This Week’s Top Headlines
Allergan Fights Preventable Blindness
Posted 2/8/17
After unveiling “See America,” this week, Allergen has spoken out about its commitment to fighting preventable blindness in America. The company will be partnering with Prevent Blindness, a health organization dedicated to promoting eye-health information. The two will host vision screenings in different cities across the country, presenting the opportunity for people to have a one-on-one discussion about their vision with a vision-health professional. The company is also said to be partnering with celebrity ambassadors, but the specific persons have yet to be named. Read the full article here.
Roche to Expand Diabetes Sector
Posted 2/8/17
Following reports of Johnson & Johnson selling their diabetes division, Roche has announced plans to expand and innovate their diabetes business. This innovation comes with plans to partner with smaller companies to offer more device options. Roland Digglemann, head of diagnostics, said in interview with Reuters, “We’re looking around: Are there new possibilities, are there alternatives?” An emerging market for Roche, as of late, has come from China, where an estimated 100 million people may be living with diabetes. Read the full article here.
Trump Confirms Medicare Drug Price Negotiations
Posted 2/8/17
After meeting with drug makers last week, President Trump has returned to his former claim of Medicare drug negotiations. In a Tuesday morning press brief, Whitehouse Spokesman, Sean Spicer, claimed that, yes, Trump is a proponent of Medicare negotiations. This claim is a sharp turn from last week’s meeting where President Trump made claims of working with pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug prices. Read the full article here.
Tarveda Raises Phase 2 Funding of Pentarin
Posted 2/8/17
Tarveda Therapeutics has gained $30 million in funding for pentarin second phase clinical trials through new investor, Versant Ventures. The funding will enable the pharmaceutical company to continue developing the newest cancer treatment which combines tumor targeting with reduced drug sizing, allowing them to penetrate more deeply into cancers. Testing data is expected to be available sometime this year. Read the full article here.
Mylan, Teva Agree to $96.5M Settlement
Posted 2/8/17
A decade after the suit was filed claiming pharmaceutical companies Mylan and Teva conspired to stall generic narcolepsy medication Provigil, a settlement has been reached. Plaintiffs in the suit argued that the companies engaged in “unlawful reverse payment agreements,” causing Provigil overpayment and boosting their own sales. A spokesperson for Mylan said of the settlement, “Nothing in the settlement agreement constitutes an admission of wrongdoing … the proposed settlement is in the best interests of the company and is an important step in moving forward.” This settlement is the latest in a string of legal issues for Mylan, including an EpiPen pricing controversy and extensive layoffs. Read the full article here.
