Pharma News

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria in children. The recommendation follows advice from the WHO: Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG) and was endorsed by the WHO Director-General following its regular biannual meeting held on 25-29 September.

Johnson & Johnson confirmed its intent not to enforce patents it owns and controls for SIRTURO® (bedaquiline) in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 134 low- and middle-income countries.

AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited has received permission to import pharmaceutical formulations of new drug for sale or for distribution in Form CT-20 from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation for Palivizumab (Synagis) solution for injection 100 mg/ml (r-DNA origin) (50mg/0.5mL & 100 mg/mL presentations in single-dose vials administered through intramuscular route).

Government to include Oseltamivir and Zanamivir in Schedule H1 after the consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board.

The new policy, on environmental sustainability within pharmacy, expands on a 2016 FIP statement on the importance of reducing the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals and related activities. It makes clear that environmental sustainability includes both mitigation measures, such as reducing pharmaceutical pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as adaptation measures to climate change.

How are environmental changes, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of pathogens connected? The answer is a puzzle. Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now described one piece of that puzzle in the journal eLife,* showing that the destruction of tropical rainforests harms the diversity of mosquito species. At the same time, more resilient species of mosquitoes become more prevalent – which also means the viruses they carry are more abundant. If there are many individuals of a given species, those viruses can spread quickly.

A new injectable solution that self-assembles into a gel under the right conditions could help manage HIV unlike any currently available methods, researchers have found.

The gel releases a steady dose of the anti-HIV drug lamivudine over six weeks, suggesting people living with HIV could have new therapy that doesn't require a daily pill regimen to prevent AIDS.

“Today is a historic day, an inflection point in the journey of "Atmanirbharta" in the pharma & medical devices sector. We need to transform Indian Pharma & MedTech sectors from a cost-based to a value-based & innovation-based industry.” This was stated by Dr.

Biosergen AB (Biosergen) and Alkem Laboratories Ltd. (Alkem) are pleased to announce the signing of a co-development and license agreement for BSG005, an innovative polyene macrolide, through phase II and phase III trials for sale in the Indian market. 

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a threat to human lives, and yet the development of new drugs to treat bacterial infections is slow. A group of proven drugs used in cancer treatment for decades could possibly be the solution. A new class of antibiotics is now being developed by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden.