Category Archives: Strategy

Cleveland Clinic Backs Quiz to Keep Docs Sharp

By Ben Comer | Published: April 2, 2012

By challenging physicians to be The SmartestDoc, MDLinx and the Cleveland Clinic are using competition to promote education. On Tuesday, M3 USA’s MDLinx, a pharma advertising supported informational website for physicians, launched a new quiz – The SmartestDoc – for internal medicine and family physicians. In collaboration with MDLinx, the Cleveland Clinic is providing [...]

Also posted in Advertising, E-Media, Marketing, Medical Education, Technology, social media | Tagged Cleveland Clinic, cme, Medical Education, physicians, Professional Marketing | Leave a comment

Should Smokers Cough Up Money for Cancer Research?

By Ben Comer | Published: March 30, 2012

This June, Californians will be asked whether cigarette smokers should subsidize research to treat diseases related to smoking cigarettes. California’s Proposition 29, if passed, would levy an additional tax of $1 on every pack of smokes sold in the state beginning in October 2012. The tax would generate an estimated $615 million in 2012/2013, and [...]

Also posted in Legal, R&D, Regulatory, Safety, healthcare | Tagged California, policy, smoking, tax | 6 Comments

Supreme Court: Prometheus Decision a Harbinger for Myriad?

By Ben Comer | Published: March 21, 2012

In judging the Prometheus patents invalid, the Supreme Court may have shown its hand on the upcoming Myriad Genetics case. In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the Supreme Court stripped two Prometheus patents on the grounds that the company didn’t go far enough beyond merely identifying a natural law. Natural laws – a product [...]

Also posted in Biotech, Gene therapy, IP, Legal, Regulatory | Tagged patents, United States Supreme Court | Leave a comment

Highlights from the Leerink Swann Healthcare Conference

By Ben Comer | Published: March 13, 2012

Over a hundred public companies, dozens of clinicians, and several regulators participated in investment firm Leerink Swann’s 2012 Healthcare Conference in mid-February. Press was barred from the event, but John Sullivan, Leerink’s director of research, gives PharmExec a few of the take-aways.

Also posted in Biotech, Events, FDA, Gene therapy, Technology, leadership | Tagged CDER, companion diagnostics, conference, DNA, FDA, genetics, Janet Woodcock, Leerink Swann, Next Generation Sequencing | Leave a comment

Merck KGaA Announces Restructuring

By Guest Blogger | Published: March 6, 2012

Merck KGaA announced measures intended to reduce costs and increase efficiency to ensure the long-term success of its business model. The measures are part of a comprehensive transformation program that will be implemented in two phases. In the first two years, Merck plans to implement a new leadership organization, implement efficiency measures, and develop a [...]

Posted in Strategy | Tagged Merck KGaA, restructuring | 1 Comment