In a strong move against the federal government, Merck & Co., based in Kenilworth, New Jersey, has launched a lawsuit against the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The firm has retained the services of prominent law firm Jones Day, at times known for its assertive litigation style. In recent years, the firm has also been involved…
Why sustainability in pharma also can make business sense
The magnitude of climate change looms larger by the day. A 2022 report from Deloitte Center for Sustainable Progress (DCSP) concluded that the price tag of unchecked climate change could ultimately reach $178 trillion over the next half-century. Although the pharma sector sometimes evades the spotlight when it comes to sustainability, it accounts for 4.4%…
The economics behind the Adderall shortage: Why low prices lead to scarcity
On October 12, 2022, the FDA confirmed what many patients with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) already knew: There was a shortage of the immediate-release formulation of amphetamine mixed salts commonly known by the brand name Adderall. The implications of this announcement have rippled across the United States, affecting scores of patients reliant on the…
The battle of the bulge: Semaglutide and tirzapatide could be new weight-loss warriors
A pair of weight-loss drugs — semaglutide and tirzapatide — could reshape the way we view and treat obesity, according to a Moody’s report dated May 18. The ratings firm notes that Novo Nordisk could benefit from a first-mover advantage in the obesity market as it now has two novel weight loss drugs on the…
Astellas’ Veozah wins regulatory nod as non-hormonal menopause treatment
Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma has won FDA approval for Veozah (fezolinetant) 45 mg to treat moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. The non-hormonal menopause treatment represents the first neurokinin 3 receptor antagonist to win FDA backing for vasomotor symptoms, which afflict 60-80% of women during menopause. The approval was based on the BRIGHT SKY…
CRB installs new senior director of sustainability
The life sciences and food and beverage consulting firm CRB has named Mike Dieterich as its senior director of sustainability. Dieterich has more than 17 years of experience working in energy and sustainability. He’s led sustainability initiatives at companies such as AstraZeneca where he served as director, U.S. sustainability from January 2018 to April 2023.…
Pharmaceutical industry layoffs continue: Bristol Myers Squibb, Novavax and Takeda the latest to announce cuts
The pharma industry has shed a significant number of jobs in 2023. The most recent company to announce cuts is Bristol Myers Squibb, which laid off 48 workers in Princeton, New Jersey. Other companies making cuts include Takeda, cutting more than 180 jobs, and Novavax, letting go of one-quarter of its workforce. Other companies that…
Q&A: Introducing PSG Biotech its role in biopharmaceutical flow control and monitoring technologies
In late March, Dover Corp. announced the launch of its new PSG Biotech brand, which consolidates its pumping, flow-measurement and flow-metering technologies used in life science and biopharmaceutical production. PSG Biotech encompasses the company’s Quattroflow quaternary diaphragm pumps, em-tec BioProTT flow meters/sensors and Malema mass flow meters. These technologies are designed to ensure the safe,…
5 core trends in drug recalls: An analysis of 2022 and Q1 2023
Drug recalls surged in 2022, with defective pharmaceutical units reaching a five-year high, according to the Sedgwick 2023 State of the Nation Recall Index. Also in 2022, sterility was the top cause of recalls for the first time in more than six years. January 2023 saw a significant increase in the number of drug recalls…
WuXi STA expands peptide manufacturing capacity to meet global demand
WuXi STA, a prominent global contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), has increased its peptide manufacturing output at its Changzhou campus. Located in southern Jiangsu province in China, Changzhou is part of the Yangtze River Delta region, which is among the most economically developed areas in the country. WuXi STA’s expansion includes two additional…