Category Archives: Erudition & Culture

The pharmaceutical industry is at a critical juncture. Leading companies like Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson are facing a period of patent expirations for their blockbuster drugs. This “patent cliff” threatens billions of dollars in revenue in the coming years.

A large-scale study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found no causal link between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, such as autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability. This research, published in the journal JAMA, is the largest of its kind to address this question.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center are showing positive progress in developing a personalized vaccine for liver cancer. This early-stage clinical trial offers a potential new approach to treating this deadly disease.

A recent clinical trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) shows promise for treating a rare and painful genetic disease called Arterial Calcification Due to Deficiency of CD73 (ACDC). This is the first potential effective treatment for the condition.

A University of Liverpool project has received a significant boost in its fight against major diseases. Unitaid, a global health organization, awarded over £6 million to the initiative, titled LONGEVITY. This project focuses on developing long-acting treatments for tuberculosis, malaria, and hepatitis C, specifically targeting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Cadrenal Therapeutics’ Tecarfarin Scores Orphan Drug Designation for Preventing Blood Clots in Heart Assist Device Patients
Cadrenal Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative blood thinners, recently announced a significant development for their late-stage drug Tecarfarin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to Tecarfarin for preventing blood clots in patients with implanted mechanical heart assist devices.

Every year, the issue of executive compensation in Big Pharma comes under close scrutiny. This year is no different, as publicly traded companies reveal the total compensation packages for their CEOs and top executives in 2023. Here’s a breakdown of what some of the industry’s leaders took home.

Researchers at The Royal Marsden, partnering with Guardant Health, have developed a groundbreaking liquid biopsy test called Marsden360. This simple blood test offers significant advantages for lung cancer patients, the Third Most Common and Serious Cancer in the UK.

Avutometinib, a drug designed to target a specific pathway in cancer cells, has received orphan drug designation from the FDA for recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer. This designation is given to drugs with potential for treating rare diseases.

Researchers are currently evaluating a combination of Avutometinib and Defactinib in a large-scale phase 3 trial called RAMP 301. This trial aims to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the combination for patients with this type of ovarian cancer that has returned after previous treatment.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has taken a significant step towards ensuring the safety of medications by updating its recommendations for testing N-nitrosamines, a class of chemicals linked to an increased cancer risk.

N-nitrosamines can form unintentionally during the manufacturing process of some medicines. While their presence is generally very low, even small amounts can be harmful. The updated guidance focuses on improving the detection of these impurities, particularly N-nitrosamine drug substance related impurities (NDSRIs), a recently identified class with a more complex structure.