July 26, 2019 - BioPharmaDive
Legislation limiting drug price increases in Medicare will face a full Senate debate in September after the Finance Committee approved it on a mixed vote Thursday. The bill could see some modification before then to incorporate additional proposals, potentially including a ban on rebates to payers. In addition, House Democrats are working on a plan, and the White House is reported
to be working on a broad executive order.
July 23, 2019 - Outsourcing-Pharma
Meridian Clinical Research acquires Regional Clinical Research in a deal that will see its North American footprint expand to more than 20 investigative clinical trial sites.
July 23, 2019 - Fierce Pharma
Roche has been hoping its new drug Xofluza can pick up flu sales lost to Tamiflu generics. But under an exclusive deal with Sanofi, it might end up competing with over-the-counter Tamiflu, too. Sanofi picked up OTC marketing rights to Tamiflu in the U.S., aiming to persuade the FDA to switch the flu fighter to nonprescription status. Sanofi will handle FDA negotiations for the OTC switch and all future marketing, and it has first dibs on OTC rights in other markets.
July 23, 2019 - Fierce Pharma
Bayer's healthcare shake-up just took another big step forward. After selling its Coppertone sun care line, the company has worked up a deal for the Dr. Scholl’s foot care brand. Private equity firm Yellow Wood Partners agreed to
buy
Bayer’s Dr. Scholl’s business for $585 million. The products brought in €198 million ($234 million) last year, ranking ninth among Bayer’s consumer health brands.
July 22, 2019 - Fierce Pharma
Since its U.S. approval in 2004, Pfizer’s Lyrica has churned out billions and climbed to the top of the company's pharma sales charts. But now its patent cliff is here. The FDA approved copycats from 10 drugmakers on Friday, officially putting Pfizer's megablockbuster—and its $3.6 billion in U.S. sales last year—on notice. When its previous top-seller, Lipitor, went off patent in 2011, those sales plummeted by 90% within a year.
