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The pharmaceutical business is yet another dynamic venture, present globally and extremely important to research scientists, investors and the entire community at large. As in any other business, the success of any pharma company lies on 2 factors- investment potential and risk taking ability. In addition, the R&D portfolio becomes a huge numerator to ensure successful profit quotient.  

So why read Pharma R&D, business news? Because it offers following benefits- 

1.     Enables investors to take “wise decisions”.

2.     Assists Job seekers to realize “where to invest their career”.

3.     Helps community to abreast themselves of new medicine introductions, availability of low cost generics and overall to think wise about “how they can control their health care costs”. 

Dr.Shruti Bhat, an Expert in Pharmaceutical industry, brings to you some highlights from current pharma business news-

Pfizer's Viagra patent partially rejected.
"Pfizer Inc.'s patent on its impotence drug Viagra [sildenafil citrate] was partially rejected after the US Patent and Trademark Office said it wasn't different enough from a Chinese herb known as Horny Goat Weed." An agency appeals board "upheld the decision that an element, or claim, of the patent for a method of treating male erectile dysfunction didn't cover a new invention." Bloomberg News .

 Potential kidney transplant drug wins orphan drug designation from FDA.
 "Quark Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s potential treatment for kidney transplant patients won orphan drug designation from the Food and Drug Administration." The company "said QPI-1002 is a synthetic small interfering RNA, or siRNA, that blocks expression of a gene called p53 and, as a result, could protect normal cells from injury." QPI-1002 also "is in a Phase I/II study," and "is the first systemic siRNA drug to enter human clinical trials." The San Francisco Business Times.     Lilly, Arkansas settle Zyprexa marketing suit for $18.5 million. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on Tuesday announced an $18.5 million settlement of a lawsuit with Eli Lilly & Co. over off-label marketing of the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa [olanzapine]." The American Press.

Spending on cancer drugs in UK is 40 percent less than in other European countries.
NHS cancer patients have 40 percent less spent on their medicines than those in other European countries,according to a "report from the centre-right think tank Policy Exchange." The UK's Daily Mail.

Roche ordered to pay $25 million in Accutane damages.  
Roche Holding AG "must pay $25.16 million in damages to a former user of its Accutane [isotretinoin] drug who blamed the acne medicine for his inflammatory bowel disease, a New Jersey jury ruled." Bloomberg News.

India's generic drug industry may attract more interest from larger companies.
India's generic-drug industry has more FDA-approved facilities than any other country outside the US, which is boosting speculation that larger foreign pharmaceutical companies will join the industry. The Wall Street Journal.

AstraZeneca purchases RA treatment from Rigel for up to $1.2 billion.
AstraZeneca has signed a deal worth up to $1.2 billion with Rigel for its rheumatoid arthritis drug, called R788, which is "the furthest developed in a new class of oral drugs being tested for treating RA and is designed for patients who do not respond to the older drug, methotrexate." The Daily Telegraph (UK).

Merck may seek approval to sell Gardasil for new uses.
Merck's "Gardasil is about 89 percent effective in blocking cervical cancer, genital warts and lingering HPV infections in women aged 24 to 45." The American Press.

New Medicare rules may help Affymax grab market share from Amgen.
New Medicare rules "will cap fees for kidney dialysis, including the cost of anemia drugs, at about $250 per treatment starting on Jan. 1, 2011, and combine all services under one bill or 'bundle,' said Yaron Werber, a Citibank analyst. Bloomberg News.

Affymax readies blockbuster alternative to Epogen .
Affymax hopes to get an FDA approval for its experimental anemia treatment Hematide next year, and that could leave the developer perfectly positioned to take advantage of new Medicare rules capping the cost of kidney dialysis at $250. Bloomberg news. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601202&sid=a1meTJTyj3g8   Details at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/02/potential-kidney-transplant-drug-wins.html

Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

http://www.drshrutibhat.com
Expert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
 


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