BUSINESS
Two years of PMJAY: Treatment worth Rs 15,579 crore provided, but insurers, hospitals seek better rates
Close to 12 million hospitalisation-led treatment has been provided under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. However, stakeholders are seeking an upward revision of rates for it to become sustainable for hospitals and insurers.
BUSINESS
COVID-19: Vaccine companies seek buying commitments from govt, global agencies to de-risk investment
Drug makers say it would help them plan better to create capacities. Three potential vaccines candidates from India -- Covishield of Serum Institute with license from AstraZeneca, Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, and ZyCov-D of Zydus Cadila -- have progressed into human trials phase.
BUSINESS
COVID-19: Even as domestic demand for Remdesivir outstrips supply, manufacturers are exporting the drug
One drug company executive says as per the licensing agreement with Gilead, companies will have to cater to 127 countries. Gilead has signed deals with Cipla, Dr. Reddy's, Hetero Labs, Jubilant Life Sciences, Mylan, Syngene and Zydus Cadila.
BUSINESS
Aster puts new hospital projects on hold, renegotiates lease agreements to tide over Covid crisis
Covid has impacted operations and the hospital chain expects normalcy to return only from the fourth quarter. CEO Harish Pillai, said Aster will focus on increasing capacity utilisation at existing projects and build a lab business in regions where it has a strong presence
BUSINESS
Pharma wrap | Coronavirus vaccine: How much will it really cost to immunise India?
Does government have the funds required to foot the COVID-19 vaccination bill?. Read on to know how much it could cost
BUSINESS
Roche Diabetes Care sees traction in glucometer sales as more people opt for self-monitoring
According to Roche Diabetes Care India Country Head Omar Sherief Mohammad, online sales that used to constitute about 5-8 percent of overall sales have increased to 15 percent amid COVID-19.
BUSINESS
Here's a status update on 10 Covid-19 vaccines that are ahead of the pack
India, along with the WHO and the US, has said a vaccine with more than 50 percent efficacy will be acceptable, which means the vaccine must demonstrate it is at least 50 percent more effective than a placebo.
BUSINESS
Coronavirus vaccine update: Novavax begins Phase 3 trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the UK, to enrol 10,000 participants
Earlier this month Novavax reached an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce as many as 2 billion doses a year. The vaccine is expected to be brought online by mid-2021.
BUSINESS
COVID-19: Why nasally administered vaccine experiments are gaining ground among drug makers
Serum Institute’s decision to manufacture Codagenix's intranasal vaccine is the latest example. An intranasal vaccine is simple can even be self-administered. Also, the vaccines being developed by Serum and Bharat Biotech require only a single dose.
BUSINESS
Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine: Bharat Biotech enters licensing pact with Washington University School of Medicine for distribution
While the Phase I trials will take place in St. Louis University’s Vaccine & Treatment Evaluation Unit, Bharat Biotech, upon obtaining the required regulatory approval, will pursue further stages of clinical trials in India and undertake large scale manufacture of the vaccine at its GMP facility located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad.
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.
