BUSINESS
Coronavirus vaccine update: Bharat Biotech plans to begin phase-3 testing of Covaxin in October
Bharat Biotech plans to test the Covaxin vaccine on about 25,000-30,000 people in phase -3
BUSINESS
Exclusive: BDR Pharma ready with Favipiravir 800 mg pills; will ease Covid-19 patients’ pill burden
The huge number of tablets to be consumed daily has been cited as one of the reasons for the drop in patient compliance with the treatment.
BUSINESS
Innovative diabetes drug portfolio, local partnerships help Boehringer Ingelheim take big strides in India
The German drugmaker, working on its own and through tie-ups with Lupin and Cipla, has cornered half the Sodium Glucose co-Transporter-2 market with its new class of oral anti-diabetic drugs. The rapidly growing SGLT segment currently accounts for 10 percent of the total oral anti-diabetic market, worth Rs 10,735.4 crore. Boehringer Ingelheim is also exploring partnerships to expand the market share of other drugs in its portfolio, which treat stroke, heart failure and lung cancer.
BUSINESS
Pharma wrap: Three coronavirus vaccine makers release clinical trial blueprint as part of transparency push
Coronavirus vaccine makers AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna have released the blueprint that contains information such as clinical trial design, primary and secondary endpoints, patient selection, statistical analysis, measurement of outcomes and adverse events.
BUSINESS
Roche’s Tocilizumab cuts likelihood of death in COVID-19 hospitalised patients with associated pneumonia by 44%
Patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia, who received Actemra plus standard of care, were 44 percent less likely to progress to mechanical ventilation, or death, compared to patients who received placebo plus standard of care
BUSINESS
Lupin, Cipla to benefit from Perrigo’s recall of asthma drug albuterol sulphate MDI in the US
Cipla has already launched the gProventil in April, while Lupin’s gProAir launch is expected this month. Dublin-based Perrigo recalled the device, saying some units may fail to dispense due to clogging
BUSINESS
COVID-19: CT value can tell your viral load, but it has many limitations
Many labs are now providing the CT value of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. If the CT value is greater than 34, the person may not be infectious. However, as a Mumbai doctor says, it is not reliable as the CT value varies from test kit to test kit.
BUSINESS
Dr Reddy's partners with RDIF to distribute 100 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine in India
Deliveries could potentially begin in late 2020, subject to completion of successful trials and registration of the vaccine by regulatory authorities in India
BUSINESS
Max India proposes buyback at Rs 85 per share, a premium of 27%
Shares of Max India rose 8.15 percent to close at Rs 67.05 on BSE on Tuesday. The buyback price represents a premium of 27 percent of the current share price.
BUSINESS
Explainer: On how Serious Adverse Events (SAE) of clinical trials are reported, participant compensation
The investigator should report all serious adverse reactions to the drug regulatory body Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), sponsor of the trial and the concerned Ethics Committee that approved the trial protocol within 24 hour of occurrence.
BUSINESS
Explained: Why AstraZeneca halted then resumed its trial, and the challenges in vaccinating the whole world
The unexplained illness of an AstraZeneca vaccine trial subject, challenges in manufacturing, storage and distribution, and the threat of Covid-19 reinfections will weigh heavy as the world raises to inoculate itself against the SARS-CoV-2 virus
BUSINESS
Pharma wrap: Govt protocol for recovered COVID patients stresses on immunity-boosting AYUSH
The post-Covid management protocol states that recovered patients should adopt natural forms of relief such as ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, homeopathy.
BUSINESS
Bharat Biotech says Covaxin generated robust immune response in monkeys
The results demonstrated that monkeys that received Covaxin have shown protective efficacy, increase in SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and neutralising anti-bodies, reducing replication of the virus in the nasal cavity, throat, and lung tissues of the monkeys
BUSINESS
PNB Vesper gets DCGI nod to test its experimental drug on Covid-19 patients
The company has filed the clinical trial application with the DCGI for the Phase 2 clinical trials, and the study will be completed in 60 days. The study will be conducted on 40 Covid-19 positive patients at BMJ Medical College, Pune.
BUSINESS
Exclusive| Moderna says in talks with several countries for rollout of Covid-19 vaccine
Moderna is enrolling 30,000 people as part of its phase-3 clinical trial, which is expected to be completed later this month and if all goes to plan, it may launch the vaccine by year-end.
BUSINESS
Dr Reddy's expects to launch Remdesivir in August
On another antiviral Favipiravir, which is prescribed for mild COVID-19 cases, Dr Reddy's said it will be going ahead with the product, despite Glenmark's clinical trial data being statistically insignificant.
BUSINESS
Opto Circuits says it received global orders to supply pulse oximeters, digital thermometers
The company said it has USFDA approvals, patents and technology for manufacturing of these products.
BUSINESS
Roche's Tocilizumab fails to meet primary end points for COVID-19 associated pneumonia
However, Roche said there was a positive trend in time to hospital discharge in patients treated with Actemra. The median time to discharge or ‘ready to discharge’ for Actemra was 20 days and for placebo was 28 days.
BUSINESS
Explainer: How IIT-Kharagpur's low-cost COVID-19 testing device works
The equipment developed by teams from Microfluidic Lab and School of Bioscience at IIT-Kharagpur will cost about Rs 2,000 on a pilot scale, compared to the RT PCR machine costing Rs 15 Lakh.
BUSINESS
When intensive care was necessary but lost out to a breathless rush
In Part 3 of our series on ventilators for Covid-19 patients, we look at how quality, training, service and support may have been given short shrift in the rush to make thousands of the breathing machines
BUSINESS
L&T says it will take few more quarters for normalcy in business operations to return
The company said it had lost about Rs 12,500 crores in revenue in Q1FY21 and declined to give guidance on order book, EBITDA and revenue citing uncertainity.
BUSINESS
Anatomy of a ventilator procurement order: How arbitrary changes to specifications led to delays and cost overruns
In Part-2 of our series on ventilators for COVID-19 patients, we look at the challenges Skanray Technologies, a Mysore-based medical devices company, faced as it scrambled to fulfil an order for 30,000 units in partnership with BEL and DRDO
BUSINESS
Ventilators for COVID-19 patients Part-1: How domestic manufacturers went from exuberance to despair in 3 months
Shortage of critical-care equipment leads govt to invest Rs 2,000 crore to encourage domestic manufacturing. As companies jump into the fray and expand capacity, the nature of treatment and ventilators changes. With no fresh orders and a ban on exports, companies are in a spot.
BUSINESS
DCGI pulls up Glenmark for false claim on Favipiravir
DCGI issued notices based on a representation by a Member of Parliament (MP), who complained about the cost of the drug and the false claims.
