Articles By Marcus Johnson

  1. J&J Makes Prostate Cancer Drug Deal with Aduro BioTech 5/30/2014

    Johnson & Johnson has entered into an agreement with Berkeley based Aduro BioTech that could potentially see Aduro receive as much as $365 million from Johnson & Johnson. The deal is based on the production of a prostate cancer drug that works by using the body’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. The immunotherapy market is growing and is expected to be worth upwards of $35 billion as more companies attempt to research new ways to manipulate the body’s immune system instead of developing traditional expensive cancer drugs that can lose potency over time. Immunotherapy drugs are believed to remain effective for longer, as the immune system, once subject to immunotherapy, can remember what cancer cells look like, Cancer Research Institute CEO Jill O’Donnell-Tormey told the Chicago Tribune.

  2. Immunotherapy Market Estimated To Reach $35 Billion Annually 5/30/2014
    Industry analysts expect the immunotherapy market to reach $35 billion annually, The Chicago Tribune reports. Immunotherapy drugs refer to a new class of drugs that manipulate the patient’s own immune system to fight off ailments. These drugs have tremendous potential in oncology, and a variety of companies are testing how effective immunotherapy treatments can be for a plethora of different cancers. Currently, the market is driven by immunotherapy cancer drugs produced by four companies—Merck & Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, and Roche.
  3. Eli Lilly, Sanofi Announce Plans To Make Cialis An OTC Drug 5/30/2014

    Eli Lilly, the drug producer of the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis, has announced that it is working on a plan with French drug maker Sanofi that would allow men to buy Cialis over the counter instead of having to go to the doctor and get a prescription first. Under the terms of the plan, Sanofi would gain the rights to sell the erectile dysfunction drug (after receiving approval) in the U.S., EU, Canada, and Australia. Cialis only has a few more years of patent protection in the U.S. and the EU; the drug is set to lose its patent protection in 2017. After the drug loses patent protection, it is expected that sales will drop significantly as patients will be granted access to cheap generic alternatives.

  4. UCL Researchers Eye Leukemia Drugs To Treat Vision Loss 5/29/2014

    UCL researchers have turned to leukemia drugs to find new ways to treat eye diseases. In a recent study, the researchers found that abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye, which can lead to blindness, can be treated with leukemia drugs. The researchers noted that leukemia drugs could also potentially be used to treat patients with a variety of eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye blood vessel diseases.

  5. NCSU Researchers Use "Nanodaisies" To Deliver Drug Cocktail 5/29/2014

    Researchers in the biomedical engineering field at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a new delivery system for a “cocktail” of anti-cancer drugs. The two universities, which share a biomedical engineering program, developed nanoscale structures that are shaped like a daisy. These structures are able to deliver anti-cancer drugs effectively and quickly, particularly when being used to treat lung cancer. However, the structures were also tested on various other cancer cell lines.

  6. Genzyme's MS Treatment Approved For UK Reimbursement 5/29/2014
    Genzyme’s newest multiple sclerosis drug, Lemtrada, has been made available for reimbursement through the UK’s National Health Service. The company made the announcement earlier this week, as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) releases its final guidance recommendation for the MS drug.
  7. ASCO Updates Treatment Guidelines For Breast Cancer Drug Tamoxifen 5/29/2014
    Tamoxifen, the breast cancer drug which works by blocking the ability of cells to use the estrogen hormone, was recently given new treatment guidelines by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO. The ASCO has deemed that the drug should be used for a period of as long as ten years, depending on the type of breast cancer being treated.
  8. Roslin Cells Signs Cell Therapy Manufacturing Contract With Pfizer 5/23/2014

    Roslin Cells has announced that it has entered into a manufacturing agreement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Roslin Cells will manufacture retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that will be used in a cell therapy clinical trials.

  9. India Spending $500 Million To Increase Drug Oversight Powers 5/23/2014

    India has announced that the government will be spending approximately $500 million in order to increase the capacity of the country’s drug regulators. With the investment, India will be doubling the number of drug inspectors in the country in the next three years. The regulatory departments currently employ 800 officials, though this number is expected to hit 3,000. The government also aims to increase the number of inspectors at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) from 500 to 1000. The increase in drug inspectors and government infrastructure will help to ensure that Indian drug products meet international standards.

  10. Hemispherx And GP Pharm Start Manufacturing Operation In Argentina 5/23/2014

    Hemispherx Biopharma has announced that it has entered into an agreement with GP Pharm to start a manufacturing operation in Argentina. The manufacturing operation will serve Latin American and ancillary markets, and the companies consider it an important step forward towards ANMAT’s manufacturing approval. The companies are also discussing the possibility of establishing manufacturing capacity for Alferon N in Argentina.