Category Archives: News

Pfizer Ends Sutent Trial

By Jennifer Ringler | Published: September 29, 2010
Successful cancer drug Sutent may not be effective in prolonging life for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. This week, Pfizer announced that it has ended a Phase III trial of cancer drug Sutent. The drug, which was being tested as a treatment for patients with prostate cancer, has already been approved as a treatment for kidney [...]
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New FDA Campaign Targets Detailing, Trade Shows

By Jill Wechsler | Published: May 19, 2010
In addition to sending out more warning letters and stepping up enforcement activity, the Food and Drug Administration wants health professionals to do more to police drug marketing and advertising. The agency’s “Bad Ad” program urges doctors and other health professionals to report any false or misleading ads or inappropriate marketing pitches. Depending on one’s [...]
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Judgment Day for Pfizer Factories

By Oriana Schwindt | Published: May 19, 2010
For once, pharma sales reps and R&D guys can breathe a sigh of relief. The latest round of industry layoffs comes from Pfizer, but this time it will affect the manufacturing force, which will be downsized by 6,000 employees by 2015. In 2006, the company announced plans to save $4 billion to $5 billion, and after [...]
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Astellas and OSI Come Together

By Oriana Schwindt | Published: May 19, 2010
The months-long saga is finally over: Astellas’ enhanced offer of $57.50 a share—around $4 billion—has finally netted it Melville, NY-based OSI Pharmaceuticals. The Japan-based pharma first extended an acquisition offer of $52 per share ($3.5 billion) to OSI on March 1, only to be met with a resounding “Nay” from the board, which said $52 [...]
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Government to Launch Academic Detailing Program

By Jill Wechsler | Published: April 21, 2010
Some of the $1.1 billion in funding for Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) provided by last year’s economic stimulus legislation will be used to support a major doctor education campaign on drugs and medical products and procedures. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) plans to contract this fall with a marketing or advertising company [...]
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