October 19, 2018
In a deal that would mark a new business model for healthcare delivery, the US Department of Justice has granted conditional approval for the $69-billion merger of CVS Health Corporation (CVS), the largest retail pharmacy chain in the US, and Aetna, the third-largest health-insurance company in the US, which will allow the companies’ merger to proceed under the condition that Aetna divests its Medicare Part D prescription drug-plan business. Read More
Shire has opened a new $1-billion plasma fractionation plant near Covington, Georgia. The more than one-million-square-foot facility will add approximately 30% capacity to Shire’s internal plasma manufacturing network once fully operational.  Read More
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is closing part of its cephalosporins antibiotics manufacturing plant in Ulverston, England and planning staff reductions of approximately 200 employees. This follows a strategic review from which GSK decided to keep its cephalosporins antibiotics business but reorganize it to be more efficient.  Read More
Bayer is planning staff reductions of approximately 227 employees at its biologics manufacturing plant in Berkeley, California, which recently began production of its newly approved hemophilia A therapy, Jivi (antihemophilic factor [recombinant]). The reductions are a result of a reorganization of the manufacturing of Bayer’s hemophilia factor VIII replacement therapies for more efficiency. Read More
AbbVie and Sandoz, Novartis’ generics arm, have signed a resolution of all intellectual property-related litigation concerning Sandoz’s Hyrimoz (adalimumab), a proposed biosimilar to AbbVie’s anti-inflammatory drug, Humira (adalimumab), AbbVie’s top-selling drug with 2017 sales of $18.43 billion. AbbVie previously formed similar agreements with Mylan, Amgen, and Samsung Bioepis. Read More
A federal appeals court has ruled four patents by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries invalid for Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), a multiple sclerosis drug and Teva’s top-selling product. The ruling follows Teva’s appeal of a federal district court ruling that invalidated the four patents in February 2017 and opens the entry of generic competitors for a 40-mg/mL formulation, which Teva had earlier launched as part of a generic-defense strategy. Read More
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has agreed to sell its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing business unit in Hyderabad, India to Therapiva, a Hyderabad-based emerging generics pharmaceutical company and Neopharma joint venture company. Earlier this month, Dr. Reddy’s sold its antibiotic manufacturing facility and related assets in Bristol, Tennessee to Neopharma. Read More
In keeping with a previously announced decision to divest its prescription drug business and focus on consumer healthcare, Perrigo has appointed Murray S. Kessler, formerly CEO of the Lorillard Tobacco Company, as President, CEO, and member of the Board of Directors. Uwe Roehrhoff stepped down as President and CEO, effective immediately with the company’s announcement on October 8. Read More
Roche has partnered with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company, to develop Ionis’ antisense drug candidate for treating complement-mediated diseases, in a deal worth up to $760 million ($75-million upfront payment and up to $684 million in milestone payments and license fees). Read More
As part of the FDA’s efforts to promote drug competition and patient access, the agency has issued two draft guidances to advance the development of complex generic drugs, drugs characterized by the FDA that due to their formulation or delivery systems are harder to “genericize” under traditional approaches.
A roundup of the latest expansions and investments from suppliers, CDMOs and CMOs, featuring news from Lonza, Noramco, Schott, Almac, and PCI Pharma Services. Read More
Top Industry News is published and distributed by the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT). The DCAT organization recognizes its members have minimal time to keep up with the continuous flow of news covering this dynamic industry. To help ensure our members never miss the most important stories impacting the global pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, we will deliver each Friday, the week's Top Industry News, as selected by DCAT Editorial Director Patricia Van Arnum. For more information, visit www.dcat.org .