Drugs like Ozempic won't 'cure' obesity but they might make us more fat-phobic

When we talk about the results of studies using Ozempic, we often focus on the average (also known as the mean) results or the maximum (or peak) results. So, studies might show those using the drug lost an average of 10.9% of their body weight, but some lost more than 20% and others less than 5% .

Moderna jumps as vaccine shows benefit in head and neck cancer in early study

Moderna shares rose 8% to a three-month high on Tuesday after the company's individualized cancer vaccine developed with Merck showed positive response in an early-stage trial in patients with a type of head and neck cancer.

Delhi High Court seeks response from govt, NPPA on Glenmark's plea

The pharma firm termed the retail price of Rs. 8.76 per tablet and Rs. 9.06 per tablet, respectively, excluding GST, as illegal and arbitrary. It also claimed that its formulations are "new drugs" approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and are exempt from the Drugs (Pricing and Control) Order, 2013.

Dhananjay Singh appointed as Managing Director of Merck Life Science in India

In his role as the Managing Director, Singh will be responsible for driving the Life Science strategy in India, ensuring governance and compliance alongside other leaders from Merck's businesses in India. Singh joined Sigma-Aldrich in 1997. Over the years he took on several leadership roles in commercial organisations before he was appointed Head of Science & Lab Solutions Commercial for India, a position he held since 2022.

Natco Pharma gets warning letter from USFDA for Telangana plant

Natco Pharma on Tuesday said it has received a warning letter from the US health regulator for its Telangana-based manufacturing plant. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had issued eight observations under Form 483 after inspecting the company's Kothur-based formulation facility.

US FDA declines to approve Supernus' Parkinson's combination again

The company plans to address the FDA's concerns and resubmit its application for the product, which aims to treat so-called "off episodes", which affects nearly all patients of Parkinson's, heightening symptoms such as tremors and difficulty in walking, as medication wears off.

Close to 40 per cent physicians prescribe branded drugs to their patients

The pharmaceutical industry's landscape is significantly influenced by the strategic promotion of branded drugs to foster patient and physician loyalty, leveraging the established reputation of pharmaceutical companies to sway patients and physicians towards branded medications.

US FDA allows J&J, Bristol Myers cell therapies as early cancer treatments

Both J&J and Bristol Myers' therapies helped extend the time that patients lived without disease progression in late-stage studies - more than when patients received 'standard of care' treatments, the companies said in separate statements.

Weight-loss medicines: Biocon eyes a $100 billion jackpot with weighty pivot

The Bengaluru-based firm has scored an early win among its peers with the UK approval for the first generic version of liraglutide injectible, which is losing patent protection in November. The weight loss drug, sold under the brand name Saxenda by patent holder Novo Nordisk A/S, is among the first of the groundbreaking medications in this category to lose patent protection.

Sanofi looks for accelerated growth in India; plans fast-tracking of product pipeline

Terming India as a very important market for the company, Hrosz said the company sees immense potential for growth in the country over the next few years. With Soliqua, the company will enter into the premix insulin segment allowing physicians to provide more tailored options for better diabetes management, Hrosz said.

US FDA allows expanded use of J&J, Bristol Myers cell therapies

Both J&J and Bristol Myers' therapies helped extend the time that patients lived without disease progression in late stage studies - more than when patients received 'standard of care' treatments, the companies said in separate statements.

US FDA allows expanded use of Bristol Myers' cell therapy for blood cancer

The health regulator is also reviewing cancer cell therapy, Carvykti, from Johnson & Johnson and its partner Legend Biotech for use in less severely affected patients. The FDA is set to decide on it by April 5. Abecma and Carvykti belong to a class of treatments known as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies that work by modifying white blood cells known as T-cells to attack cancer.

Dr Reddy’s, Bayer join hands to roll out 2nd brand of heart failure drug Vericiguat in India

Vericiguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator, in India, is indicated, along with guideline-based medical therapy, in adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (less than 45%), following a recent event of worsening heart failure which required hospitalization or outpatient intravenous (IV) diuretics.

J&J boosts heart device business with $12.5 bln Shockwave Medical deal

J&J has offered $335 per share in cash, or a 17% premium to the stock's closing price in late March, when the Wall Street Journal reported that the healthcare conglomerate was in talks to buy the company. Shockwave shares rose 1.6% to $325.18 in premarket trading.

AstraZeneca's Imfinzi shows promise in treating aggressive lung cancer

The drug demonstrated "statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement" in the dual primary goals of overall survival and progression-free survival in patients for whom the disease had not worsened following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in a late-stage trial, according to AstraZeneca.

Global private equity firms eye $1 billion bid for Bharat Serums and vaccines

The Mumbai-headquartered biopharmaceuticals company was acquired by US-based investor Advent International from its previous owners, the Daftary family, for an undisclosed sum in 2019. Advent, which is now the 100%-owner of BSV, wants to sell the company.

CVS Caremark to cover Perrigo's birth control pill in US at zero cost for plan sponsors

The U.S. FDA in July approved over-the-counter use of Perrigo's drug Opill, making it the first oral contraceptive in the country which can be purchased without prescription.

Polio vaccine shortage looms over India with Sanofi plants' shutdown

Pune-based SII may need to ramp up its capacity to bridge the demand shortage, experts said. The IPV shots are administered to children at six weeks, 14 weeks and nine months. While oral polio drops are administered at birth and then at 6,10,14 months and 1.5 years. India was the first country to introduce fractional doses in 2016 to dissipate a shortage of IPV.

Sanofi to settle 4,000 Zantac cancer lawsuits in US state courts

Sanofi did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. The agreement, which still needs to be finalized, will resolve most of the lawsuits against the French pharmaceutical company in U.S. state courts, with the exception of Delaware where the majority of the cases are pending.

Dr Reddy's arm rolls AI&ML assisted drug discovery platform Aurigene.AI

The platform is an end-to-end solution for small molecule drug discovery that will combine AI & ML capabilities with Aurigene's core expertise in synthesising and testing molecules in vitro and in vivo. It has been rolled out with an eye on accelerating drug discovery projects, from hit identification to candidate nomination, Dr Reddy's said on Wednesday.