Novartis is buying privately held drugmaker Ziarco Group for an undisclosed sum to gain access to its investigational eczema medicine, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant said on Friday.
The acquisition adds UK-based Ziarco’s once-daily oral H4 receptor antagonist, ZPL389, that is being developed for the chronic, itchy inflammatory skin condition to Novartis’s existing portfolio of approved and investigational dermatological drugs.
“There is an unmet need for innovative, effective and safe oral treatment options for people living with eczema,” Vasant Narasimhan, Novartis’s head of drug development and chief medical officer, said in a statement.
By John Miller
Source: Reuters
Johnson & Johnson has announced that it plans to separate its Consumer Health business, leaving the new Johnson & Johnson to focus on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Alex Gorsky, current CEO, will become the Executive Chairman of the new Johnson & Johnson. Joaquin Duato, currently Vice Chairman of the Company’s Executive Committee, will become the new CEO.
Novo Nordisk today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dicerna Pharmaceuticals (Dicerna). The acquisition of Dicerna’s ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) platform is a strategic addition to Novo Nordisk’s existing research technology platforms and supports the strategy of using a broad range of technology platforms applicable across all Novo Nordisk’s therapeutic focus areas.
Naomi predicts that start-ups will continue to take over the healthcare industry, and Big Pharma companies will be forced to adapt to the future by partnering with small tech start-ups, or fade away due to irrelevance. Discover more of industry leader Naomi Fried’s insights as she discusses the future of healthcare with Andrew Kris of Borderless
