Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - (Page 6) 6 News & Analysis May 2008 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe News & Analysis For more on these news stories and all the latest breaking pharma news, look at our website www.pharmexeceurope.com, which now features daily updates, interactive surveys and dedicated sections for your particular area of interest. NEWS Symbicort patent revoked AstraZeneca has been told that its patents for Symbicort (formoterol/budesonide), as a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are no longer valid in Europe. A final ruling has been made by the European Patent Office’s Technical Board of Appeal, that the European Combination Patent covering the use of Symbicort for COPD has been revoked, following an appeal by Norton Healthcare and Generics UK. The patent is one of two covering the Symbicort combination in 22 countries, and was originally due to expire in 2018. The second patent is also currently being disputed. Worldwide sales of Symbicort reached $1.58 billion in 2007, with Europe accounting for $1.34 billion. EUSA acquires Cytogen EUSA Pharma has completed its acquisition of Cytogen Corporation, following approval by Cytogen’s shareholders. Under the terms of the agreement, which valued the company at $22.6 million, Cytogen shareholders will receive $0.62 per share. In order to meet the consideration, EUSA raised more than $50 million in an GSK acquires Sitris Pharmaceuticals GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has taken over Sitris Pharmaceuticals as part of an investment round led by TVM Capital and supported by EUSA’s existing investors, Essex Woodlands, 3i, Goldman Sachs, Advent Venture Partners, SV Life Sciences, NeoMed and NovaQuest. EUSA’s next step will to apply to delist all Cytogen’s issued shares from the NASDAQ stock exchange. Upon completion of the acquisition, Cytogen will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of EUSA and will bring with it three oncology and pain control products, a US sales force and a well established commercial infrastructure. Speaking about the deal, Bryan Morton, chief executive of EUSA Pharma said: “Completing our acquisition of Cutogen is particularly significant for EUSA as it also completes our transatlantic growth platform, positioning us as a partner of choice for further acquisitions and product in-licensing.” Webcast to address the new pharma sales models Green light for BI’s HIV treatment Boehringer Ingelheim has been granted full marketing authorisation by the European Commission for its HIV protease inhibitor (PI), Aptivus (tipranavir). Aptivus is the first non-peptidic PI treatment to show good antiviral activity during trials. More than 1400 patients were enrolled in two studies, Resist I and II, the largest evaluation to be carried out on treatmentsponsored by agreement involving the acquisition of the company’s research portfolio. The deal, which sees GSK paying Sitris $720 million (£362 million), is part of a move to enhance GSK’s metabolic, neurological, immunological and inflammation research capabilities. Sitris will become part of GSK’s drug discovery organisation and is expected to continue operating as an autonomous research unit from its facility in Massachusetts, US. Commenting on the deal, Chairman of GSK R&D, Moncef Slaoui said: “This acquisition continues GSK’s strategy of pursuing the best new science, externally or internally, to bring new medicines to patients and value to the GSK pipeline. Our intent is to retain all Sitris employees and continue the entrepreneurial and innovative culture they created.” Pfizer to set site on Ireland Pfizer is to invest E190million in a new biotech plant in Ireland for the production of experimental medicines. The facility will develop and produce small-scale quantities of products for Phase II and III clinical trials and is likely to create around 100 permanent jobs over a threeyear period. A further 500 people will be employed during construction of the plant. Located at Shanbally in County Cork, the facility is due to open by the end of 2009. Court rules against NICE The Court of Appeal in England has ruled that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) was insufficiently transparent when disclosing why it had decided to limit access to Alzheimer’s drugs. NICE ruled that four drugs (Aricpet, Exelon, Reminyl and Ebixa) were not cost-effective and should, therefore, not be funded by the NHS. Lord Justice Richards, who presided over the appeal, said that by not releasing the model used to make the decision, NICE had put those who wished to challenge the decision at a “significant disadvantage.” “Today’s decision is a damning indictment of the fundamentally flawed process used by NICE to deny people with Alzheimer’s disease access to drug treatments,” remarked Neil Hunt, chief executive of the UK Alzheimer’s Society. “The decision must now be urgently revisited to ensure everyone with Alzheimer’s disease is given access to these drug treatments on the NHS, which cost just £2.50 per person per day,” he urged. info@clinphone.com www.clinphone.com experienced patients. “This full approval demonstrates the confidence that the authorities have in the benefit of Aptivus for patients with a resistant virus,” commented Dr Andrea Barner, board member of Boehringer. http://www.pharmexeceurope.com http://www.clinphone.com http://www.clinphone.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 Contents From the Editor News and Analysis Calendar Rising in the East Use Your Strategic Discretion A Blueprint for Success Market Access and the Patient Activating Effective Product Differentiation What Doctors Want IC Success in Four Steps Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - (Page Bellyband1) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - (Page Bellyband2) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 (Page Cover1) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 (Page Cover2) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - From the Editor (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - From the Editor (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - News and Analysis (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Calendar (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Calendar (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Calendar (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Calendar (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Rising in the East (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Rising in the East (Page 13) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Use Your Strategic Discretion (Page 14) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Use Your Strategic Discretion (Page 15) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - A Blueprint for Success (Page 16) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - A Blueprint for Success (Page 17) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Market Access and the Patient (Page 18) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Market Access and the Patient (Page 19) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Market Access and the Patient (Page 20) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Market Access and the Patient (Page 21) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Activating Effective Product Differentiation (Page 22) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Activating Effective Product Differentiation (Page 23) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - Activating Effective Product Differentiation (Page 24) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - What Doctors Want (Page 25) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - What Doctors Want (Page 26) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - What Doctors Want (Page 27) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - IC Success in Four Steps (Page 28) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - IC Success in Four Steps (Page 29) Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - May 2008 - IC Success in Four Steps (Page 30)
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