Go behind the scenes for the details on Genetech’s proposed “Combination Pricing Pilot” plan, which offers a discount for Avastin and Tecentriq when the two drugs are used in conjunction to treat patients with lung cancer. Pink Sheet brings you the details about the proposal, which ties into the company’s Medicare Part B interests.
Don’t dismiss cosmetics reform efforts underway in Washington, former FDA official John Bailey warned an Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors workshop. At the same gathering, Linda Katz, director of FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, hinted broadly at what’s ahead. Find out what she had to say and gain insights into what’s expected to be the first major regulatory/legislative overhaul in decades
Skin-firming and anti-wrinkle claims on products marketed as cosmetics are being tested in California federal course. The results will have considerable implications on the health, beauty and wellness industry. HBW looks at similarities and differences of the two cases.
The digitalization of health care has been much talked about over the last decade or so. But activity among the medical device manufacturers and service providers has only just recently accelerated as they start overcoming barriers and resistance to this new way of delivering health care.
With Democrats taking control of the US House of Representatives in the fall of 2018, the future of proposed legislation to update cosmetics industry regulations is hazy, but likely to result in stricter regulations for products sold in the United States.
Estée Lauder’s CEO revealed that “a small group of employees” was responsible for intentionally altering test results behind product claims. The shocking disclosure was mitigated by the fact that the problem was discovered internally. Nevertheless, stock tumbled following the announcement–but has largely recovered. Find out how the disclosure may affect Lauder moving forward, and learn how analysts reacted
RB’s spending on the WebMD-hosted Cold & Flu Tracker app generated an ROI three times greater than traditional digital marketing, says marketing executive Emma Howe. Similar campaigns are gaining momentum, with WebMD and Walgreens launching “Relief Advisor.”
UK notified bodies would have had their conformity assessment roles temporarily withdrawn in the event of a no-deal Brexit in March. Learn what this move would have meant to UK start-ups. Read the MHRA response to a Medtech Insight inquiry about the role of UK notified bodies after Brexit.
The US FDA intends to make changes to its 501(k) process, and is currently considering a proposal to impose an age limitation on predicate devices as a means of encouraging the use of more modern predicates. Opponents of the plan argue that such a step would do little to achieve the FDAs goals in this area.
GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Pfizer Inc. have closed their consumer health joint venture to create the “global leader in OTC products.” Operating under the GSK Consumer Healthcare name, the joint venture – announced in December last year – has around a 7.3% share of the global consumer health market, well ahead of the next competitor, Johnson & Johnson, at 4.1%. Under the leadership of Brian McNamara, the new company has begun to assemble a management team that combines talent from both GSK and Pfizer. Who’s on the dream team, and what’s on the horizon for this new superpower?
Herbalife CEO Richard Goudis stepped down from the top spot at the company following the discovery of inappropriate comments he had made prior to becoming CEO. Find out more about the Herbalife shakeup and what it means for the company.
Insurers and a neurologist testifying at a May 16 Senate Finance Committee hearing on the CHRONIC Care Act praised the bill’s telehealth provisions. Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, says he plans to mark up the bill, which has been under development for two years, this week.
At a meeting of mitochondrial disease drug development, officials of US Food and Drug Administration said that just because a measure is relevant to the patient community does not mean it can capture meaningful change in a clinical trial. Pink Sheet looks at the implications to sponsors.
The FDA recently approved its first-ever approval of a drug that contains a marijuana derivative, but the agency says that it will only focus its enforcement policy of similar dietary ingredients on products marketed with drug or disease claims. Find out more about this complex issue here.
The European Medicines Agency braces itself for a major reduction in staff and decrease in activities. The move is a reaction to Brexit and the agency’s move from London to the Netherlands. The cuts are the latest challenge presented by Brexit, as the EMA braces for an overall 30% loss of staff.
On the same day the American Kratom Association published its own standards for safety, the FDA coincidentally released the contents of a warning letter to Avalon Packaging, Inc., a kratom contract manufacturer, citing concerns about the manufacturing process and salmonella contamination.
The European Medicines Agency’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee advises ibuprofen manufacturers to add warnings on patient information leaflets concerning acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis associated with use of the drug. HBW provides details about the skin reaction being noted and the informational changes required.
The post-market clinical follow-up requirements for device and diagnostics companies based on the new medtech regulations are complex. They contain vague terms that need clarification for companies to understand how to comply. Expert and consultant Sarah Sorrel provides her interpretation in this interview with Medtech Insight.
Expect more industry consolidation, counsels Morningstar’s Healthcare Observer report. Among the potential deals: BioMarin is a logical acquisition target. But for whom? Find out what Morningstar’s Damien Conover predicts. Discover which companies could be targets for Pfizer, and learn what Conover thinks of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla’s insistence that it plans to grow organically.
In an announcement that came as a surprise to industry experts, Scott Gottlieb announced his resignation as head of the US FDA after only a 22-month tenure. See what his legacy will be, and what his departure means for pilot projects currently in the works.
The European Medicines Agency is in the midst of huge changes as it relocates its headquarters from London to Amsterdam, effective March 1. Find out more about the move, spurred by the UK’s impending exodus from the EU, in this informative Pink Sheet article.
Imagine what would happen if a huge corporation abandoned the core competency of controlling its multi-million-dollar budgets and accelerating processes across R&D and commercial divisions. Would it survive? Would it actually thrive? In Vivo talks to one CEO who knows.
Immuo-oncology is proving to be that rare animal for investors in pharma, where return on invested capital doesn’t seem necessarily tied to risk, with mature assets returning liquidity similar to those of early assets. Examine transaction trends, investor activity, and the exit landscape for this important area.
Less than one month into his new job, Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson shared his perspective on how he plans to build on Sanofi’s strengths and deliver needed changes. Scrip shares details about Sanofi’s leadership history and Hudson’s early priorities at the helm.
Find out how the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) has changed its benefit-risk language in the wake of shifting attitudes towards flawed devices which nonetheless do deliver health benefits. Medtech Insight spoke with Jos Van Vroonhoven, who convened the joint working group that revised the standard, for an inside look at what has changed.
Probiotic labeling came under fire in a recent opinion piece published in JAMA Internal Medicine, which called for more detailed and extensive labeling for probiotic supplements, as well as improved good manufacturing practices (GMP) as they pertain to the production of products containing live microorganisms.
“Junk science” is being blamed for a lawsuit filed against Unilever for alleged “micro-tears” caused by their St. Ives Apricot Scrub. The suit, first filed in 2016, may be coming to the end of the road, as Unilever requests a summary judgement in the matter.
The US Food and Drug Administration says reports of high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine in the histamine-2 blocker ranitidine resulted from a third-party laboratory’s use of the incorrect test for the drug treatment. HBW covers the recommended testing method.
Novartis AG tried to squash any murmurings that it had a disreputable intent in not disclosing the data fraud it knew about before approval of its gene therapy Zolgensma, saying the company wanted a full understanding of the issue first before bringing it to the attention of regulators. In a recent conference call with analysts, Novartis execs were bombarded with questions about their “prescribed process” of internal investigation, and when exactly they knew about the fraud. Find out how the pharma giant is handling such close scrutiny, how they are dealing with the AveXis scientists involved in the “data inaccuracies,” and the recent EMA decision to downgrade Zolgensma’s accelerated assessment.
Will Novartis’ Zolgensma or Biogen’s Spinraza be the standard of care for spinal muscular atrophy? Novartis shared its perspective with Scrip. Find out what Biogen had to say about the competition during an earnings call–and read how Novartis’ Paul Hudson responded. Learn how Novartis plans to handle payments for the expensive therapy. Is it considering outcomes-based payments? Gain insights into the clinical benefits of both medications and learn what’s next.
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