PharmaceuticalField the gateaway to a commercial career is pharma

James Murdoch, leader of News International, has resigned from the board of pharma corporation GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the UK.

Pfizer is working with a property consortium to fill its recently-closed Sandwich facility with life science companies.

Changes to the Health and Social Care Bill have been announced in response to emerging cross-party opposition in the House of Lords.

Deal-making activity fell by nearly a fifth last year as pharmaceutical companies reduced R&D expenditure and streamlined their activities, research has shown.

The World Health Organisation has the support of 13 major pharmaceutical companies in developing a co-ordinated strategy to eliminate or control 10 key neglected tropical diseases, including sleeping ...

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has the support of 13 major pharmaceutical companies in developing a co-ordinated strategy to eliminate or control 10 key neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by 2020...

Bristol-Myers Squibb saw net sales increase 7% to $5.5 billion in the final quarter of 2011, and record annual sales up 9% to $21.2bn.

Analysts have predicted that AstraZeneca is about to make thousands of redundancies at its two plants in Cheshire after disappointing annual results.

The European Commission (EC) has requested further information in order to reach a decision on whether to give marketing approval to Glybera, a gene-based drug for the rare genetic disorder lipoprotei...

Careless use of Twitter by an Allergan employee has led to the company being ruled in breach of the ABPI’s Code of Practice.

US biopharma corporation Amgen has signed a merger agreement to acquire German biotech company Micromet for $1.16 billion.

Sales of anti-inflammatory drug Humira (adalimumab) helped Abbott Laboratories post strong sales and earnings growth in Q4 of 2011.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has again vowed that he will not back down over the Government’s controversial reforms to the NHS.

Swiss pharma giant Roche is in dispute with employees of its Polish operation over their use of contract workers for long-term assignments.

Final NICE guidance on the use of Daxas (roflumilast), Merck Sharp and Dohme’s drug for maintenance treatment of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), recommends setting up a clinical ...

Final NICE guidance has recommended the use of Roche’s cancer drug MabThera (rituximab) in combination with a wider range of chemotherapy treatments for advanced follicular lymphoma.

Novartis has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a US lawsuit involving more than 7,000 current and former employees over wage and hour claims dating back to 2006.

Eliquis (apixaban) has been recommended in final NICE guidance as a treatment option for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adults who have undergone planned total hip replacement or to...

NICE has issued final guidance to the NHS not recommending the use of Erbitux (cetuximab), Avastin (bevacizumab) and Vectibix (panitumumab) for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer that has p...

Emerging clinical commissioning groups in the Midlands and East SHA are less likely to pass strategic health authority risk assessments, according to information shown to BMJ Careers.

Boehringer Ingelheim will beta-test its new game Syrum, in which players take on the roles of pharmaceutical company leaders, on Facebook in March.

The European Commission (EC) has approved a label extension for Rebif (interferon beta-1a), Merck Serono’s drug for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), to cover treatment for early stages of the diseas...

Watch Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis, comment on the company’s financial performance last year.

Novartis recorded double-digit growth in 2011 to $58.6 billion after its pharmaceutical division, boosted by sales in Europe, recorded revenues of $32.5bn.

Biogen’s Tysabri (natalizumab) may be set for a sales boost after the FDA approved modifications to its Patient Information Leaflet.

Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer at Novo, explains why the company has decided to open the facility.

The use of injectable drugs to slow the development of age-related macular degeneration has halved the incidence of AMD-related blindness, according to reports from two countries that have been acclai...

A coalition of European public health experts, clinicians and industry representatives has formed to promote vaccination strategies in Europe.

Novo Nordisk is set to open a type 1 diabetes research and development centre this summer on the site of its Inflammation Research Center in Seattle, US.

The Government’s controversial health reforms are complicating the NHS’ ability to meet the Nicholson Challenge, a new report from the Health Committee has said.

The CHMP has adopted a positive opinion on MSD’s Remicade (infliximab) for the treatment of severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in youngsters aged between 6 to 17 years old.

Watch the video of how GSK aims to tackle drug cheats at this year's Olympic Games.

GSK has launched its anti-doping laboratory that will be used to combat athletes taking banned substances at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London this summer.

Novartis’ Signifor (pasireotide) has been recommended for approval by the CHMP for the rare hormonal disorder Cushing’s disease.

Nursing home residents with dementia who take SSRIs are three times more likely to suffer injuries through falling, according to a new study from the Netherlands.

The EMA has recommended the suspension of all marketing authorisations for meprobamate-containing medicines after a review found their risks now outweigh their benefits.

Bristol-Myers Squibb donated nearly $7 million last year to the HealthWell Foundation to help cancer patients fund their treatment.

The EMA has started a review into the benefits and risks of Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod) following concerns into cardiovascular effects in patients after the first dose.

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $158 million to settle a US lawsuit brought by the state of Texas, alleging that it promoted off-label use of its antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone) and mis...

Teva UK has launched a generic version of Pfizer’s Xalatan (latanoprost), an eye drop medication to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have expressed their complete opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill and called for it to be removed.

Swiss pharma giant Novartis has agreed not to close its manufacturing facility at Nyon in Switzerland, reversing its previous decision.

The EMA has approved Genzyme’s US manufacturing plant in Framingham, Massachusetts, for the production of Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta).

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have expressed their complete opposition of the Health and Social Care Bill and called for it to be removed.

Counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs are undermining the war against malaria in Africa, a new report has claimed.

A potential first treatment for the rare genetic disorder Prader-Willi syndrome from a UK company has been recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMAQ) for orphan drug designation.

Takeda will axe 2,800 R&D, sales, operations and administrative jobs by the end of 2015 in new measures to align its global workforce and further integrate its takeover of Nycomed.

The first new medication in 15 years for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer has been approved for use by the EMA.

A new pill that reminds patients to take their medication and to adhere to doctor’s orders will be launched in Britain later this year.

Daiichi Sankyo Europe plans to create a European trial registry for atrial fibrillation (AF) from existing records of 5,000 AF patients in seven EU countries.

The NHS will receive an immediate cash injection of up to £100m to support local community-based services during the winter months.

Roche is withholding key clinical data which may question the safety and effectiveness of its anti-influenza drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir), a BMJ investigation claims.

A major observational study that was widely accepted as proof that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the risk of breast cancer has been challenged by a new review of the evidence.

The global generic market is likely to capitalise on the patent expiration of a host of blockbuster drugs in the next five years, a new report predicts.

The NHS faces one of the most challenging 12 months in its history, Peter Carter, Chief Executive and General Secretary, the Royal College of Nursing, has said.

Novartis will axe nearly 2,000 positions in the US after restructuring its General Medicines business in new plans it says will strengthen its long-term position within the industry.

Lundbeck has launched the first sublingual treatment for bipolar I disorder, also known as manic depression, in the UK.

Many clinicians and scientists engaged in UK clinical research are doctoring the data, according to a new BMA survey.

NICE has confirmed its recommendation of prolonged release Bydureon (exenatide) for people with type II diabetes in final draft guidance.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published draft guidelines on the assessment of stratified medicine for cancer, including the use of biomarkers and companion diagnostics.

NICE has recommended Novartis’ Tasigna (nilotinib) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) but failed to recommend Sprycel (dasatinib) and high dose Glivec (imatinib) in final guidance.

Only half of CCGs will be given access to their full budgets by April 2013, Dr Michael Dixon, NHS Alliance, Chairman, has predicted.

Pfizer looks set to adopt a new M&A strategy after CEO Ian Read ruled out any future blockbuster deals.

NICE has failed to recommend Sanofi’s Jevtana (cabazitaxel) as a second-line treatment in combination with prednisone or prednisolone for prostate cancer in final draft guidance.

A former Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) research facility will provide a new dedicated base for life science companies in central Scotland.

The use of prescribed aspirin is not suitable for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, according to a new UK-led study.

NICE has updated its clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and management of epilepsy to incorporate a host of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) that have emerged in the UK.

Health authorities will be forced to prescribe patients with treatments recommended by NICE instead of cheaper alternative generics, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said.

Specialty biopharmaceutical company Shire has acquired the rights to develop and market Resolor (prucalopride) in the US by agreement with Janssen.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched a public consultation on the new indicators for the 2013/14 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).

Bristol-Myers Squibb has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire biopharmaceutical company Inhibitex, Inc. in a cash deal worth approximately $2.5 billion.

The Government has accepted all of the Future Forum’s recommendations in its second report into the proposed changes to the NHS.

The European Commission (EC) has adopted the opinion of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) confirming the viability of Takeda’s pioglitazone as a treatment for certain type 2 diabetes patients.

Bayer has submitted its oral anticoagulant Xarelto (rivaroxaban) to the European Medicines Agency for marketing authorisation for secondary prevention, after onset, of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

NICE chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins has said patients should sue their local health trust if they are not receiving the most effective recommended drugs.

Takeda America Holdings, the US subsidiary of Japanese pharma giant Takeda, is to acquire biotechnology company Intellikine for $190m upfront and up to $120m in clinical development milestone payments...

NICE has requested further details on Bayer HealthCare’s Xarelto (rivaroxaban) in draft recommendation for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism for those with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Eli Lilly expects to lose $3bn in 2012 after its psychotic disorder drug Zyprexa lost its patent protection in a number of major markets.

GSK’s HerpeVac vaccine against herpes simplex is likely to be discontinued following a major phase III clinical trial that showed it to be ineffective in protecting women against either infection or g...

Johnson and Johnson may have to pay more than $1bn to the US government and various individual states to resolve civil investigations into the marketing and sales of its antipsychotic treatment Risper...

Kenneth Frazier, CEP of Merck (MSD outside the US), has said the company is looking to develop its pipeline through partnerships and acquisitions – and that the future for pharma is companies working ...

There is widespread under-reporting of clinical trial data by pharmaceutical companies, according to the British Medical Journal.

US biotechnology company Biogen Idec has agreed to pay up to $299m (including milestone payments) for the rights to a drug for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the foremost genetic cause of infant morta...

India has introduced new measures to stop overseas pharmaceutical companies increasing the price of imported treatments after reporting rises in production costs.

Merck (MSD outside the US) topped the job-cutting charts in 2011 as the industry witnessed another year of workforce reductions after a series of cost-cutting measures from a number of pharma giants.

Academic research showing that anti-retroviral drugs can reduce HIV transmission in couples by over 95% has been named the 2011 Breakthrough of the Year by Science magazine.

The EMA has started a review into the balance of benefits and risks of aliskiren-containing medicines after Novartis’ decision to end the ALTITUDE study.

Roche’s Avastin (bevacizumab) has been approved by the European Commission (EC) for marketing as a front-line therapy for women with newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer.

GSK’s Chief Executive Andrew Witty has received a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to the UK pharmaceutical industry and the British economy as a whole.

A report from the Department of Health shows that the NHS is on track to deliver up to £5.9bn savings this financial year, ahead of its annual target of £5bn cuts per year.

Scottish biotechnology company NovaBiotics has received orphan drug designation in Europe for Lynovex (cysteamine), a dual-action mucolytic and antibacterial drug to treat cystic fibrosis (CF).

The President and CEO of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Shlomo Yanai is to retire from the company in May 2012 and be replaced by the experienced Dr Jeremy Levin.

Roche CEO Severin Schwan has opened the door to future billion dollar acquisitions as part of the company’s latest strategy.