.wsj.com)
"As part of the restructuring, the company plans to group its sales staff around specific treatment areas" including oncology, probably
Analysis of:
Genentech Submits Application to U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Avastin in the Most Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer (www.gene.com)
Genetech is seeking FDA approval for use in the most malignant of brain tumors, Glioblastomas.
Analysis of:
FDA Approves Rapid-Acting Insulin Apidra(R) for Treatment of Children with Diabetes (www.pipelinereview.com)
Sanofi's rapid acting insulin formulation got FDA approval for use in children 4 years and older with Type I insulin dependent diabetes. The drug has rapid action so it may replace lispro and older short acting insulin preparations, if the price tag is not prohibitive.
Analysis of:
Phase II Trial of Sorafenib in Advanced Thyroid Cancer (jco.ascopubs.org)
Two Phase II trials show meanigful prolonged pFS in patients with iodine-refractory thyroid cancer who are treated with Sorafenib ( bayer/Onyx)
The benefit needs to be confirmed in larger trials and need also to establish a favorable safety profile. Studies are needed for combination with other targeted...
Analysis of:
Cell Genesys Announces Termination of VITAL-1 Phase 3 Trial of GVAX Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer (pharmalive.com)
Genesys terminated its studies of its cancer Vaccine for patients with refractory prostate cancer.
Cancer vaccine therapy remains limted to modest advantages in minimal residual diseases and in limted cases of melanoma and NHL
Analysis of:
Genetic Research May Help Pick Patients' Best Cancer Drugs (online.wsj.com)
Genetic testing is the wave of the future to define targets for cancer therapy.
EGFR, K-Ras and FLT-3 testing is just the beginning and affects the use of drugs such as Tarceva ( OSI-Genentech), Erbitux ( Imclone) , Veibitix ( Amgen) and Lasteurinib ( cephalon).
The ultimate goal is to use more sophisticated...