FibroGen settles with ex-staff in trade secret case

Today’s Big News

Apr 19, 2024

AbbVie tops, J&J drops as physicians rank immunology players


How Vir found the one: CEO Marianne de Backer


FibroGen settles with former employees who it claimed stole trade secrets 


Sanofi cuts staff in Belgium as early-stage research dwindles


FDA delivers approval to Lumicell’s fluorescent system for highlighting residual breast cancer tissue


Roche snags postsurgery FDA nod for Alecensa, eyes even broader lung cancer use

 

Featured

AbbVie tops, J&J drops as physicians rank immunology players

Immunology is AbbVie’s world, everyone else just lives in it. That is the takeaway from ZoomRx’s analysis of the perceptions of healthcare professionals , who overwhelmingly see AbbVie as the top dog in a field targeted by rivals such as Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
 

Top Stories

How Vir found the one: CEO Marianne De Backer

Vir Biotechnology conducted a world-wide search to find the perfect CEO. In the end, the board picked Bayer’s Marianne De Backer because of her three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and her “deep and thorough understanding of the evolving healthcare landscape.”

FibroGen settles with former employees it claimed stole trade secrets

Nearly a year and a half after FibroGen slapped a pair of former employees with a lawsuit alleging trade secrets theft, both the plaintiffs and the defendants are walking away from the case little worse for wear.

Sanofi cuts staff in Belgium as early-stage research dwindles

Sanofi's global restructuring is becoming clearer, with employees in Belgium the latest to be impacted. The French pharma expanded its footprint in Ghent after acquiring Ablynx in 2018.

FDA delivers approval to Lumicell’s fluorescent system for highlighting residual breast cancer tissue

The injectable Lumisight agent was approved via the FDA’s drug review pathway, while the visualization system took a parallel track through the agency's device center.

Roche snags postsurgery FDA nod for Alecensa, eyes even broader lung cancer use

Roche isn’t content with Alecensa being the best-selling ALK inhibitor in metastatic lung cancer. The Swiss pharma has now secured an FDA approval in the post-surgical setting as it continues to test the drug in additional patient populations.

Amgen CEO nabs pay raise thanks to Horizon deal. Does that incentivize aggressive M&A?

Amgen CEO Robert Bradway scored a 5.8% increase in overall compensation last year mostly thanks to the company's acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics.

Sanofi, busy with cost-savings campaign, restructures US commercial vaccine group

During a busy period of overhaul at Sanofi, the company is restructuring its U.S. vaccine commercial group. A spokesperson said the company would offer affected employees a chance to apply for new roles, plus "outplacement services."

Two-thirds of top 20 pharmas have banned ChatGPT—and many in life sci call AI ‘overrated,’ survey finds

As industries around the globe wrestle with where and how often artificial intelligence should be implemented in their workflows, biopharma, for one, is proceeding with caution.

Barinthus' HPV-related cancer therapy proves safety, but not efficacy

Barinthus Biotherapeutics has hit the primary endpoint of a phase 1b/2 trial by showing its treatment for high risk human papillomavirus-associated cervical cancer is safe. But the failure to prove the therapy actually works has left the biotech mulling how to take the candidate further.

CSL Vifor proposes campaign to undo messaging about safety profile of rival product

CSL Vifor has proposed to launch a campaign that would undo the potentially misleading messages it sent about the safety of a rival product, the European Commission (EC) said. The initiative comes nearly two years after the EC launched an investigation surrounding Vifor’s alleged efforts to disparage the safety of Pharmacosmos’ intravenous iron deficiency treatment Monifer—which competes one-on-one with Vifor’s blockbuster Ferinject.

AstraZeneca taps hard-hitting NHL star for cancer screening push

AstraZeneca has tapped an ice hockey player who knows a thing or two about checking for the latest spin on its NHL-partnered “Get Body Checked Against Cancer” campaign. The hard-hitting New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is fronting the campaign with his mother, Kristy, to encourage cancer screening.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': Winning formulas for the best biotech and drug names

This week on "The Top Line," we are joined by Annalee Armstrong, Senior Editor at Fierce Biotech, and Ben Adams, Senior Editor of Fierce Pharma Marketing, to discuss Fierce's take on March Madness.
 

Resources

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This paper assesses the current state of the oncology market, reviewing key expectations for 2024. It addresses CAR-T therapies, KRAS, radiopharmaceuticals, & targeted protein degradation.
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Guidance for Biotechs Choosing Next-Gen Contract GMP/CMC Labs

Choosing the right contract lab can help drug developers accelerate their timelines and generate cost-efficiencies. For insights into what to look for when selecting a GMP/CMC lab partner read this white paper which delves into a range of factors that can support your needs in both the short-term and in planning for the future.
 

Industry Events

Drug Development Boot Camp® VIRTUAL | Spring 2024

April ‌10-11, ‌2024

On Helix

Date: ‌4 ‌July ‌2024 ‌- ‌Location: ‌Babraham ‌Research ‌Campus, ‌Cambridge ‌UK

 

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