BioSpace News Archive

Drug Development

Highlights from American Society of Hematology 2021 Meeting

The 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition is wrapping up today, with dozens providing updates on clinical trials and preclinical research. Here’s a highlight of just a few of those stories.

December 14, 2021
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6 min read
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Mark Terry
Deals

CSL Tenders Offer to Buy Vifor Pharma for $11.7 Billion

If successfully finalized, the transaction will give CSL access to Vifor’s pipeline of treatments for iron deficiency, kidney and cardio-renal diseases.

December 14, 2021
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Drug Development

COVID News: Vaccine Anniversary, Mounting Death Toll and Omicron Updates

Despite the biggest vaccination drive in the U.S., the pandemic is still not over. The U.S. has reported more than 800,000 COVID-19 deaths, an increase of 500,000 since the vaccination started.

December 14, 2021
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6 min read
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Mark Terry
Policy

Nonprofit Demands Transparency of Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine Data in Court

The lawsuit was filed by Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency, a nonprofit organization recently formed with a mission to obtain the data for the COVID-19 vaccines.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Alex Keown
FDA

FDA Says No to Merck’s COVID-19 Pill in Pregnant Women

The FDA said that it is not authorizing molnupiravir’s use during pregnancy as there are hardly any clinical scenarios where the benefits appear to outweigh the risks.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Vanessa Doctor, RN
Policy

Texas Goes After Pharmas for Alleged Use of Hormone Drugs to Treat Gender Dysphoria

Texas’ top law enforcement official is taking aim at two drug companies over what he alleges is the promotion of hormone blockers for children experiencing gender dysphoria.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Alex Keown
Genetown

Set Your Data Management Strategy Early for Long-term Biotech Success

Good data management means developing a systematic way to integrate and update data enterprise-wide and to share it with team members or partners as needed.

December 14, 2021
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4 min read
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Gail Dutton
Drug Development

FDA Pauses Several Trials of Merck’s Investigational HIV Drug Islatravir

As of now, six studies related to islatravir are on full clinical hold, while seven are on partial clinical hold. Here are more updates on the development of this drug.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Sreetama Dutt
Drug Development

Once-Weekly Bloodstream Infection Drug Rezafungin Shines in Phase III

Cidara Therapeutics and Mundipharma today shared positive topline results from their Phase III trial on the use of rezafungin for candidemia and invasive candidiasis.

December 14, 2021
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3 min read
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Vanessa Doctor, RN
Business

Novartis Drops Out of COVID-19 Deal with Mesoblast

Novartis has grown weary of waiting, dropping out of its deal to fund Mesoblast’s floundering COVID-19 treatment.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Kate Goodwin