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Biomira and Merck KGaA sign agreements on Stimuvax

Biomira Inc. has announced the signing of amended and restated collaboration and supply agreements related to Stimuvax with Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany.

12 Aug 2007

90 percent of seniors now have prescription drug coverage

More than 90 percent of Americans age 65 and older now have prescription drug coverage, compared to more than 75 percent who were covered in 2004, according to a University of Michigan analysis. And poor seniors are as likely to have coverage as the rich.

12 Aug 2007

GSK receives FDA 'not approvable letter' for Advair for COPD

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a not approvable letter for the supplemental drug application for the 500/50 strength of Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder) in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

9 Aug 2007

Court says terminally ill have no right to experimental drugs

An appeals court in the United States has ruled that terminally ill patients do not have a constitutional right to experimental drugs not approved by regulators.

8 Aug 2007

Cannabis mouth spray eases pain of cancer patients

Canadian health authorities have given approval for a new cannabis-based painkiller for use with cancer patients.

8 Aug 2007

U.S. stocks up again on bird flu vaccine

The Department of Health and Human Services in the United States has ordered more doses of the avian flu vaccine from the international pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

7 Aug 2007

New drugs to combat bioterrorism

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop new drugs to combat agents of bioterrorism.

7 Aug 2007

FDA approves maraviroc, an antiretroviral drug for use in adult HIV patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved maraviroc, an antiretroviral drug for use in adult HIV patients. Maraviroc, sold under the trade name Selzentry, is the first in a new class of drugs designed to slow the advancement of HIV and received priority review by the FDA.

7 Aug 2007

GlaxoSmithKline receives bulk H5N1 antigen order for the US national stockpile

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that HHS has placed another order to purchase bulk H5N1 antigen for the US national stockpile of pre-pandemic vaccines.

6 Aug 2007

Money for medicine

Last week, it was announced that drug addicts in England are to be given shopping vouchers for complying with treatment programmes. In this week's British Medical Journal, two experts debate whether it is acceptable for people to be paid to adhere to medication.

3 Aug 2007

FDA, DoD collaborate on regulated drugs, biologics, and medical devices

Data from the U.S. Military Health System will soon help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration make decisions affecting the safety and use of FDA-regulated products for all Americans.

3 Aug 2007

CDC to provide intravenous artesunate for treatment of severe malaria

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide intravenous artesunate for emergency use in the United States for persons with severe malaria.

3 Aug 2007

Benefits and risks of the new HPV vaccine aren't fully known

Media coverage of the recently introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine - including talk of state-mandated vaccination programs - has brought considerable attention, if not always clarity, to this issue.

2 Aug 2007

Genta and Emisphere Technologies file investigational new drug exemption

Genta Inc. and Emisphere Technologies, Inc. have jointly announced the submission of an Investigational New Drug Exemption (IND) to the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new drug known as G4544.

2 Aug 2007

Vaccines approved by the FDA are at least a million times safer than the viruses that they prevent

For more than 200 years, vaccines have played an important role in the prevention of infectious diseases.

2 Aug 2007

FDA Avandia recommendation welcomed by Endocrinologists

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), along with the rest of the medical community, has watched with concern the debate regarding usage of GlaxoSmithKline's rosiglitazone (Avandia) in diabetes and the question of whether it increases cardiovascular risk.

1 Aug 2007

QIAGEN acquires Digene

QIAGEN completed the acquisition through a tender offer and subsequent merger of Digene with and into a wholly owned subsidiary of QIAGEN. At the completion of the merger, Digene will become a wholly owned subsidiary of QIAGEN's affiliate QIAGEN North American Holdings, Inc.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 1 Aug 2007