Regulation It has been reported that in 2017 around 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, many from opiates. The company receiving the most attention is Purdue Pharma, run by the Sackler Family. Last week, the Financial Times launched multiple reports on the Sackler family and revealed a shocking story of manipulative sales tactics.  The…

Cannabis Founded in 1998, GW Pharmaceuticals is a true pioneer in cannabinoid medicines and the only pharmaceutical company with a license to cultivate cannabis in the UK. “While people were wary of cannabis, they became very aware that it was treating patients with severe conditions, where other medicines had either failed…

Japan It is said that ostriches have the strongest immune system of any animal in the world. Because of this, they have shown great promise in preventative healthcare in humans and the beauty industry. The antibodies are resistant to higher pH levels and can remain active even when exposed to heat…

USA Theranos the US biotech start-up is to be dissolved after bad-blood tests exposed. Theranos was set up in Silicon Valley in 2004 by 19-year-old founder Elizabeth Holmes who was considered as a young trailblazer in the biotech industry. She was a student at Stanford University when she imagined the idea for…

Algeria A confluence of factors – urbanisation, industrialisation, poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle – have triggered a surge in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Algeria. NCDs now account for 76 percent of all deaths in the North African nation. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading individual cause of death in Algeria,…

Cancer Novartis receives NHS approval for their CAR T-cell therapy to treat leukaemia in children, 10 days after receiving European Commission (EC) approval. “It’s fantastic news for children and young people with this form of leukaemia.” Prof Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’s Dubbed as the future of cancer therapy, Kymriah, Novartis’ gene-modifying treatment…

Spain Dr Carlos Macaya received worldwide recognition as a cardiovascular surgeon after he operated on the tender heart of Mother Teresa. Now, as the President of the Spanish Heart Foundation, he wages the war on heart disease in Spain. Spanish women die five per cent more than men from cardiovascular diseases.…

Canada As cannabis in Canada cruises towards legalization, Pharma giants race for patented products.   Big Pharma is establishing a significant cannabis presence in Canada with registered patents in advance of legalization. As cannabis-plant-based drugs proliferate globally, opportunities for new technologies and revolutionary advances in health and wellness sciences will continue…

Brexit The European Medicines Agency has cut Britain out of its contracts 7 months ahead of Brexit. “You might have been working on a cancer drug for decades and built up so much expertise that you are the absolute specialist in your field and now have to transfer all your knowledge…

GSK KaNDy Therapeutics, a UK-based biotech has raised £25 million to finance the Phase 2b trial of their breakthrough product in Women’s Health. Our investors and the KaNDy management team are united by the common belief that NT-814 has the potential to be a transformational treatment for the millions of women worldwide…

Regulatory This week Novartis received approval from the European Commission (EC) for Kymriah, their chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for young people under 25 with cancer of the blood. Leading the way in innovative cancer cures with an unrivalled portfolio of over 20 approved oncology medicines, Novartis is the only company in the…

Spain With Spain now on the road to economic recovery following the ravages of the global financial crisis, multinational pharmaceutical companies are seeing the country as a top investment destination once more thanks to a much-improved market access scenario, high-quality but affordable manufacturing capabilities and an enviable human resource base. As…