Swiss pharmaceutical major Hoffmann-La Roche's patents rights over Hepatitis C drug Pegasys has been challenged by public interest groups at the Indian Patent Office.
FDA allows Teva to launch Nexium generic; Cipla, which supplies formulation, to gain
Germany-based Merck KGaA, the world's oldest multinational pharmaceutical company, is eyeing to acquire a prominent Indian pharmaceutical company and established drug brands.
Povidone iodine ointment and solutions are available in the market under various popular brands such as Betadine and Wokadine.
The FDA has stepped up its efforts to ensure drug safety in recent months.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals has submitted a freight subsidy scheme for exporters to the Commerce Ministry so that they could take alternate routes and avoid transit through Europe, which is a shorter route with better connectivity.
While Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, is being criticised for its inability to come up with blockbuster drugs, its global research and development head said the company was working on one of its largest ever assemblage of drugs.
At least a dozen global firms, including Roche, Pfizer and Astra Zeneca got a nod from the Drugs Controller General of India to conduct over 50 clinical trials on Indian volunteers this month, official data reveals. The global clinical research outsourcing market is projected to touch $23 billion by 2011, with consultancy firm KPMG estimating that India will corner 15 per cent of this in two years.
Piramal Life Sciences may become the first company to successfully develop a tuberculosis drug whose leads isolated from the living organisms found in ice brought from the Antarctica region. "(Our) scientists have identified additional leads that will help develop drugs to treat tuberculosis and other infections," revealed Swati Piramal, director, Nicholas Piramal.
Drug Controller General G N Singh said the regulator is addressing all the pending issues to liberate the pharma sector and to simplify export regulations which will be reflected in the forthcoming policy.
'We have often heard the mythical argument that patents block access to life-saving drugs, but only 5% of medicines from multinational companies are under patent protection in India.' 'Where these patented products are beyond the reach of Indian patients, the companies have programmes to facilitate access to their drugs, for free or for a fraction of the price,' points out Ranjana Smetacek, former director general, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has initiated a probe in connection with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to Marion Biotech.
In his press conference on Wednesday, Trump targeted drug-makers and vowed to bring back production in the US.
Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy's and other Indian drug makers may cut production as overseas buyers, hurt by the credit crunch, defer export orders. The move could also lower the country's drug exports by at least 10 per cent in the year ending March 2010, industry experts say."Many of our members have been intimated by their importers to stop shipments until further notice," said Venkat Jasti, chairman, Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council.
In the letter, Somani said the samples of four made-in-India cough syrups linked to the deaths of 66 children in Gambia which were tested in government laboratory here were found to be complying with specifications and not to have been contaminated with DEG or EG according to the test reports.
A Nasdaq-listed Israeli drug company has entered into an agreement with India's JB Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals to jointly develop products to improve its competitive edge in the US and other world markets.
Many companies globally are working on plasma research to develop and manufacture hyperimmune globulin therapies from plasma donations.
Riluzole is indicated for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The controversial issue of exclusivity of drug-trial data -- which saw overseas multinational companies and Indian pharma companies taking opposite positions -- is back on the table.
Pharma majors are collaborating with foreign companies to develop newer drugs.
This move is expected to benefit 22 lakh cancer patients in the country.
More lucrative routinely prescribed drugs are at higher risk of failing quality standards
"Through this partnership, the reach of Sitagliptin and Sitagliptin plus Metformin will be enhanced amongst doctors and patients in India, helping them efficaciously manage the disease," Sun Pharma Chief Executive Officer Kalyanasundaram said in a joint statement issued by the two firms.
India's drug regulator has initiated a probe and sought further details from the WHO after the global health body issued an alert that cough syrups manufactured by an Indian firm could potentially be linked to the death of children in Gambia.
Earlier, Jaslok Hospital had issued an advisory to its doctors to avoid prescribing drugs manufactured by Ranbaxy.
Cheap bulk drug imports from China may soon post a threat to the Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) domestic bulk drug industry.
Merck arm sues Sun over cancer drugSchering Corporation, part of multinational pharma company Merck & Co, and London-based Cancer Research Technology Ltd have sued Sun Pharmaceutical for allegedly infringing patent rights on the world's largest selling brain cancer drug, Temodar.
Over 550,000 small drug retailers in the country are transforming into producers and marketers of pharmaceutical products, readying to compete with companies such as Ranbaxy, Cipla, Sun Pharma and Lupin whose produce they sell.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning letter to it for manufacturing practice violations at its Cranbury facility in New Jersey.
NPPA suggests expanding the list of essential medicines whose prices are controlled
The World Health Organisation has excluded two generic antiretroviral drugs of Cipla from its list of approved HIV medicines used more often in poor countries.
Drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Thursday said it has received the US health regulator's nod for marketing a generic version of the Keppra injection, used for treating epilepsy, in the American market.
It brought more drugs under control, cracked foreign firms' patents and introduced new regulations when MNCs acquire Indian cos.
