Weekly News Roundup For Pharma CROs, CMOs — September 3, 2014

Clinical Trial Data Transparency A Must, U.K. Doctors Say

The Wall Street Journal profiles a recent survey of members of the Royal College of Physicians in the U.K. who overwhelmingly came out in favor of clinical trial data transparency. Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed believe that publishing the results of clinical trials, even those that reveal negative results, will result in better medicines and healthcare. Eighty-one percent argue that it’s a “moral duty” for drug makers to open up completed data to trial participants, the public, and the scientific community. There are still lingering concerns among those surveyed that increased transparency could hamper a company’s commercial interests and that data should not be made public, however these percentages are small — 10 percent and 5 percent respectively. 

Future of Vaccines Looks Needle-Free, Analysis Shows

Vaccine development is going to need to become less reliant on the needle, new analysis from Frost & Sullivan (F&S) shows. According to F&S, transdermal and intradermal systems (patch and degradable implant forms), along with fast-dissolving tablet vaccines, inhalers, and pulmonary delivery methods are poised to alter the shape of the vaccine industry. The analysis highlights the nanopatch in particular as a thermostable vaccine with a long shelf-life that could be particularly beneficial in areas where cold storage is an issue.

New Track & Trace Collaboration Work Group Launched

Rx-360, an international pharmaceutical supply chain consortium, announced the launch of a new collaborative work group which is aimed at supporting serialization and track & trace legislation  globally. This group plans to develop models that will enable the exchange of the information needed for compliance, as well as discuss and measure these models for their impact on the supply chain.

Biosimilar Trials Key To Physician’s Biosimilar Choices

According to research from the Decisions Resource Group, physicians from six different specialties will be paying particular attention to the number and robustness of the trials in which a biosimilar has been assessed to help them determine which biosimilar drug to prescribe. The Biosimilars Advisory Service Report also revealed that European oncologists and nephrologists tend to prescribe biosimilars because they trust the manufacturer more than others. In particular, physicians are placing their faith and trust in large biotech companies as the best manufacturers of these drugs rather than small-molecule generics companies.

Anti-Counterfeiting Packaging Market On The Rise

The anti-counterfeiting packaging market is poised to hit $128.6 billion by 2019, growing from its 2013 value of $58.3 at a quick clip of 14.1 percent, a new Global Trends & Forecast to 2019 report shows.  The report identified the U.S., Germany, and Japan as being the largest anti-counterfeit technologies markets.

Pharma Talking Points

Technology, social media, and scratch-off labels are helping Ghana along with its PREVENT (Patients’ Research, Empowerment, Vigilance, and Education Through New Technologies) initiative, AFK Insider says. This initiative aims to keep fake medicines from entering the market through education and other forms of patient empowerment. For example, one method is through the use of a social media platform that enables patients to use their mobile phone to determine whether the medicine they’ve received from the pharmacy is real or counterfeit. Scratch off labels on the packaging enable patients to gain access to a code, which can then be verified via text message.

Following the release of its plan to ensure the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials, the FDA was met with what the Wall Street Journal blog calls “faint praise,” in particular from several women’s advocacy groups. According to the blog, advocacy groups claimed that the plan does not sufficiently require drug makers to include specific demographic information in a product’s labeling.

Pharmabiz.com says that many pharma companies in India, primarily in Karnataka, have begun to investigate the use of solar power energy in the wake of the coal block allocation that has cut down on coal-based Indian power generation. The president of the Karnataka Drugs & Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KDPMA) has come out in solar power’s favor for day-run manufacturers. However, finding space for the panels, as well as managing the cost of installation and operation could also be obstacles to widespread acceptance.