Pharma News

PARIS and TARRYTOWN, N.Y. – October 22, 2021 - A pivotal Phase 3 trial evaluating Dupixent® (dupilumab) in adults with uncontrolled prurigo nodularis, a chronic type 2 inflammatory skin disease that causes extreme itch and skin lesions, met its primary and all key secondary endpoints, showing that Dupixent significantly reduced itch and skin lesions compared to placebo in this investigational setting. The impact of uncontrolled prurigo nodularis on quality of life is one of the highest among inflammatory skin diseases with intense, chronic itch.

Global Coalition Against Tuberculosis (GCAT) and Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) jointly organized the session The policymaker’s roundtable: Addressing gender and stigma barriers to TB Care on 21st October 2021 at the 52nd Union Conference held virtually. The panel members discussed the role of gender and stigma affecting access to TB services and care and the need for a TB-Mukt Bharat.

Antibodies in the airways quickly wane after SARS-CoV-2 infection, but vaccination results in a strong increase in antibody levels, especially after two doses, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal JCI Insight. The results suggest that having a second dose of vaccine also after recovering from COVID-19 may be important for protecting against re-infection and to prevent transmission.

LumiraDx a next-generation point of care diagnostics testing company announced it has received emergency use approval by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation for its SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test for use in India. The test detects antigen nucleocapsid protein from a nasal swab with results in under 12 minutes from sample application.

In a historic achievement, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has surpassed the 100-crore milestone. In a tweet, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi congratulated the countrymen and expressed gratitude to the country’s scientific community and health professionals for working towards achieving this stupendous feat.

The Central Government has revoked the export ban from Covid diagnostic kits, reagents by making amendment in the export policy of diagnostic kits.

The export restriction is lifted from VTM kits and reagents, RNA extraction kits, RT PCR kits, facon tube or cryovials, swabs sterile synthetic fibre etc. It also includes Silicon columns, Carrier RNA, Proteinase K, Magnetic Stand, Beads, Probes from COVID19 testing, primers for COVID testing, Taq polymerase enzyme, COVID19 rapid antigen testing kits.

Availability of injectable insulin formulation has been a major breakthrough in diabetes management. However, insulin needs to be kept in a refrigerator, which, otherwise after some hours becomes unfit for use due to fibrillation (some kind of ‘solidification’). Its prolonged storage even in normal refrigerator is also not good. Therefore, its thermal instability and fibrillation at non-refrigerated temperatures demands storage and maintenance of cold chain, making it expensive.

Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd announced the final approval of its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Lenalidomide Capsules, in 2.5 mg and 20 mg strengths, and tentative approval for 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, and 25 mg strengths, a therapeutic equivalent generic version of REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) Capsules, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). With this approval, Dr. Reddy’s is eligible for 180 days of generic drug exclusivity for Lenalidomide Capsules, 2.5 mg and 20 mg.