Desperately hunting Madonna
Its ethics questioned, GSK to scrap individual sales targetsLONDON -- British drug company GlaxoSmithKline says it will stop paying doctors to promote its products at speaking engagements and scrap individual sales targets, months after its ethics were challenged by a bribery scandal in China.The group last week announced sweeping changes to its marketing practices, which also included a halt to direct financial support to health care professionals to attend medical conferences. But it left open the possibility of funding through grants."It is patients' interests that always come first," Andrew Witty, the company's chief e...
Source: PharmaGossip - December 22, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Pharmalot... Pharmalittle... The Weekend Nears
And so, yet another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? As always, this is our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather modest, although we do look forward to spending time not only with our full roster of short people but some of the Pharmalot ancestors. We also hope to catch up on sundry tasks and catch up on some reading. Why not, you know? But what about you? Given the upcoming holiday break, perhaps this marks the beginning of a longer stretch than usual. Presumably, all sorts of activities and possibilities are in store. Spending time with special people o...
Source: Pharmalot - December 20, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Sweet! AstraZeneca bets big on diabetes treatments with $4.1B play
AstraZeneca announced plans Thursday to acquire Bristol-Myers Squibb’s interests in a diabetes franchise the two firms established in 2007 – a move that continues the firm’s heavy investing in emerging treatments for diabetes.Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will acquire the shares for an initial consideration of $2.7 billion on completion and up to $1.4 billion in regulatory, launch and sales related payments, according to Michele Meixell, AZ director of corporate communications. The firm also agreed to pay sales-related royalty payments up until 2025 and may make payments up to $225 million when certai...
Source: PharmaGossip - December 20, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Bristol-Myers Sells Diabetes JV To AstraZeneca: What The Wags Say
Just 18 months ago, Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded its diabetes franchise by paying $7 billion for Amylin Pharmaceuticals and, simultaneously, broadened a joint venture with AstraZeneca. Now, though, Bristol-Myers is selling its stake in the partnership back to AstraZeneca for as much as $4.5 billion in order to focus on becoming a ‘specialty’ drugmaker.
At the time, the deal was seen as a way for Bristol-Myers to develop diabetes products into a growth engine, since Amylin sold the Byetta and Bydureon treatments, while also spreading the risk by expanding its existing deal with AstraZeneca (back story). However, as ana...
Source: Pharmalot - December 19, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Bristol-Myers Squibb Exits Diabetes
As the Wall Street Journal reported last night, Bristol-Myers Squibb is getting out of the diabetes business entirely, selling its collaboration with AstraZeneca back to AZ.
As part of the transaction, and subject to local consultation and legislation, Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca anticipate that substantially all employees of Bristol-Myers Squibb dedicated to the diabetes business will be transferred to AstraZeneca. A number of R&D and manufacturing employees dedicated to diabetes will remain with Bristol-Myers Squibb to progress the diabetes portfolio and support the transition for these areas. Bristol-Myers Squ...
Source: In the Pipeline - December 19, 2013 Category: Chemists Tags: Diabetes and Obesity Source Type: blogs
Bristol close to selling diabetes stake to Astra for $3 bln -WSJ
Dec 18 (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co is close to selling its stake in a diabetes partnership with AstraZeneca Plc to the British drugmaker in a deal valued at more than $3 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.Bristol had announced last month that it would no longer conduct research to discover new drugs for diabetes, hepatitis C and neurological conditions, but would increase spending on medicines that harness the immune system to fight cancer.That refocus led to speculation that Bristol would seek to sell its share in the non-U.S. part of the diabetes joint venture to AstraZeneca.Bristol spokeswoma...
Source: PharmaGossip - December 19, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) To Stop Speaker Programs, Supporting Healthcare Professionals Attendance at Medical Conferences; Abandon Prescription Sales Targets
Discussion
This is the first time a company on a global level has discontinued the practice of paying physicians to speak about their products. This is an unprecedented move and will send ripples throughout the industry. Though this is a phased in implementation with the total ban not taking effect for two years until 2016. One physician we discussed this with today was disappointed that GSK has asked him to speak and now is backtracking on the legitimacy of his involvement in speaking for them.
GSK is not the first company to stop paying for physician travel in 2011 Astra Zeneca also announced they were no longer p...
Source: Policy and Medicine - December 17, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
AstraZeneca And Bristol-Myers Pull Diabetes Drug From Germany Over Pricing Decision
Once again, drugmakers are at war with the German authorities over pricing. In the latest row, AstraZeneca (AZN) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) have yanked their Forxiga diabetes treatment, which was approved in Europe a year ago, over disagreements about the price of the drug, but will reconsider their decision after arbitration has concluded, according to a statement.
Specifically, the move comes after the drugmakers were unable to reach an agreement with the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds after the German Federal Joint Committee issued a so-called ‘no additional benefit’ rating for the trea...
Source: Pharmalot - December 16, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
Pharmalot... Pharmalittle... Good Morning
Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? We hope the weekend was relaxing and you had a chance to enjoy. Now, though, that familiar routine of deadlines and meetings is resuming. And so, on this particularly cold morning, where the Pharmalot corporate campus is feeling a bit chilly. This calls, of course, for a hot cup of stimulation - in this case, we are indulging in what we call a roll-your-own spot of tea. A chance of pace is a good thing, yes? Feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Have a grand day and stay in touch...
China Arrests 1,300 People For Allegedly Making Fake Drugs (The Guardian)
FDA...
Source: Pharmalot - December 16, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
CME Grant Disclosures for 2012 to 3rd Quarter of 2013
We have compiled a chart of companies that have disclosed their educational grant payments for 2012-2013. Some companies have disclosure information for several years. Now that grants are subject to Sunshine Act reporting requirements for teaching hospitals, it is likely more companies will begin to post such payments to teaching hospitals. We will add additional information as it becomes available.
Company
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Abbott
Q1
Q1
Q1
Q1
Q2
Q2
Q2
Q2
Q3
Q3
Q3
Q3
...
Source: Policy and Medicine - December 16, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
Pharmalot... Pharmalittle... The Weekend Nears
And so, another working week is drawing to a close. As you may recall, this is our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. And our agenda is rather modest. We hope to spend time with our short people, catch up on some reading and take a few naps. Then again, Mrs. Pharmalot may have other ideas. We shall see. But what about you? Anything interested planned? A shopping trip, perhaps? If so, you may want to buy a nice warm sweater. Maybe this is a chance to finalize plans if you have a few days off later this month. Or think about how next year will be different. Existential thoughts aside, have a wonderful time, bu...
Source: Pharmalot - December 13, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
AstraZeneca diabetes drug requires more testing
- Panel recommends for narrow application- More evidence called before wider recommendationAdvisers to the US drugs regulator refused to back a wider application ofAstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb's medicine metreleptin, but did recommend it for a narrower range of people.The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) recommended the drug for the treatment of patients with generalised lipodystrophy (LD), a rare disease where normal body fat is lost and replaced by fat in other more dangerous internal areas.Metreleptin, which is being has already recei...
Source: PharmaGossip - December 12, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
FDA official: “clinical trial system is broken” - BMJ
FDA investigator Thomas Marciniak has spoken out over drug companies and missing or “bad” data, most famously over rosiglitazone. He tells Deborah Cohenhow he believes the current research and development process is brokenThe clinical trial system is broken and it’s getting worse, according to longstanding Food and Drug Administration investigator, Thomas Marciniak.For seasoned observers of the drug approval process, Marciniak will be a familiar name and his comments will come as little surprise. In his 11 years at the US federal agency, Marciniak has been embroiled in high profile controversies that have pitted...
Source: PharmaGossip - December 9, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Alliance for CEHP Hosts Sunshine Act Webinar: Sunshine Effects on CME Left Open; Attendee Meals at CME Events Still Up for Interpretation
The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (CEHP) hosted a webinar to discuss federal perspectives on the implementation of the Sunshine Act. Dr. Shantanu Argawal, Medical Director at the Center for Program Integrity at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), outlined the objectives of the Sunshine Act, and addressed specific questions with respect to the Act's exemption for accredited continuing medical education (CME) activities.
Dr. Argawal described the Sunshine Act as essentially a balance between the beneficial aspects of industry-physician relationships, which encourage discovery...
Source: Policy and Medicine - December 9, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
Up And Down The Ladder... Job Changes
Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with
all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone?
And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Tolera Therapeutics hired Ashleigh Palmer as ceo and president. Palmer, ...
Source: Pharmalot - December 5, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
