Industry News

- Read more about European Commission approves Kyprolis for combination use in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma
Amgen announced the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization for Kyprolis® (carfilzomib) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Kyprolis is the first irreversible proteasome inhibitor approved in the European Union (EU) for use in combination treatment of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma
- Read more about AstraZeneca inks 3 technology partnerships to strengthen its Cambridge lead discovery centre
AstraZeneca, a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business, announced three new partnerships that will deliver industry-leading technologies to drive the AstraZeneca MRC UK Centre for Lead Discovery in the search for novel small molecule medicines. The partnerships will ensure state-of-the-art screening and compound management at the facility, which will be located within the company’s new global R&D centre at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It will screen around 2 million chemical structures per target to find new compounds for disease targets.
- Read more about China's plastic surgery industry set to become world's third largest
China's plastic surgery industry is set to become the world's third largest by the end of this year with a valuation of 400 billion yuan ($62.6 billion) and is expected to double in size by 2019.
- Read more about Vital Therapies gets US FDA response letter on upcoming launch of phase 3 clinical trial of VTL-308
Vital Therapies Inc, a biotherapeutic company developing ELAD, a cell-based therapy targeting the treatment of liver failure, announced that it has received written responses from the US FDA to its Type C meeting request on the planned VTL-308 phase 3 clinical trial.
- Read more about Lilly and Merck Expand Immuno-oncology Collaboration with Phase III Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Trial
Eli Lilly and Company and Merck known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced the extension of an existing collaboration to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination of Lilly's ALIMTA® (pemetrexed for injection) and Merck's KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in a pivotal Phase III study in first-line nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study will be sponsored by Merck and will be open to patients with NSCLC in the first-line setting, regardless of PD-L1 status. Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.

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- Read more about Pfizer buys out Allergan for $160 bn in mega deal
In one of the biggest deals in the medical world, US-based global drug major Pfizer Inc announced acquiring leading Irish pharma firm Allergan plc for a whopping $160 billion.
- Read more about FDA approves Ninlaro, new oral medication to treat multiple myeloma
U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval for Ninlaro (ixazomib) in combination with two other therapies to treat people with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Ninlaro is marketed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals based in Osaka, Japan.
- Read more about Pfizer Reports Positive Topline Results from Phase 3 Trial Comparing XALKORI® (crizotinib) to Chemotherapy in Previously Untreated East Asian Patients with ALK-Positive Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Pfizer Inc. announced that PROFILE 1029, a Phase 3 study of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor XALKORI® (crizotinib), met its primary objective of significantly prolonging progression-free survival (PFS) in previously untreated East Asian patients with ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when compared to a standard chemotherapy doublet. In this study, XALKORI was used as the first systemic therapy for patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC, and patients could have received therapy and/or surgery for early stage disease before they were diagnosed with metastatic disease.
- Read more about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer receive GDA Breakthrough therapy designation for Avelumab in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted avelumab*, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) who have progressed after at least one previous chemotherapy regimen. Breakthrough Therapy designation is designed to accelerate the development and review of medicines that are intended to treat a serious condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the therapy may demonstrate a substantial improvement over current available therapies.
- Read more about Medtronic introduces app-based remote monitoring system for pacemakers in US
Medtronic plc announced US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and US commercial availability of the MyCareLink Smart Monitor, the world's first app-based remote monitoring system for patients with implantable pacemakers. With the MyCareLink Smart Monitor, patients with a Medtronic pacemaker can use their own smartphone or tablet technology, with cellular or Wi-Fi service, to securely transmit data from their pacemakers to their physicians, who can then interpret the data to make treatment decisions.