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Business Series

Johnson & Johnson pays big for Swiss biotech firm Actelion

US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson is to buy biotech company Actelion to access its highly profitable range of medicines for rare diseases.

26/01/2017

Business Planet

The vital role of SMEs in medical research

This week’s Business Planet comes from the German city of Bonn.

28/12/2016

Business Series

Britain fines Pfizer record 98-million euros for huge drug price hike

Britain’s competition watchdog has fined Pfizer a record 98 million euros for radically raising the cost of an epilepsy drug.

07/12/2016

Cinema

La Fille de Brest - a David and Goliath story which revealed the dangers of the drug Mediator

The film “La Fille de Brest” – the daughter of Brest – rolls out like an inquiry.

02/12/2016

Economy

US: EpiPen costs to be slashed for some patients amid wave of criticism

Under mounting pressure, pharmaceutical company Mylan says it will slash the costs of emergency EpiPens for some patients in the US.

26/08/2016

Business Series

Pfizer to buy Medivation and boost cancer drug portfolio

Pfizer has outbid Sanofi to buy the US cancer drug company Medivation, thereby acquiring the prostate cancer treatment Xtandi.

22/08/2016

Business Series

Monsanto rejects Bayer multi-billion dollar bid

Monsanto has rejected an offer worth $62 billion (55.6 billion euros) from Bayer trying to create the world's biggest agricultural supplier.

24/05/2016

Business Series

Bayer 'confident' Monsanto offer will be accepted

Germany's Bayer has offered to buy US seeds company Monsanto for $62 billion (55 billion euros) in cash trying to gain the top spot in the fast-consolidating farm supplies industry.

23/05/2016

USA

Pfizer blocks drugs sales for use in lethal injections in US prisons

Drug companies are saying No to death row. The latest pharmaceuticals giant to restrict sales of drugs used in lethal injections to US prisons is

14/05/2016

Economy

Pfizer calls off merger with Allergan after US Treasury nixes deal

The US Treasury has tightened its rules to prevent companies moving abroad to avoid US taxes. The immediate effect has been for the number one

06/04/2016

Business Series

Sanofi earnings to be 'stable' despite declining sales

French drugmaker Sanofi has pledged its 2016 earnings will be stable despite declining sales of diabetes and cancer treatments.

09/02/2016

USA

US: Former drug exec goes silent at medicine prices hearing

A former pharmaceuticals chief, who hiked the price of a life-saving medicine by more than five thousand percent, has refused to testify in front of

05/02/2016

Economy

Millions committed for Ebola vaccine deal

Gavi, an alliance committed to saving lives through vaccination, has put up $5 million for future purchases of a vaccine from US drugmaker Merck Sharp & Dohme to help take it through late-stage clinic

20/01/2016

France

France: Volunteer left brain dead after clinical drug trial dies in hospital

A man left brain dead after a clinical trial in France has now died. He was one of dozens of volunteers at a private facility to have tested an

17/01/2016

France

Patient dies following clinical drug trial in France

A patient has died after falling into a coma following a medical trial in Rennes, northwest France. Five other people were hospitalised following the

17/01/2016

USA

US justice catches up with Martin Shkreli to charge entrepreneur with fraud

It appears karma may have caught up with US entrepreneur Martin Shkreli, who has been arrested on fraud charges. In 2015 he became the internet’s

17/12/2015

World News

Nurofen pulled from shelves as British maker found cheating in Australia

A British pharmaceuticals giant has been forced to pull a bestselling product from the shelves in Australia after a court order. Judges ruled Reckitt

14/12/2015

Economy

Pfizer secures Allergan takeover deal to create new drugs giant

A potent mix of Viagra and Botox is on the cards: their makers have agreed the healthcare sector’s biggest ever takeover deal. The transaction to

23/11/2015

Business Series

ISIS Pharmaceuticals 'may look to change name'

It’s worth over seven billion dollars – a Californian biotech company that makes drugs aimed at treating cancer, heart disease and neurological

17/11/2015

Economy

Allergan and Pfizer in talks that could unite makers of Botox and Viagra

The Irish-based group Allergan is in talks with Pfizer over a possible merger that would unite the US makers of Botox and Viagra – and create the

29/10/2015