And so, another working week is drawing to a close. Yes, we indicated yesterday we would be absent today, but things have a way of changing. So here we are. But this gives us another opportunity to wish you an enjoyable weekend, especially those of you on this side of the pond, where an extended holiday break is looming. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Have a lovely time and see you soon …
Drug makers paid more than $450 million last year to UK doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and various organizations, according to Disclosure UK, a new database maintained by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. An analysis by PharmaTimes found that 67 percent went to research; 13 percent was consulting; 9 percent was spent on contributing to the cost of events; and 9 percent on donations and grants.
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals has emerged from bankruptcy and acquired the rights from Savant Neglected Diseases to develop a treatment for Chagas disease, a parasitic infection that can cause life-threatening heart problems. The company filed for bankruptcy shortly after being taken over last year by Martin Shkreli, who planned to raise the price of the drug more than one-hundredfold, which would have placed it on par with costly hepatitis C treatments.
Boehringer Ingelheim is laying off 724 employees, mostly sales reps, as part of a reorganization that was signaled earlier this year, according to this notice filed with Connecticut officials. Among those losing their jobs are 49 people who work at the Ridgefield, Conn., campus, which serves as US headquarters. The move comes as the company swaps its over-the-counter unit for the animal health unit run by Sanofi.
Some drug makers are developing baby-protecting vaccines for expectant mothers and targeting such ailments as group B strep and respiratory syncytial virus, Bloomberg News says.
Roche plans to close a plant in Florence, S.C., by 2019, although production will continue as usual until then, SC Now reports. The plant employs 220 people and makes Xeloda, among other products.
A former Mylan executive settled a wrongful termination lawsuit against the drug maker in which he claimed he was fired after it was disclosed he had filed a whistleblower lawsuit, the Pittsburgh Tribune reports.
Alembic Pharmaceuticals says two plants have been successfully inspected by US regulators, but another plant received four notices suggesting manufacturing issues, the Economic Times writes.
AstraZeneca ended a European licensing pact for a skin medicine with Valeant Pharmaceuticals and instead granted the license to LEO Pharma, the Wall Street Journal says.
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