Sanofi-Aventis is dangling over a serious patent cliff thanks to generic competition to Lovenox and Plavix, two of its top-selling drugs, and the solution to getting back to safer ground could be a significant acquisition. The French drug maker is said to be preparing a formal bid for the U.S. biotech Genzyme, an acquisition that would throw the big pharma into the orphan drug business.
AstraZeneca is looking for “smaller opportunities” that complement its existing drug portfolio and does not consider scale “in and of itself a compelling reason to go forward” with an acquisition, CEO David Brennan said during the firm's earnings call in response to questioning about the pharma's interest in pursuing U.S. biotech Genzyme. Executives said during the firm's earnings call that they are hopeful Brilinta will be approved by its PDUFA date of Sept 16, following a positive Advisory Committee recommendation on July 28.
Pfizer's trial design for pediatric Revatio will get an advisory committee review. FDA's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee issued receommendations on the use of hemodynamic surrogate endpoint in pediatric trials of pulmonary arterial hypertension drugs.
