The European Union’s drug regulator has recommended approval of AstraZeneca and Sanofi’s Beyfortus to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection in newborns and babies, the companies said Friday. The antibody drug would be the first to be used broadly in those children.
Beyfortus is recommended as a preventive treatment for babies in their first RSV season, which like for colds and influenza runs from late autumn through spring. The drug is given as a single injection and, the companies report, reduced RSV infections requiring medical attention by 75% compared to a placebo in a Phase 3 trial.
The recommendation from the European Medicines Agency’s human drugs committee needs to be confirmed by the European Commission, which has two months to do so. READ MORE
By Jonathan Gardner
Source: biopharmadive.com
Giovanni Caforio, the former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, is set to become the next board chairman of Novartis, which on Tuesday proposed the pharmaceutical industry veteran as its pick to replace Joerg Reinhardt in the role next year. Reinhardt has served as Novartis’ chair since 2013 and plans to retire when his 12-year term ends in 2025.
GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on two ultrasound systems equipped with artificial intelligence programs designed to assist in diagnosing conditions in women’s health, including obstetric exams. The Voluson Signature 20 and 18 imaging systems include AI tools capable of automatically identifying and annotating measurements of fetal anatomy.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry have revealed a new sustainable method of manufacturing complex molecules that could reduce waste produced during drug production. The method published in Nature Chemistry could help to prevent severe side effects caused by drugs that can exist as enantiomers.
