Press review from 25/04/08 to 28/04/08
USA: approval request for mipomersen postponed
(The Wall Street Journal online - April 28, 2008)
Genzyme and Isis Pharmaceuticals agreed to submit to the FDA for approval of the cholesterol-lowering drug mipomersen in 2010. The year behind schedule is to complete a study into possible reductions in the risk of heart attacks. The drug will be developed and marketed by Genzyme.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16501
"DiaSorin: dividend of 0.10 euro"
(Il Sole 24 Ore Finance & Markets: page 45 – 26 April 2008)
DiaSorin closed 2007 with revenues of 117.1 million euros (+8.9%) and a net profit of 10 million euros compared to 10.4 million euros in 2006. The distribution of a dividend of 0.10 euros per share was decided.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16491
"The two Italys of Federal Healthcare"
(Il Sole 24 Ore: page 21 – 26 April 2008)
The Government-Regions confrontation on fiscal federalism, on the possible transfer of part of the taxation to the local headquarters, on the quality-quantity of the Rebalancing Fund in a framework of national solidarity will be held on Tuesday 29 April. In fact, the absolute difference between per capita health expenditure and tax levy recorded in the Northern and Southern Regions seems curious. An example for all: in Calabria it is 1,413 euros, while in Lombardy it is 694 euros.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16490
"Generics, the protest cuts prices"(Il Sole 24 Ore: page 26 – 26 April 2008)
Giorgio Foresti, CEO of the generics company Ratiopharm and President of Assogenerici, announced that in the next few days there will be spontaneous reductions of 1-1.5 euros per package on a package of 17 generic drugs covering high consumption areas (cardiovascular, antibiotics, antiulcer, antidepressants, urological). This will guarantee the NHS savings of 130 million euros. 'At the moment we are no longer selling and we are not able to discount yet', says Foresti, 'if the rules do not change, there is the risk that reliable companies will abandon Italy, leaving it to Chinese, Thai or Korean molecules, much less guaranteed than ours'.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16489
Net profit down for AstraZeneca
(Les Echos online - April 24, 2008; The Wall Street Journal online - April 25, 2008)
In the first quarter of 2008, AstraZeneca's net income decreased by 3.7% to $1.503 billion, while sales increased by 10% to $7.68 billion. The company faced competition from generics and a decline (5%) in sales of the anti-ulcer Nexium (esomeprazole).
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=16500
France: new alerts on Lovenox(The Wall Street Journal - April 24, 2008; Les Echos online - April 25, 2008)
The French Agency for the Safety of Health Products (AFSSAPS) has issued new alerts for the antithrombotic Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium) from Sanofi-Aventis. The analyzes show
