Sanofi (France)
NEWS
Pharma and biotech companies strengthen their leadership teams with new hires and appointments at Cadent, bluebird, Abeona, Sanofi, and more.
As Britain’s plans to leave the European Union—Brexit—stagger toward the March 29 deadline, the UK biopharma industry is taking stock of the likely impact.
Sanofi and Regeneron, following Amgen dropping the price of Repatha in October 2018, have dropped Praluent to $5,850 a year. This is about a 60-percent reduction from the original price for both the 75 mg and 150 mg doses. The new prices will kick in early March.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first treatment for acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP). Sanofi’s Cablivi was given the greenlight and will become a cornerstone of the company’s new rare blood disorders franchise.
Thirteen of those were development programs, the remaining 25 research-stage. In September, the company indicated it was on a cost-cutting program, planning to save 1.5 billion euros this year. Of the programs it is dumping, the most prominent is a mid-phase drug for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), ALX-0171.
Although bioterrorism doesn’t get the kind of attention more traditional bombings and shootings receive, the biotech industry and the federal government are paying attention and actively funding and developing countermeasures to potential bioterror, military and public health emergencies.
Over the next two weeks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has three upcoming decisions. Here’s a look.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a family of RNA molecules that transport genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where it specifies the amino acid sequence that creates proteins. In theory, by coding your own mRNA, it should be possible to insert it into the cells and turn them into protein factories churning out whatever drug or molecule you program it to.
In October, the Minnesota Attorney General filed a lawsuit against three of the biggest insulin manufacturers over price gouging claims. One month later the American Diabetes Association published recommendations and public policy solutions.
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