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Merck taps Xeris for ready-to-use versions of antibody products

By Nick Paul Taylor

Merck has tapped Xeris Pharmaceuticals to help reformulate some of its drugs. The deal gives Merck a chance to license a Xeris technology to develop ultra-high concentration, ready-to-use formulations of certain monoclonal antibodies.

Novartis-backed Credence taps Phillips-Medisize to step up production drug delivery system

By Nick Paul Taylor

Credence MedSystems has hit upon a way to scale up production of its drug delivery system. Weeks after disclosing $40 million from investors including Novartis, Credence has unveiled a partnership with Phillips-Medisize to step up from a clinical line to large-scale manufacturing.

FDA greenlights Genentech's eye implant for macular degeneration. Will it be a tough sell?

By Kevin Dunleavy

The FDA has approved Genentech’s Susvimo, a port delivery system with Roche’s ranibizumab in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration. Now the trick could be to get patients to accept an implant the size of a grain of rice placed under the upper eyelid that delivers doses of Lucentis and is refilled every six months.

AmMax, targeting a Daiichi market, posts data on delivery of rare tumor drug

By Nick Paul Taylor

AmMax Bio's attempt to muscle in on a market monopolized by Daiichi Sankyo has advanced, with the biotech posting midphase data on the effect of injecting an antibody into the joints of patients with rare tumors.

Ligand licenses prodrug tech to oral COVID-19 antiviral project

By Nick Paul Taylor

Ligand Pharmaceuticals wants another piece of the COVID-19 pie. Having been one of the companies behind Gilead’s Veklury, Ligand has positioned itself to support an oral COVID-19 antiviral through a deal with China Resources Double-Crane Pharmaceutical (CRDC).

Top 10 drug launch disasters

By Angus Liu

An estimated 40% of drugs approved between 2004 and 2016 underperformed, according to Wall Street’s prelaunch sales forecasts. That's a lousy track record, given that a strong launch is critical to a drug's success. Here, we list 10 drug launches from the past five years that suffered the most noteworthy failures.