Pharma News

Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the ‘‘Viral Load testing for all People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV),”at a function.
The initiative will provide free of cost viral load testing for 12 lakh PLHIV on treatment in the country at least once a year. Shri Nadda further announced that after ‘Treat All’, Viral Load test is a big step forward in treating and monitoring people living with HIV. “This Viral Load test is of immense importance to monitor the effectiveness of treatment of patients taking lifelong Antiretroviral Therapy,” he said.Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare was also present at the launch function.

A new clinical study led by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, will follow 500 people over five years to learn more about the natural history of early Age related macular degeneration (AMD).

MSD and Viralytics Limited  announced that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which it is proposed that Merck, through a subsidiary, will acquire Viralytics, an Australian publicly traded company focused on oncolytic immunotherapy treatments for a range of cancers by way of a scheme of arrangement (Scheme) for AUD 1.75 cash per Viralytics share. The proposed acquisition values the total issued shares in Viralytics at approximately AUD 502 million (USD 394 million). The cash consideration of AUD 1.75 per share represents a premium of 160% to the one month volume weighted average price (VWAP) of Viralytics shares.

With an aim to boost the medical equipment and devices sector, the State government has signed 25 MoUs. At the summit, a total of 25 MoUs worth Rs 5,090 crore with an employment opportunity of 4,750 jobs pertaining to the health sector were signed.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) – to support the implementation of the so-called 3Rs principles for more ethical use of animals in medicine testing across the European Union (EU).

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended granting a marketing authorisation in the European Union (EU) for Amglidia (glibenclamide), a medicine indicated for the treatment of neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM), for use in newborns, infants and children.

In its continued efforts to protect consumers and ensure food safety, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun testing fresh cilantro, parsley and basil, as well as processed avocado and guacamole, for certain microbial contaminants. These two large-scale sampling assignments will help the FDA assess the rates of bacterial contamination in these commodities, as well as help to identify possible common factors among the positive samples.

FDA is advising caution before prescribing the antibiotic clarithromycin (Biaxin) to patients with heart disease because of a potential increased risk of heart problems or death that can occur years later.

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In the meeting, the MoS stressed on the need to increase the Viral Research Diagnostics Laboratories (VRDL) in the states, including UP. Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State (Health & Family Welfare), in a high level meeting, reviewed the activities and achievements of Department of Health Research (DHR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).  Dr. Sanjay Mehendale, Additional Director General, ICMR and Smt. Sarita Mittal Joint Secretary, Department of Health Research were also present.

Drug price regulator NPPA  said it has decided not to stop any coronary stent manufacturer from withdrawing products from the Indian market.