Congressman Sander Levin becomes interim chair of House Ways and Means Committee after Rep. Charles Rangel steps down due to ethics violations. Levin, D-Mich. has a record of supporting U.S. intellectual property protection abroad and promoting access to generic drugs in needy populations as former Trade Subcommittee chairman.
Continuing a recent string of transactions to enhance its branded products division, Watson Pharmaceuticals acquired exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the fertility drug Crinone/Prochieve. Under the deal, Watson will pay Columbia Laboratories $47 million upfront, while receiving 11.2 million newly issued shares in Columbia.
National Institute of Clinical Excellence rejects Celgene’s blood cancer drug Vidaza (azacitidine) for reimbursement by the UK National Health Service, declaring it is too expensive despite a 7% price cut, and despite its showing clinical effectiveness and the ability to prolong survival.
FDA's Bob Temple discusses how to measure a drug's efficacy when the mean effect is limited. He spoke at a Washington, D.C. meeting sponsored by the Drug Information Association and the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute.
