Dr. Anthony Fauci said this morning that hundreds of millions of doses of a vaccine for COVID-19 could be ready by January. In an interview on the Today Show, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that a vaccine candidate is in the first phase of a clinical trial. If the second […]
Here are the pharma companies accused of blocking generic competition
To prove a generic drug is as safe and effective as the branded version, pharmaceutical companies have to hand over upwards of 1,000 doses of the product to a generic developer. But if the manufacturer creating the generic drug cannot get its hands on enough sample, the development and testing process slows down. It could […]
Gilead inks $90m deal with Verily to create “molecular map” of inflammatory disease
Gilead Sciences (NSDQ:GILD) is reportedly slated to pay Alphabet’s Verily Life Sciences $90 million over three years to analyze cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and lupus-related diseases. By probing immune cells from patients involved in Gilead’s clinical trials, the companies hope to glean a better understanding of the immunological signatures of RA, […]
NIH launches first large-scale trial of long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug
The National Institutes of Health said today that it has launched the first large-scale clinical trial of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV preparation in sexually-active women. The NIH is funding the study in partnership with ViiV Healthcare and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The study, which is being conducted in southern and eastern […]
This company helps cell therapies travel around the world
With Gilead Sciences (NSDQ:GILD) and Novartis (NYSE:NVS) leading the way, cell therapies are moving on to the market and into the clinics for patients that have no other option. Companies making CAR-T therapies use a patient’s own cells to genetically engineer a cancer-killing cellular therapy that is then delivered back to the patient. And one 55-person company […]
Kite wins FDA approval for first adult CAR-T cell therapy
More than a month before it was due to make a decision, the FDA yesterday approved a CAR-T cell therapy from Kite Pharma (NSDQ:KITE) – the first of its kind for adults. The therapy, which is made from a patient’s own cells, is designed to treat adults with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who have failed at least two […]
How etectRx’s “smart pill” aims to improve patient compliance trends
When Harry Travis first met Neil Euliano and learned about his medication adherence technology, the pharmaceutical industry was beginning to usher in the age of pricey drugs with Hepatitis C therapies that hit the market at prices like $500 or $1,000 dollars a pill. “It just so happened at the time, really expensive medications were […]
Gilead expands into cell therapy with $11.9B Kite Pharma purchase
Taking a plunge into the cell therapy arena, Gilead Sciences (NSDQ:GILD) said today that it has inked an $11.9 billion deal to acquire Kite Pharma (NSDQ:KITE). The deal, which was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards, is slated to close in the fourth quarter of this year. Gilead said it plans to pay $180 in cash […]
Leukemia trial to match patients with drugs based on genetic biomarkers
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society said today that its expanding its Beat AML Master trial to include five investigational treatments for acute myeloid leukemia. The trial, which launched in October last year, has enrolled 70 patients and has garnered support by Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:ALXN), Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene (NSDQ:CELG) and Gilead Sciences (NSDQ:GILD), all of which are providing investigational […]
Senate drug price hearing turns into debate over healthcare reform
Members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee gathered last week to discuss the rising costs of prescription drugs. But the hearing quickly morphed into a heated back-and-forth between senators over the Republican’s efforts to reform healthcare. Democratic senators, including Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), used their time to criticize […]
