Pharma News

AstraZeneca and Acerta Pharma BV, a company in which AstraZeneca has a majority equity investment,  announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) adopted three positive opinions recommending acalabrutinib (ACP-196) for designation as an orphan medicinal product. The three positive opinions are for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) / small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia, WM).

Zoetis Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SimparicaTM (sarolaner) Chewables to kill adult fleas and prevent flea infestations, as well as treat and control tick infestations due to the Lone Star tick, the Gulf Coast tick, the American dog tick, and the brown dog tick.

The Chinese are facing growing cancer risk from dioxin due to changes in their dietary patterns over the past three decades, a research has found.

An antidepressant can improve decision-making and reaction time, and suppress inflammation in people with HIV-associated cognitive impairment, new research has found.

Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced the successful completion of an End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for AST-VAC1, its investigational therapy targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Luminex Corporation announced that it has received medical device licenses from Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate, Medical Devices Bureau for the ARIES® System and ARIES® HSV 1&2 Assay. The ARIES® System and HSV 1&2 Assay previously received FDA clearance in October 2015 and were subsequently launched in the U.S. market.

In an important advancement towards an effective treatment against the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD), researchers have found that a single monoclonal antibody isolated from a human survivor completely protects monkeys from lethal infection with the virus.

A team of US researcher has found that a laser system already in place to kill brain tumours can also be used to disrupt temporarily the blood-brain barrier enabling the crucial chemotherapy drugs to pass into the brain for up to six weeks.

Children with autism who often suffer impairments in communication can develop their speech, gestures and a sense of rhythm and melody by listening to various speech sounds, says a study.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company’s single-dose, preservative-free formulation of Makena® (hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection). Makena is the only FDA-approved treatment indicated to reduce the risk of preterm birth in women who are pregnant with one baby and who have spontaneously delivered one preterm baby in the past.