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June 15, 2018

Welcome to FierceLifeSci Weekly Digest, your roundup of the biggest and most popular stories from each of our publications.

Featured Story

AbbVie slammed by FDA for improper handling of Humira death complaints: report

A number of AbbVie products coming out of its North Chicago, Illinois, manufacturing facility have been tied to death complaints, including its mammoth blockbuster Humira, and the FDA says the drugmaker has not done enough to investigate those complaints.

Top Stories Of The Week

Unofficial party at BIO featured dancers plastered with company logos, outraging leadership

During the BIO International Convention in Boston last week, an unaffiliated party featured topless dancers and models painted with the logos of investment firms and biotech companies sponsoring the event, incensing the chairman of the trade group to the point of reconsidering their memberships in the organization.

Novo Nordisk to lay off 3,000 and ditch long-term growth plan: report

It could be déjà vu all over again at Novo Nordisk. The diabetes drug giant plans to lay off 3,000 employees and cut its long-term financial outlook, following a similar move in 2016, Danish newspaper Borsen reported. But one analyst said the report is a misrepresentation of what’s going on.

Gates Foundation’s $100M-a-year nonprofit biotech takes flight

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has held a coming-out party for its nonprofit biotech startup. Equipped with plans to build a 120-person team and spend $100 million a year, the Gates Medical Research Institute will turn drug industry expertise and processes on intractable diseases that kill millions of people annually in low- and middle-income countries.

Stryker makes offer to take over Boston Scientific, report says

Stryker has made a quiet offer to acquire its rival, Boston Scientific, which would create a behemoth with $21.5 billion in annual sales through one of the largest medical device deals on record, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

What’s in a tweet? Sanofi's viral Roseanne retort draws kudos, followers and flak

Sanofi scored plenty of attention with its Twitter pushback against actress Roseanne Barr, who blamed its sleep aid Ambien for her own racist post. But did that viral tweet boost Sanofi and the Ambien brand? Patient gurus and social media analysts have some answers.

GlaxoSmithKline to pass $10B in 2024 vaccine sales, with Merck, Sanofi and Pfizer rounding out the top 4: report

Shingrix may not make it on the top five best-selling vaccines list in 2024, but a diversified portfolio will still secure GlaxoSmithKline the lead position in the vaccine industry at that time, followed by Merck & Co., Sanofi, Pfizer and a dark horse biotech, Evaluate predicts.

All-in-one CAR-T packages therapy and safety in one molecule

French biotech Cellectis has devised a form of CAR-T that contains its therapeutic effects with a safeguard in a single molecule. The company believes the invention will pave the way to off-the-shelf CAR-T treatments.

Recipharm to buy Sanofi inhalation contract business and plant in U.K. for $60M

Recipharm has struck a deal with Sanofi to buy the French drugmaker’s contract inhalation drug business and plant in the U.K., picking up new capabilities and clients in the process.  

LabCorp acquires Sciformix to add postmarket services to Covance’s portfolio

LabCorp acquired outsourcing company Sciformix and plans to integrate it into its Covance drug-development arm. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Enrollment Showcase

SBMI Now Offering an Online Graduate Program in Bioinformatics

UTHealth SBMI now offers a M.S. track in clinical and translational bioinformatics.

Resources

[Webinar] Achieving Launch Excellence: Creating a Foundation for Success

Your product launch is coming. Are you prepared to go face-to-face with the marketplace? Learn how to create a foundation for success, drawing upon our experience with more than 65 launches.

[Survey] 2018 eClinical Technology Solutions Survey

Take this anonymous 10-minute survey to share your thoughts on leading eClinical technology solutions and earn up to $55 honoraria. Take the survey now!

[Whitepaper] Is the pharma business model ready for precision medicine?

Blue Latitude Health explores the commercial barriers and new stakeholder connections for pharma companies developing precision medicines, and reveals how to grasp novel opportunities in the new era of healthcare.

[Whitepaper] Getting to First-in-Human Clinical Trials: A Make-or-Break Milestone for Small Biopharmas

“Faster and better” has become the mantra for biopharmaceutical companies as they face intense pressure to get therapies to market faster. Quickly proving efficacy in first-in-human (FIH) trials is a make-or-break milestone for these cash-strapped companies whose hopes hinge upon one or two molecules. Read how CDMOs are responding to this pressure.

[Whitepaper] Digitizing the Global Life Sciences Supply Chain: The Critical Role of Digital Transaction Management

Life science companies are experiencing a significant transformation in how they bring new products to market.

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