Millions of Americans are being impacted by the psychological fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic aftermath, and large numbers may experience emotional distress and be at increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, according to a new article published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. The
The Trump administration is teaming up with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi to develop a vaccine for the new coronavirus disease COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Tuesday it would provide “expertise and reallocated funds” to support the vaccine’s development. Sanofi will partner up with the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority—known as
Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been purchased by Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Boston for $930 million, or $6.30 a share, pending approval by Achillion shareholders and regulators. Achillion shareholders will also get an extra dollar a share if the FDA approves Achillion’s Danicopan (for a rare blood disease) and another dollar if a drug in development
Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon unit has received a 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its Vistaseal applicators, which spray a biological sealant to stem moderate bleeding during open or laparoscopic surgical procedures. The airless spray products are the first fruit of a broad partnership between the device maker. and plasma-derived medicine manufacturer Grifols, which developed the human fibrin sealant for
AstraZeneca is set to prioritize the treatment of early-stage cancers under the leadership of oncology research chief José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D. Talking to The Wall Street Journal, Baselga sketched out why he thinks splitting off from the congested pursuit of late-stage cancers will benefit AstraZeneca and patients. Under Baselga, AstraZeneca’s oncology group will initially test drugs in
The Trump administration for the first time will require pharmaceutical companies to include the price of prescription drugs in television advertisements if the cost exceeds $35 per month. Announced on Wednesday by Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, it is the most visible action the administration has taken so far to
Gilead has been trying to construct a deeper NASH pipeline as prospects dim for its lead candidate in the space. Phase 3 data released in February showed the candidate, selonsertib, didn’t significantly outperform placebo in treating NASH patients who developed compensated cirrhosis because of severe liver scarring. While another trial evaluating the drug in less sick patients has
With gene therapies becoming a hot growth area, CDMOs are figuring out how to get a bigger piece of the market. Thermo Fisher Scientific decided to buy its way in, agreeing to pay $1.7 billion to get viral vector producer Brammer Bio. The cash deal, slated to close by the end of the second quarter, will see Waltham,
Boehringer Ingelheim has been working to boost its research capabilities in central nervous system (CNS) disorders, making moves over the past year aimed specifically at adding compounds to its pipeline to address Alzheimer’s disease (AD), schizophrenia and depression. Now it’s teaming up with Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville to develop novel small molecules that modulate
Drug companies could come under increased pressure to lower prices in the US, after the opposition Democrat party won control over the lower house in midterm elections. All the seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the Senate were up for grabs in the vote seen as a referendum
