As part of a global strategy first unveiled last year, Roche is taking concrete steps to restructure its pharma operations in Asia, including the substantial downsizing of a Singapore office.

Biotech thinks its PPAR delta agonist will prove much more potent than Genfit’s elafibranor from the same class and will offer a better tolerability profile than Intercept’s OCA.

With Spravato's launch underway, J&J reports that 800 sites have been certified to administer the depression drug. Newer drugs drove pharma sales in the first quarter, while US sales of Zytiga declined 55% due to generic competition. 

Interest in annuity payment models is growing among companies and payers, but such models could be risk financial viability of small biotechs.

The Swedish group has sold its stake in Genovis, raising about $9.6m that will help advance lead candidate imlifidase.

Chi-Med has applied to list in Hong Kong and will undertake a new global share offering as it looks to raise new funds to support the progress and commercialization of its growing pipeline. 

Drug makers and other stakeholders have been rolling out insulin savings programs as the high cost of insulins come under scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Sanofi announced an expanded cost-savings program during a House hearing, but one Congresswoman called them a band-aid. 

Drug makers remained front and center during the Senate Finance Committee's third hearing on drug pricing, even though leaders from five pharmacy benefit managers were testifying.

Gilead Raday, chief operating officer of RedHill Biopharma, talks to Lucie Ellis, executive editor of In Vivo, about recently published late-stage data and next steps for its antibiotic asset, Talicia (RHB-105), for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. 

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was a focal point of EASL’s conference. Madrigal becomes the fifth company into Phase III in NASH, but Viking’s competing THR agonist is progressing also.

Pfizer has high hopes for ketohexokinase inhibition and other fat-reducing mechanisms in NASH. Data from a small study reported at EASL also suggest its KHK inhibitor could have utility in diabetes.