Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) has settled a securities lawsuit in Denmark filed in August 2019 in the district court of Glostrup. In 2019, Novo Nordisk vowed to fight the allegations contained in the lawsuit, which alleged that the company’s insulin-related profits fell at the same time prices and sales increased from February 2015 and February 2017. The…
American College of Clinical Pharmacology cautions against widespread off-label use of ketamine
Interest in the dissociative anesthetic ketamine is surging, given its potential to treat treatment-resistant depression and other mental health disorders. Against that backdrop, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) have released two policy statements advocating for stricter use of the drug. In addition, ACCP is arguing against its use in non-medical settings such as…
Daiichi-Sankyo to close Plexxikon unit
A decade ago, Daiichi-Sankyo (TYO:4568) announced its plan to acquire small molecule pharmaceutical specialist Plexxikon for $935 million. Now, the company has announced a reorganization of its R&D structure that involves closing the R&D subsidiary Plexxikon on March 31, 2022. Plexxikon has approximately 60 employees. The unit was instrumental in developing two commercialized drugs, Zelboraf…
California aims to produce inexpensive insulin
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signaled that the state would pursue manufacturing insulin to offer the hormone at a reduced cost to people with diabetes. “Insulin should not drain your bank account,” Newsom shared over Twitter. Newsom has also made contract manufactured insulin part of the proposed budget planning for the fiscal year 2022. The…
Pfizer teams up with Acuitas Therapeutics to expand use of LNP in mRNA vaccines and therapeutics
Looking to expand its mRNA franchise, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced a pact with Acuitas, which specializes in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation technology. The deal allows Pfizer to license Acuitas’ LNP technology in up to 10 targets for vaccine or therapeutic development. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech currently use Acuitas’ LNP in their Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer…
Recipharm sells plants in France and the UK
Recipharm has sold a solid-dose manufacturing plant in Fontaine-lès-Dijon, France to Astrea Pharma, a new contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). Recipharm also announced that Pharmaron Beijing Co. has acquired Aesica Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which Recipharm had acquired about a year ago. Historically, the plant in France has focused on manufacturing and packaging tablets and capsules.…
FDA postpones some inspectional activities amid omicron surge
The FDA announced earlier this week that it made some temporary changes to its inspectional activities due to COVID-19. With the omicron variant of the virus causing surges across the world, the FDA implemented the changes in the U.S. on Dec. 29, 2021, to ensure the safety of its employees and the firms it regulates,…
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany acquires Exelead to bolster mRNA offerings
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Exelead (Indianapolis), a biopharma contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). Not to be confused with the similarly named Merck & Co., the German company will pay roughly $780 million in the acquisition. Exelead specializes in creating lipid nanoparticle and pegylated…
CDC panel recommends COVID-19 boosters for teens
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted almost unanimously to support the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster for individuals aged 12 to 17. As with adults, the recommendation applies to individuals who received the second dose at least five months in the past. ACIP also recommended that the CDC bolster its suggestion that adolescents between the…
Johnson & Johnson reaches opioid settlement with Colorado and Nevada
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has reached a settlement agreement with Colorado and Nevada to put opioid-related allegations there to bed. Colorado will receive $385 million from Johnson & Johnson and the drug distributors McKesson (NYSE:MCK), AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC) and Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH). Nevada will receive nearly $285.2 million as part of the overall settlement, which is earmarked…