January 20, 2009
In this BioPharma Today feature, the editors of PharmAsia News take a closer look each week at the most important biopharma developments from China, India, Japan and the Pacific Rim.
Read today's features...
From PharmAsia News’ India Bureau –
In India this week, contentious patent battles over marketing life saving anti-cancer drugs kept Indian and multinational drug companies busy as the Delhi High court debarred the Drug Controller General of India from examining or approving drug applications that were given product patents (PharmAsia News, Jan. 13, 2009).
Our India bureau met up with Roche India Managing Director, Girish Telang for his take on the country’s patent laws, the fights with Indian companies and what Roche plans to do in India (PharmAsia News, Jan. 12, 2009).
And, U.S. FDA opened its first office in India and in tune with its “Beyond Our Borders” initiative further stressed the need for global safety (PharmAsia News, Jan.15, 2009).
In Other News ...
While the Western world’s financial maelstrom is already choking off funding for some biotech start-ups in the U.S., it could have the opposite effect in China and trigger the flow of more capital into promising Chinese health care outfits, according to a partner in the VC firm Qiming Ventures. (PharmAsia News, Jan. 19, 2009)
To raise drug quality and supervision standards, China’s State FDA aims to reach international levels over the next five years, SFDA Deputy Director Wu Zhen said during a national SFDA conference. The agency plans to revise and upgrade pharmaceutical GMP guidelines this year and issue GMP guidelines for medical devices (PharmAsia News, Jan. 19, 2009).
In Korea this week, the Fair Trade Commission imposed fines collectively totaling KRW 20.48 billion on seven pharmaceutical companies – including five multinationals – on charges of unfair provision of rebates and other improper benefits to doctors and hospitals (PharmAsia News, Jan. 19, 2009).
In a revelation to PharmAsia News, Western Australia’s Curtin University fumbled its informed consent process whereby parents of children involved in a 2006 drug trial of Eli Lilly’s ADHD drug Strattera were not informed about the risk of suicidality ideation carried on black box warnings by both U.S. FDA and Australia’s TGA (PharmAsia News, Jan. 15, 2009).
For a free 30-day trial to PharmAsia News, click here.
