Hello, everyone, and how are you today? We are doing just fine, thank you. Although gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus this morning, our spirits remain as sunny as ever. In part, we attribute this to a few cups of stimulation. But we also like to trot out one of favorite sayings, which is that every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. And why not? Meanwhile, here are some items of interest to help you get started. Hope your day is successful and keep us in mind when you hear something fascinating …
The new GlaxoSmithKline medicine for treating severe asthma should cost 76 percent less than the $32,500 list price in order to justify its value, says the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, according to Reuters. The analysis by the nonprofit calculates Nucala, a once-monthly injectable, should cost somewhere between $7,800 to about $12,000 a year due to uncertainty about whether benefits will last given the short duration of clinical studies.
Delivery vans transporting prescription painkillers from warehouses to pharmacies and hospitals are increasingly targeted for theft, because drivers generally receive little security training, rarely carry weapons, and they often work alone, according to STAT. In the last two years, there have been nearly 100 thefts nationwide, about four times what was recorded in 2012.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ distribution deal with Walgreens has an unusual twist that allows the drug maker to repurchase its drugs from the pharmacy without physically taking them back, The Wall Street Journal says. In effect, Valeant is buying back its own drugs from Walgreens and then reselling them on consignment to the retailer, a move that amounts to a $150 million hit.
Bayer is expected to pursue a major life sciences acquisition in the next few years to avoid being eclipsed in its key markets, including animal health, Reuters writes. Among the potential targets could be Zoetis, which sells medicines for animals, and the Pfizer consumer health business. Bayer is concerned about becoming a second-tier player, especially as Boehringer Ingelheim gains the Merial animal health business from Sanofi as part of an asset swap.
The US Preventive Services Task Force proposed recommendations for prescribing statins that hue closely to the 2013 guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association, MedPage Today says.
The Food and Drug Administration pushed back its Dec. 27 deadline for deciding whether to approve a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug from BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Reuters notes.
India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization is expected soon to issue guidelines for reviewing biosimilars, according to PharmaBiz.
The Swedish government unveiled a multi-million dollar plan to back biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing in the country, Outsourcing Pharma writes.
The number of US deaths attributed to drug overdoses hit a record high in 2014, and federal health officials cite ongoing abuse of prescription painkillers and heroin, Reuters reports.
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