Swiss biotechnology giant Roche has sued Ahmedabad-based drug maker Intas Pharmaceuticals in Delhi High Court, alleging infringement of its patent rights over Mircera, an injectable brand used to treat patients with anaemia in chronic kidney-related ailments. Roche has sought an injunction order against the brand launched by Intas, but no decision has been taken yet, people familiar with the matter in legal circles said. Roche had close to $500 million in global sales for its Mircera brand. ...

The Merck vs. Merck trademark spat just heated up with Germany-based Merck KGaA striking back at U.S.-based Merck & Co. with its own infringement allegations. The German company says Merck & Co., which does business outside the U.S. as Merck Sharp & Dohme, sued over its trademark “to divert attention from MSD’s own unlawful activities.” The U.S.-based company has “indiscriminately” used the Merck trademark outside its home country and Canada, the only markets where it’s supposed t...

It’s been nearly three years since bribery allegations first pummeled GlaxoSmithKline in China, but the drugmaker still hasn’t been able to keep its name and “corruption” out of the same sentence. Since then, additional claims have popped up in several other countries, and Yemen is the latest to be added to the list. The company is conducting an internal probe into allegations that its subsidiary in Yemen brought on government workers to influence purchasing decisions and bolster sales of its...

Global prescription drug use to increase 24% over next five years Global use of prescription drugs shows no sign of slowing down over the next few years, according to a new report, which projects 4.5 trillion doses will be used in 2020, with China and India driving the spike in demand. The amount represents a 24% increase over current prescription drug use, according to an analysis released this week by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. It estimates emerging markets such ...

1. Teva 2. Novartis - Sandoz 3. Allergan 4. Mylan 5. Sun Pharmaceutical 6. Aspen 7. Hospira 8. Sanofi 9. Fresenius Kabi 10. Lupin 11. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories 12. Apotex 13. Stada Arzneimittel 14. Aurobindo 15. Cipla 16. Krka Group 17. Valeant 18. Zydus Cadila 19. Par Pharmaceutical 20. Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical

Joerg Reinhardt Novartis has stood by its commitment to emerging markets even in rocky times. And now, it's furthering that commitment with an access initiative for low-income countries. The Swiss pharma giant Thursday launched Novartis Access, a portfolio of 15 meds--both patent and generic--spanning cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory illnesses and breast cancer that it'll offer to governments, NGOs and other public-sector HCPs for $1 per treatment per month. It'...

Last month, reports said Valeant  was stepping up talks on a deal for one of Egypt's largest drugmakers. And now, it's pulled the trigger. The serial buyer has agreed to shell out $800 million on Amoun Pharmaceutical--plus contingent payments, it said in a statement. With that, it'll grab the leading position in Egypt's domestic pharma market and gain access to brands in the antihypertensive, broad-spectrum antibiotic and antidiarrheal spaces. Amoun is expecting to hit $223.5 million in sales t...

Children's Automated Respiration Monitor--Courtesy of Philips Pneumonia is the most common killer of young children globally. Almost one million childhood deaths are attributed to the disease annually. That's why in 2011 UNICEF issued a call for product innovation to create a respiratory monitor; it then offered a more detailed target product profile for a device in 2014. Now, Royal Philips ($PHG) is almost ready to launch its Children's Automated Respiration Monitor that is d...

HYDERABAD: The government is looking to promote domestic pharma companies' tieups with bulk drug makers in Italy to cut dependence on China for pharmaceutical ingredients.India sources over 70 per cent of its requirement of bulk drugs (ingredients) from Chinese pharmaceutical companies.A senior commerce ministry official said the government, which will unveil a new bulk drug policy soon, is preparing schemes aimed at wooing Italian drug makers with attractive incentives as a part of its 'Make in...

Back in 2013, Sanofi pulled its FDA application for Lyxumia (lixisenatide), a GLP-1 diabetes fighter set to compete with the likes of Novo Nordisk's blockbuster Victoza. At the time, the FDA was tightening up on new diabetes drugs, worried about another safety scandal like the Avandia heart-risk debate, and Sanofi decided to wait till a cardiovascular outcomes trial could prove its new drug was safe.Now, the details of that trial are available--and Lyxumia passed the safety test, researchers say...