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 […]
Pharmaceuticals
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. […]
Study: Industry funding biases drug trials in favor of sponsors
Researchers from the University of Sydney published a review this week, concluding that industry-funded drug trials are often biased in favor of the sponsors’ products. According to Lisa Bero of the university’s Charles Perkins Centre, the study provides “definitive evidence that pharmaceutical industry funding of drug studies biases the results and conclusions to look favourable […]
Researchers develop smart drugs using ‘DNA computers’ for controlled delivery
Researchers from the Eindhoven University of Technology have developed the 1st “DNA computer” that can detect several antibodies in the blood and perform calculations based on what it detects. The team published their work in Nature Communications and said that it’s an important step towards developing smart drugs that allow for more targeted and controlled medication delivery. […]
Windtree touts preclinical data from influenza study for aerosolized surfactant
Windtree Therapeutics (NSDQ:WINT) said today that a preclinical influenza study demonstrated that its aerosolized KL4 surfactant reduced lung inflammation and improved overall survival in ferrets. In the preclinical study, researchers compared Windtree’s aerosolized KL4 surfactant with a daily oral dose of oseltamivir, an antiviral, and placebo controls. Following exposure to the influenza virus, investigators evaluated […]
How Sanofi blew its chance with Actelion
Days before entering into exclusive takeover negotiations with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Actelion (VTX:ATLN) was reportedly fielding an offer from Sanofi (NYSE:SNY). But the Swiss biotech eventually agreed to go with J&J’s $30 billion bid in an all-cash deal at the end of January. Actelion accepted the U.S. healthcare giant’s offer because it provided more certainty, Reuters reported today. The prospectus […]
Collecting purposeful data in the era of connected health devices
Connectivity, one of the newest buzzwords in the medical device lexicon, is becoming more and more integral to device design and development. Research shows that connected health devices can improve patient outcomes by increasing adherence and reducing dosing variability. Mark David Tuckwell, head of electronics, software & systems at Sagentia, says connected device can also provide crucial information to help […]
Catalent acquires soft-gel manufacturer Accucaps
Catalent (NYSE:CTLT) said today that it closed its acquisition of Canada-based Accucaps and its pharmaceutical soft-gel manufacturing capabilities. The Somerset, N.J.-based company did not disclose the deal’s financial details. In November last year, Catalent said that it planned to fund the Accucaps buy with a $400 million debt offering. The company also plans to use the private placement […]
Pfizer appeals $107m fine for anti-epilepsy drug prices in UK
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Flynn Pharma have appealed the record $107 million (£84.2 million) and $6.5 million (£5.2 million) fines imposed by the U.K. Competition & Markets Authority in December for the companies’ massive price hikes to their unbranded versions of anti-epilepsy drug Epanutin. In its appeal, Pfizer claims that the regulator did not consider market realities when […]
PharmaJet expands needle-free delivery of influenza vaccines
PharmaJet said today that a trivalent and quadrivalent influenza vaccine is available with its Stratis needle-free injector for this year’s flu season. PharmaJet’s device is designed to administer medication intramuscularly or subcutaneously, without the use of needles. The Chicago-based company touts the technology as a way to prevent cross-contamination between needles and enhance patient compliance. “The addition […]