The following statement is being issued by Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC regarding In re Prograf Antitrust Litigation.
A lawsuit is currently pending claiming that Astellas Pharma US, Inc. (“Astellas” or “Defendant”) violated state antitrust, unfair competition, consumer protection, and unjust enrichment laws of certain states by delaying the availability of a less expensive generic version of the immunosuppressant prescription drug Prograf® (known as tacrolimus). Plaintiffs allege that Defendant’s conduct caused some consumers and third party payors to pay too much for Prograf in certain states from September 3, 2008 to December 31, 2010 (also referred to as the “Class Damage Period”). This lawsuit does not claim that Prograf is unsafe or ineffective. Astellas denies any wrongdoing.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7933851-prograf-antitrust-class-action-settlement/
The sixth annual Productive Innovation Index released by IDEA Pharma today, which ranks biopharmaceutical companies by their ability to successfully bring innovations to market, sees Johnson & Johnson top the industry for the fourth year running.
The Productive Innovation Index measures, scores and celebrates a company’s ability to deliver innovation to patients, by objectively evaluating performance data based on a rolling five year period (2010-2015), and operates on the premise: if you gave the same molecule to two different companies in early phase, which would make the best of it?
The success of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and its consolidation of 1st place across the past four years’ rankings is driven largely by innovations in the field of oncology, immunology, neuroscience and cardiovascular/metabolism. Notable performers include Zytiga® (prostate cancer), Imbruvica® (chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma (co-developed and co-marketed with Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie company)), Simponi®/Simponi Aria® (rheumatoid arthritis), Stelara® (psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis), Invega Sustenna® and Invega Trinza® (schizophrenia).
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7770851-johnson-and-johnson-tops-idea-pharma/
Although the NHS is ranked as one of the institutions that makes people ‘most proud to be British’1, a new poll commissioned by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd, highlights that 91% of people feel that the health service is in need of change2. In particular, shorter waiting times (36% of respondents) and improved access to medicines (30%) rank most highly as the areas in need of greatest reform.
With only 1 in 4 of respondents agreeing that the Government currently spends enough on health, the survey reveals that those polled would be willing to accept an average charge of £10 for a missed GP appointment in order to improve service levels. The people polled also said they would be willing to pay an average of £170 per year in additional income tax for healthcare funding – which could result in approximately £5 billion in additional tax revenue for the Treasury3. In addition to these charges, 39% of those polled would be willing to accept an additional charge if it meant quicker access to healthcare services and 44% of those polled would be willing to accept additional charges if it meant access to newer and potentially more effective medicines.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7753151-astellas-survey-public-support-nhs-concern/
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) today announced it has committed $28.6 million in new research investment to advance the most promising blood cancer science at leading academic and medical institutions around the world, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College and MD Anderson Cancer Center. As LLS leads the charge to find cures for cancer patients, this new funding, along with ongoing investment in LLS’s aggressive research agenda, brings LLS’s total commitment to blood cancer research to more than $1 billion. The investment has led to the development of nearly every therapy currently used to treat the blood cancers.
Along with these new research grants, LLS remains committed to collaborating with biotechnology companies through its innovative Therapy Acceleration Program® (TAP), a model pioneered by LLS in the cancer arena in recognition that traditional research approaches weren’t yielding treatments and cures fast enough for patients. LLS commits approximately $13 million a year to its TAP initiatives. As part of the 24 current such collaborations, LLS recently initiated new investments with Kite Pharma and OncoPep.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7554852-lls-cancer-research-funding/
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) and HealthPrize Technologies, LLC, today announced the completion of the first two phases of their four-phase strategic collaboration. The companies are working to integrate HealthPrize’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) medication adherence and patient-engagement platform with West’s injectable drug delivery systems to provide an end-to-end connected health solution for pharmaceutical companies and the patients they serve. The combined offering will provide voluntary, electronically connected drug delivery systems that track when patients take their medication. The HealthPrize system engages and educates patients to increase adherence and medical literacy, rewarding interaction and compliance with prescribed treatment plans, and contributing to better health outcomes.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7625851-west-pharma-healthprize-tech-collaboration/
Seeking to support men and their loved ones facing the challenges that come with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, USA Rugby, the Australian Rugby Union and Astellas Pharma have partnered to launch the #pass4prostate challenge, a social media campaign designed to generate awareness of prostate cancer and support a donation of up to $125,000 from Astellas to four research and advocacy organizations: Prostate Cancer Foundation, Australia Prostate Cancer Research, Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia and Prostate Cancer Canada.
From August 5 through the end of September – Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – social media users are encouraged to record a video of themselves catching an inanimate object, mentioning why prostate cancer awareness is important to them, and then passing that object, rugby-style, symbolically to a friend or family member. Astellas will donate $5 to prostate cancer advocacy organizations for every qualifying submission with the #pass4prostate hashtag posted to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, up to a maximum contribution of $125,000.
To view the multimedia release visit:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7579051-pass4prostate-challenge-rugby-astellas/
CPhI Worldwide, organised by UBM EMEA, formally launches a new partnership with international charity Global Angels, to help promote its efforts and encourage support from the pharmaceutical industry.
The goal is to harness CPhI’s global reach to actively deliver support and funds from inside the pharma industry to Global Angels – a charity that partners with innovative projects to deliver tangible, life saving results in developing countries.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7522851-cphi-agreement-global-angels/
ACG – the leading partner for pharmaceutical industry’s myriad requirements – is strengthening its product portfolio by launching several new machines at CPhI/P-MEC India, to be held during 2-4 December 2014, at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.
P-MEC India, co-located with CPhI India, is one of the ‘must-attend’ events in the international pharmaceutical industry. With a booth that spreads over 1,000 sq. m., ACG will be displaying several new machines including the all-new ACG X.One Technology that reinvents the 12-bar safety features; Protab, a tablet press suited for small to medium batch sizes, and many more.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7391551-ACG-Launch-New-Machines-at-CPhI/
CPhI Worldwide, part of UBM Live’s Pharmaceutical Portfolio, today celebrates its 25th birthday by releasing the first in a series of ‘made at CPhI’ pharma stories. These will follow 25 pharma industry successes that have directly resulted from meetings at CPhI. The first story charts Global Pharmaceutical Relief from a first meeting at CPhI only two years ago to today and providing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of medicines to the developing world via NGOs- not just another business story, but a great example of the CPhI family helping to proliferate healthcare throughout the globe.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72762554-cphi-worldwide-celebrates-25-years/
Jeffrey Bacha, president and CEO of DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: DMPI) (“DelMar Pharma” or “DelMar”) discusses new clinical research and treatments in development for glioblastoma, the most common and severe form of brain cancer. Less than one out of three patients will survive two years after their diagnosis. DelMar is a cancer-focused company developing new therapies for patients with little to no treatment options.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7037951-delmar-pharmaceuticals-glioblastoma-brain-tumor-awareness-month
CPhI Worldwide, organised by UBM Live, celebrates the closing of its most successful show to date with pre-audit figures estimating more than 34,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibitors. Held in Frankfurt, the show hosted senior-level decision makers and key players from 140+ countries representing every step of the pharmaceutical supply chain from drug discovery to finished dosage.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63503-UBM-live-cphi-worldwide
A new report on strategic account manager (SAM) compensation found that SAM roles continue to grow in importance. Key indicators include the large percentage of future growth companies expect from their strategic accounts and increased investment that companies are making in their SAM programs. Strategic account management is a company-wide initiative in complex, highly matrixed organizations that focuses on building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with a firm's most important customers and partners.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64374-sama-zs-associates-strategic-account-manager-programs
