Plummeting temperatures and icy sidewalks herald the arrival of flu season. More than just a runny nose and bothersome congestion, the flu assails its victims with fever, nausea, dizziness and restricted breathing. In some cases, influenza patients must be hospitalized, and statistics reveal that the very young and the elderly are the most vulnerable to serious – even deadly- complications. According to Canada’s Community and Hospital Infection Control Association, last year’s flu season affected more 31,000 people across the country. Last winter, 1 out of every 500 Americans over the age of 65 was hospitalized as a result of influenza. .. READ MORE »
Approximately 2.3 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS). The disease develops when the nerves of the brain and the spinal cord are damaged by one’s own immune system. The ultimate result is paralysis, vision loss, and diminished brain function. Not only is MS physically and emotionally devastating, treatment comes with a hefty price tag. In the US, one year of therapy rings in at around $50,000. Bringing a ray of hope to MS sufferers, clinical research has revealed that a tuberculosis vaccine may help prevent the development of MS in patients with early symptoms. It’s an exciting alternative therapy for the.. READ MORE »
The Calistoga story Seattle-based Calistoga Pharmaceuticals began as a passion project. The small biotech start-up was the brain child of Roger Ulrich, a Big Pharma veteran with a 20 year track record in the industry. When Ulrich lost his job, he partnered with two colleagues to found Calistoga, despite warnings of risk and potential loss. Focused on clinical research for cancer treatment, Calistoga soon began testing a new drug for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The trial was so incredibly successful, that it was halted midway so participants in the control group could choose to switch over and begin receiving the treatment… READ MORE »
GlaxoSmithKline has recently announced the winners of its first North American Discovery Fast Track competition. In a new kind of drug discovery partnership, the pharma giant offers entrants from Canada and the US an opportunity to transform their novel clinical research into medicine. Winners get the very best in pharmaceutical collaboration and expertise, including GSK’s screening platforms and access to their highly unique compound collections. If advanced chemical screening is successful, the academic investigators could be offered a collaboration with GSK’s Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc) who contribute to all aspects of testing and development, including pharmaceutical quality assurance. Criteria for.. READ MORE »
World Diabetes Day saw Big Pharma launch several new initiatives to raise awareness about diabetes and fund research on new treatments. Through 4 research grants, Bristol-Myers Squibb investigates the link between depression and diabetes, Abbott launches an empathy-building infographic, and several other industry giants collaborate to develop new drug therapies.
Outsourcing is a popular and profitable strategy that allows large companies to contract out what they consider to be non-critical processes and services – something most of us associate with routine customer service and IT support. Pharma companies have been key players in this trend for years, outsourcing almost everything in IT, including mainframes, networks and call centres. Over the past decade, progressive organizations have even begun contracting out human resources, finance and accounting, and facilities management. Since the late 1990s, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer have taken the lead in outsourcing an increasing number of operations. It.. READ MORE »
For many companies, marketing is no longer about mass distribution. It’s about tracking micro trends and reaching out to smaller, more niche demographics. Nowadays, the marketing messages we receive are based on very specific criteria, like age, occupation, income level, and the last item we searched for on Google. So why does Big Pharma rely on out-dated techniques? Many industry giants still use the “door-to-door” approach where reps hand out starter samples to doctors, and television campaigns urge a wide spectrum of viewers to “ask their doctor” for new drug prescriptions. However, smaller pharmaceutical companies are finding ways to stay.. READ MORE »
From mapping genomes to new software for monitoring trials, new technologies are revolutionizing the every-day business of clinical research. The emphasis is on efficiency and accuracy: innovators are looking for ways to minimize errors in diagnostics and trial management, while maintaining patient health as the highest priority. This week we profile two technological advancements in clinical laboratory tools that achieve that delicate balance. The first tool upgrades diagnostics from manual to molecular, while the second provides project teams with a full-service trial management system that is rapidly closing the gap on error and oversight during clinical trials. Molecular Diagnostics:.. READ MORE »
Since the first successful sequencing of the human genome in 2003, technology has evolved to make DNA mapping faster and more cost-effective than ever. In the health care sector, genomics has paved the way for customized therapies for patients suffering from a range of illnesses including cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, neurological conditions, and cardiovascular disease. A more complete understanding of a patient’s genetic map means more effectively targeted drugs and a more efficient health care system. Students currently enrolled in pharmaceutical courses will emerge into a marketplace where customizable drug therapies are a booming business. The power to examine the genomes.. READ MORE »
