Pharma News

The results of studies involving researchers from the MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) show that the effect of immunotherapy on malignant melanoma (black skin cancer) can be improved by combining it with other cancer treatments. However, the results also show that this combination can lead to an increase in side-effects. The CCC is therefore now looking for ways to improve the side-effect profile and is testing these approaches in two upcoming studies.

A small number of people infected with HIV produce antibodies with an amazing effect: Not only are the antibodies directed against the own virus strain, but also against different sub-types of HIV that circulate worldwide. Researchers from the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich now reveal which factors are responsible for the human body forming such broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, thereby opening new avenues for the development of an HIV vaccine.

A blood pressure drug may make a type of lung cancer treatment more effective, suggests a new study.The early-stage research, conducted on human cells in the lab and on mice, was led by scientists from Imperial College London and Fudan University in China, and is published in the journal Cell Discovery.

Sahajanand Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (SMT), India’s largest manufacturer of cardiovascular medical stents today announced the opening of its new Research & Development Centre in Galway City, Ireland. SMT aims to attract global talent through this new facility in Ireland to diversify its product portfolio. The company has significant investment plans to develop this R&D Centre.

Amgen announced top-line results of the Phase 3 CLARION trial, which evaluated an investigational regimen of KYPROLIS® (carfilzomib), melphalan and prednisone (KMP) versus Velcade® (bortezomib), melphalan and prednisone (VMP) for 54 weeks in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were ineligible for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant. The trial did not meet the primary endpoint of superiority in progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS 22.3 months for KMP versus 22.1 months for VMP, HR = 0.91, 95 percent CI, 0.75 - 1.10). While the data for overall survival, a secondary endpoint, are not yet mature, the observed hazard ratio (KMP versus VMP) was 1.21 (95 percent CI, 0.90 - 1.64). Neither result was statistically significant.

Amgen and UCB  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the Biologics License Application (BLA) for romosozumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fracture.

Pain Therapeutics, Inc.  announced that it has received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the resubmission of its new drug application (NDA) for REMOXY ER (oxycodone capsules CII).  The CRL informs that REMOXY ER cannot be approved in its present form and specifies additional actions and data that are needed for drug approval.

Janssen Research & Development, LLC announced that a supplemental New Drug  Application (sNDA) for ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA ® ) has been submitted to the U.S. Food and  Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with marginal zone lymphoma  (MZL) who require systemic therapy. The filing is based on data from the multi-center, open-  label Phase 2 PCYC-1121 trial assessing the use of ibrutinib, a BTK inhibitor, in patients  with MZL who have received at least one prior therapy.