M2 Europharma articles from June 2002

M2 Europharma archives from June 2002

AstraZeneca drug found to reduce risk of strokes in the elderly. (Atacand).(Brief Article)
June 28, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Anglo-Swedish drug group AstraZeneca Plc has revealed positive results from trials of its high blood pressure medication Atacand. The drug cuts the risk of non-fatal strokes in...

Pfizer loses UK legal battle over Viagra patent.(Brief Article)
June 28, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The UK's House of Lords has rejected a legal attempt by Pfizer, the manufacturer of Viagra, to prevent competitors copying a key element of the impotence drug. The judicial office of...

Parallel importers plan to sell Lundbeck's Cipralex at lower prices.(Brief Article)
June 28, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Danish pharmaceuticals company H. Lundbeck A/S will reportedly compete with Danish parallel importers Orifarm and Paranova for sales of its second generation antidepressant drug...

Migraine treatment from Vernalis introduced in US. (Vernalis Group PLC's Frova).(Brief Article)
June 28, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based biopharmaceutical company Vernalis Group Plc has announced the launch of Frova (frovatriptan succinate), its treatment for acute migraine sufferers, in the US. Frova is being...

Fresenius steps up restructuring at Kabi unit.(Brief Article)
June 28, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German healthcare company Fresenius AG plans to step up restructuring at its nutrition and infusion therapy subsidiary, Fresenius Kabi. The restructuring, which will cost an...

AstraZeneca supports medical information database on twins.(with the Karolinska Institute)(Brief Article)
June 27, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD AstraZeneca, the Swedish-British pharmaceuticals company, is to cooperate with Karolinska Institutet, a Swedish medical institute, regarding a new medical database. The database,...

Zeltia receives USD6m payment from Johnson & Johnson.(Zeltia SA gets payment for cancer drug created by Pharma Mar unit)(Brief Article)
June 27, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Spanish chemicals company Zeltia SA has received the first of two milestone payments due this month from US-based Johnson & Johnson. Under the terms of an agreement between the two...

Gyrus releases new nose surgery device.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 27, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based medical technology company Gyrus Group Plc has introduced its new Gyrus ENT Diego System for use in nose surgery. The device, released ahead of schedule, is designed for the...

UK researchers find possible way of treating hay fever at its root.(Brief Article)
June 27, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD New UK research into hay fever has identified a possible way of tackling the allergy at its root, rather than treating the symptoms of allergic reaction. Current treatments only try...

Sophion Bioscience and Central Research Laboratories in development agreement.(Brief Article)
June 26, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Denmark's Sophion Bioscience and Central Research Laboratories, UK have signed a development agreement to construct a new pharmaceutical research product for screening new ion channel...

Roche and Medivir sign licensing agreement.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche and Sweden's Medivir have signed a licensing agreement for MV026048, an HIV treatment that is currently being developed. The drug is currently in...

Astra-Zeneca receives non-approvable letter for Casodex in the US.(Brief Article)
June 25, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Astra-Zeneca, a Swedish-British pharmaceuticals group, has received a non-approvable letter from the FDA in the US for Casodex, a medication intended for the treatment of early prostate...

CellControl to focus on cancer therapeutics.(Brief Article)
June 21, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD CellControl Biomedical Laboratories AG of Germany is to focus on the research and development of oncological immune therapeutics. The decision follows the success of the development of...

GW Pharmaceuticals to trial new methadone dispensing technology.(Brief Article)
June 21, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based pharmaceutical group GW Pharmaceuticals Plc has developed a new device for treating heroin addicts. The Advanced Dispensing System (ADS) drug dispensing technology is...

IDM and Medarex combine products.(Brief Article)
June 20, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Paris-based biopharmaceutical company Immuno-Designed Molecules SA (IDM) has formed a partnership with US company Medarex Inc. The two companies have signed a joint development and...

Lundbeck's Cipralex drug introduced in UK.(Brief Article)
June 20, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Danish pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck A/S has launched its new antidepressant drug Cipralex in the UK. Cipralex is the second generation of Lundbeck's Cipramil drug and its UK...

ML Laboratories floats Cobra Bio-Manufacturing on AIM.
June 20, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based ML Laboratories Plc has announced the flotation of Cobra Bio-Manufacturing on AIM. Cobra Bio-Manufacturing is the DNA contract manufacturing division of ML's subsidiary...

Lion Bioscience and Paradigm Genetics awarded development grant.(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Germany's Lion Bioscience AG and US-based Paradigm Genetics Inc have received a US government grant to develop technologies for the pharmaceutical and other life sciences industries. ...

Ireland's BioLabs acquired by Charles River Laboratories International Inc.(Biological Laboratories Europe Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Irish drug discovery and development services company Biological Laboratories Europe Ltd (BioLabs) has been acquired by Massachusetts-based Charles River Laboratories International Inc....

Restructuring plan announced by Elan.(Elan Corporation PLC)(Brief Article)
June 19, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Irish biopharmaceutical company Elan Corp Plc has unveiled an action plan to streamline its business and strengthen corporate governance. The company intends to simplify its...

Shire files for approval of phosphate binder drug in Canada.(Shire BioChem)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Shire BioChem, a subsidiary of British pharmaceutical company Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc, has submitted a new kidney disease drug for approval in Canada. FOSRENOL (lanthanum...

Fulcrum Pharma wins malaria drugs contract.(from Medicines for Malaria Venture)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based drug development company Fulcrum Pharma Plc has received a contract from Switzerland's Medicines for Malaria Venture. Medicines for Malaria Venture is a Swiss public-private...

GlaxoSmithKline permitted to reintroduce Lotronex, with restrictions.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD US health authorities have agreed to allow a GlaxoSmithKline drug to return to the market after it was withdrawn over safety fears. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rarely...

Aventis announces osteoporosis spinoff.(Aventis SA to form joint venture with Warburg Pincus L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
June 17, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD French pharmaceuticals company Aventis SA is to spin off its osteoporosis research division into a joint venture with Warburg Pincus LLC. The deal is set to take effect in early July...

Women sue Unipath over unwanted pregnancies.(Brief Article)
June 17, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based company Unipath, manufacturer of the Persona contraceptive device, is facing lawsuits from a group of women who all became pregnant while using the machine. The company...

Schering returns LEVULAN PDT rights to DUSA Pharmaceuticals.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German pharmaceutical company Schering AG has terminated its agreement with US-based Dusa Pharmaceuticals Inc over the LEVULAN Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) System. According to the...

Amersham Health cleared to market Optison ultrasound device in EU.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based medical diagnostic imaging company Amersham Health, a division of Amersham plc, has won European Union authorisation to market its Optison ultrasound device. Optison is a...

ALTANA Pharma submits new respiratory drug for approval.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German pharmaceutical company Altana AG's ALTANA Pharma division has submitted its respiratory drug Ciclesonide for approval in Great Britain, Australia, Canada and Switzerland. The...

Seven Seas to introduce soluble energy tablets.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK healthcare brand Seven Seas, part of the Merck Group, is to launch an effervescent energy tablet designed to help relieve temporary tiredness. The Seven Seas Boost tablets are...

Lonza to build microbial production unit in Switzerland.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Swiss-based chemicals company Lonza Group Ltd had decided to build its new microbial production unit in Visp, Switzerland, rather than in the United States. The project, worth...

Apoteket AB offers mail-order medicine service.(Brief Article)
June 13, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD State-owned Swedish pharmacy company Apoteket AB has launched a medicine ordering service via telephone and the Internet. A trial of the new service was launched in selected parts of...

Copies of Lundbeck's antidepressant drug launched in Denmark.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Austrian pharmaceutical company Biochemie GmbH and Danish generic drug maker United Nordic Pharma have launched generic versions of Cipramil, the antidepressant drug of Denmark's H....

European spending on diet products rises.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Spending on diet products is rising in Europe as Europeans become heavier and more aware of their body shape, according to recent research. Market analysis company Datamonitor...

UK study finds magnesium sulfate effective in reducing risk of eclampsia. (in pregnant women).(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A new study has found that magnesium sulfate, a cheap and widely available drug, can substantially reduce the risk of pregnant women developing eclampsia. The large-scale clinical...

New UK treatment centres may be run by US healthcare firms.(Brief Article)
June 12, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Private clinics run by US healthcare firms could be established in Britain as part of the efforts to reduce waiting lists in the National Health Service. Six so-called 'fast track'...

Boots to refit stores in GBP170m refurbishment programme.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 11, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based health and beauty retailer Boots has announced plans to refurbish its chain of 1,470 stores over the next four years, with 300 stores to be refitted this year. The company...

US regulator gives conditional approval to Bayer's purchase of Aventis CropScience.(Brief Article)
June 11, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The German pharmaceutical group Bayer AG has received US regulatory approval for its planned purchase of Aventis CropScience, the agrochemical unit of Aventis SA. The Federal Trade...

GlaxoSmithKline reportedly in merger talks with Bristol-Myers Squibb.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The UK pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline Plc has reportedly held tentative merger talks with US rival Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. The New York Times reported that executives from the...

Genmab and Roche expand antibody collaboration.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Denmark-based biotechnology company Genmab A/S and the Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche Holding AG have agreed to expand their collaboration for the creation and development of human...

Draegerwerk and Siemens Medical Solutions plan joint venture.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German medical technology companies Siemens Medical Solutions and Draegerwerk AG have announced plans to form a joint venture to provide patient care systems. Under the terms of the...

Drive-through pharmacy opens in Scotland.(Munro SuperPharmacy)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A drive-through pharmacy has opened in East Kilbride, Scotland. The new service at the Munro SuperPharmacy, which launched on 8 June, means that patients can drive up to a window at...

Biacore receives damages payment from Thermo BioAnalysis Corp.(U.S.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The Swedish biotechnology company Biacore International AB has received a damages payment of USD2m from US-based Thermo BioAnalysis Corp. The payment relates to a dispute in which...

Wilex launches breast cancer clinical trial.(Aventis Pharma's Docetaxel)
June 7, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German biopharmaceutical company Wilex AG and the Technical University of Munich have begun a phase III clinical trial involving 540 high risk patients with primary breast cancer. ...

New urology products introduced by Gyrus Group.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 7, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based medical technology company Gyrus Group Plc has launched a new line of urology products. Gyrus has introduced the PK Zip Wing Cutting Dissector, the first of a new range of...

Lundbeck to withdraw Deanxit from Sri Lankan market.(H Lundbeck A/S)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Danish pharmaceuticals company H. Lundbeck A/S plans to withdraw its Deanxit drug, for the treatment of depression and light psychosis, from the Sri Lankan market. According to...

Pfizer drug no threat to Cipramil, says Lundbeck.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The Danish pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck A/S has denied that a new drug from US rival Pfizer could threaten sales of its antidepressant Cipralex. Okonomisk Ugebrev, a Danish...

Priory Healthcare to be sold for GBP288m.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 6, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Priory Healthcare, a chain of rehabilitation clinics, is to be sold to a group of its managers for GBP288m. The management buyout group, which is led by the chief executive of Priory...

UK health body set to restrict use of Novartis' cancer drug.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A cancer drug produced by Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis AG is reportedly set to be denied to most National Health Service patients in the UK. The drug, Glivec, has been shown to...

US competition authorities clear Schering's planned acquisition of Collateral Therapeutics.(Brief Article)
June 5, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD German pharmaceuticals company Schering AG has received approval from the US Federal Trade Commission for its proposed acquisition of Collateral Therapeutics Inc. The antitrust...

Berna Biotech set to acquire Rhein Biotech.(Brief Article)
June 5, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Switzerland-based Berna Biotech AG has made an offer to acquire Rhein Biotech NV, a global biotechnology group. The transaction, described by Berna Biotech as a "merger by...

Three new strengths of ADDERALL XR approved in the US.(Shire Pharmaceuticals Group)(Brief Article)
June 5, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Shire Pharmaceuticals Group has received US approval for three new strengths of ADDERALL XR, its once-daily treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The US Food...

Japanese company to build pharmaceutical plant in Dublin.(Takeda Chemical Industries)(Brief Article)
June 5, 2002... M2 EUROPHARMA-(C)1999-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Japanese pharmaceuticals company Takeda Chemical Industries has announced plans to build a bulk pharmaceutical plant in Dublin, Ireland. The plant is to be built on a 20-acre site and...