ICU Medical (NSDQ:ICUI) said today that a multi-hospital study showed improvements in potentially catastrophic dosing errors and drug library compliance when its Plum infusion pumps and Hospira (NYSE:HSP) MedNet safety software were integrated with the hospitals’ electronic medical records. The rate of potentially catastrophic dosing errors fell by 52% after smart-pump EMR integration, the study found, […]
Pharmaceuticals
Early collaboration is key in drug-device development, experts say
While pharmaceutical companies and medical device firms know that working together is a vital part of doing business, they “live in 2 different world in many ways,” Minnetronix co-founder Dirk Smith said last week at the annual Drug Delivery Partnerships conference. From development timelines to regulatory approval pathways, it can sometimes seem like pharma and medtech companies are […]
Actelion reports income, revenue growth in FY2016
(Reuters) – Swiss drugmaker Actelion‘s 2016 core net income rose 27 percent on accelerating sales of its newer medicines to treat deadly pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), it said on Tuesday. Core net income rose to 881 million Swiss francs ($877.8 million) from 693 million francs in the previous year, the company said in a statement. […]
Teva Pharmaceutical beats Q4 earnings, sales estimates
Shares in Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE:TEVA) rose today after the pharmaceutical company met expectations on Wall Street with its 4th quarter results. The Israel-based company posted a loss of -$974 million on sales of $6.49 billion for the 3 months ended Dec. 31, for bottom-line loss of -296% on sales growth of 33% compared with the same period last […]
Marathon hikes MD drug price 70x to $89k a year
After winning FDA approval for its muscular dystrophy drug last week, Marathon Pharmaceuticals set the drug’s list price at $89,000 a year – 50 to 70 times greater than what most U.S. patients have paid for decades by importing the drug from Europe. Marathon’s drug is a corticosteroid, deflazacort, that has been shown to improve muscular […]
Senators question Kaleo over pricey opioid overdose device
In a letter signed by 30 U.S. senators, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) asked Kaleo Pharmaceutical to explain the 550% price hike for its Evzio opioid overdose device. The company’s product, which Kaleo sold for $690 in 2014, is priced at $4,500. Evzio is a naloxone auto-injector designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It can […]
Researchers develop bioink for 3D-printed pills
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have developed a viable bioink made out of hyaluronic acid for 3D-printed pills. In this study, researchers used an inket technique to 3D print the pills, citing the method’s speed and ability to print at room temperature. Its speed is important for scalability and mass production, while […]
Acorda’s inhaled Parkinson’s drug meets primary endpoint in Phase III trial
Acorda Therapeutics (NSDQ:ACOR) said today that the phase III clinical trial evaluating its inhaled formulation of Parkinson’s drug levodopa met its primary endpoint. The drug was studied as a therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease experiencing “off” periods, or a re-emergence of symptoms. The randomized phase III trial enrolled 339 patients to evaluate the efficacy […]
Sens. Sanders, Cruz talk drug pricing, Obamacare in town hall debate
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) met last night to debate the future of Obamacare in a town-hall debate. The 2 senators are opposed on how to provide health care coverage to Americans, but found common ground on drug pricing and pharmaceutical importation. Sanders and Cruz agreed that people should be able to […]
Glide raises $4m for phase I trial of solid-dose teriparatide
Glide Technologies said today that it raised £3.2 million, or $4.0 million USD, in a round of financing. A number of existing investors contributed to the round, according to the Oxford-based company. Glide plans to use the funds to finish phase I trials this year for its solid dose formulation of a parathyroid hormone, teriparatide. “This […]