After pharmaceutical industry groups filed a petition against the FDA’s new off-label promotion rule, the federal watchdog agency said last week it would delay the rule’s implementation to March 19, 2018. The agency originally intended for the law to go into effect on March 21 this year. The rule would expand the evidence that the […]
Pharmaceuticals
Under pricing pressure, insulin maker joins CVS Reduced Rx savings program
Facing pressure from lawmakers about the prices of their drugs, some pharmaceutical companies are looking for ways to make their products more affordable and more accessible. Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) said yesterday that it is teaming up with CVS Health‘s (NYSE:CVS) new prescription savings program, Reduced Rx, to offer discounts on its insulin. The company’s insulin will be […]
FDA panel rules that benefits of Endo’s Opana opioid no longer outweigh risks
An FDA advisory panel ruled yesterday that the benefits of Endo Pharmaceutical‘s opioid painkiller, Opana ER, no longer outweigh its risks. The painkiller has been linked to a 2015 HIV outbreak in Indiana after people addicted to opioids shared needles while injecting Opana. The panel voted 18 to 8 that the drug’s benefits do not […]
Grassley questions Auvi-Q’s list price, while Trump shows support for Medicare drug-pricing reform
Although Mylan (NSDQ:MYL) has been under fire for its pricey EpiPen device since August last year, competitor Kaleo found itself garnering unwanted attention from politicians this week over the price of its epinephrine injection, Auvi-Q. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), wrote a letter to the Richmond, Virginia-based company asking CEO Spencer Williamson to explain […]
Study: Streamlined regulatory pathway has not shortened approval times for drugs
A study published by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development found that the streamlined 505(b)(2) approval process for new drug applications in the U.S. has not led to shorter approval times. The 505(b)(2) pathway allows drug developers to seek FDA approval using safety and effectiveness data that was previously collected for a […]
Pacira prices $300m senior notes offering
Pacira Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:PCRX) said today that it priced $300 million of convertible 2.375% senior notes due 2022 in a private placement to qualified institutional buyers. The Parsippany, N.J.-based company also gave purchasers a 30-day option to buy an additional $45 million aggregate principal amount of notes. The company expects to bring in about $290 million […]
Trump drug pricing tweet sends pharma stocks down
Shares in Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Merck (NYSE:MRK) and Amgen (NSDQ:AMGN) fell slightly this morning after President Donald Trump tweeted that he was working on a “new system” to lower drug prices. “I am working on a new system where there will be competition in the Drug Industry,” he wrote. “Pricing for the American people will come way down!” […]
Study: Growing concern over narcotic painkillers and their addiction risk
More than 50% of Americans have been prescribed narcotic painkillers, according to a Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health poll, and more than one third of respondents were concerned about painkillers’ addiction risk, effectiveness and side effects. The concern towards prescription painkillers differed between those who have been prescribed narcotic pain-relievers and those who have not. Just over […]
DoD taps BD’s Pyxis for $100m medication dispensing contract
Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) said today that it won a $100 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for its Pyxis ES system. According to the contract, Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based BD will provide its medication dispensing technology to 115 military inpatient health facilities and military inpatient pharmacies. Get the full story at our sister […]
Report finds pharma companies limited January list price hikes
Drug-makers didn’t raise list prices for as many drugs in January compared to last year and they initiated fewer hikes of 10% or more, according to analysis by Raymond James & Associates. Although 5.5% of price increases reached the 10% level in January this year, 15% did last year and 20% did 2 years ago. […]