Monday, June 3, 8:06 AM
Health Canada approves Medivation (MDVN) and Astellas' (ALPMY.PK) XTANDI (enzalutamide) for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. (Previous: XTANDI submitted to Japanese regulators; XTANDI sales rise)
Comment![Healthcare]
Wednesday, May 29, 8:05 AM
Amgen (AMGN -0.6%) forms a JV with Japan's Astellas Pharma (ALPMF.PK) to develop and sell five new drugs in the latter's home country, with the hope being to launch the first medicine in 2016. The JV should help Amgen partly fill what it has described as "a noticeable gap" - its absence from China and Japan. (PR)
Comment![Healthcare]
Friday, May 24, 7:58 AM
Astellas (ALPMY.PK) and Medivation (MDVN) say a marketing approval application for enzalutamide (its friends call it XTANDI and it's FDA approved) has been submitted to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for the treatment of prostate cancer. (PR)
Comment![Healthcare]
Thursday, May 23, 6:21 PM
AVEO Pharmaceuticals (AVEO) has been informed by its partner, Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK), that it no longer intends to submit a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency for tivozanib, its treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma, nor does not intend to fund any future trials under its strategic collaboration agreement. AVEO says it's evaluating the impact of the news and its options for the drug going forward. AVEO -14.7% AH.
Comment![Healthcare, Global & FX, On the Move]
Monday, May 13, 8:44 PM
Japanese stocks move higher in early trading after a record finish for the S&P 500 overnight. The Nikkei Average gained 0.3% to 14,822, extending its gains after finishing at its highest level yesterday since December 2007. Big gainers include: Hino Motors (HINOY.PK +2.2%), Isuzu Motors (ISUZY.PK +1.7%) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK +3.9%).
1 Comment[Global & FX]
Monday, May 13, 5:09 PM
Shares of Optimer Pharmaceutical (OPTR +14%) ramped up into the close on reports that AstraZeneca (AZN), Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST) are among the first round bidders for the antibiotic manufacturer. OPTR disclosed almost three months ago that they were working with Centerview Partners and JPMorgan to explore its strategic options, including a potential sale.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move, M&A]
Friday, August 31, 2012, 2:22 PM
The FDA has given early approval to enzalutimide, a new prostate-cancer drug developed jointly by Medivation (MDVN +1.4%) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK). The drug - which was approved to treat men with prostate cancer that has spread or returned after prior treatment with another drug, docetaxel - will be sold under the brand name Xtandi. Dendreon (DNDN -0.6%), whose already struggling with lagging sales of its own prostrate drug, Provenge, trades down on the news.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move]
Friday, August 3, 2012, 5:42 PM
Medivation (MDVN) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK) say the FDA has assigned a PDUFA action date of November 22 for the review of their New Drug Application for enzalutamide, an investigational agent for the potential treatment of prostate cancer. MDVN +0.6% AH.
Comment![Healthcare]
Monday, July 23, 2012, 9:07 AM
The combination of Tarceva and Nexavar tablets to treat liver cancer didn't improve survival rates compared with Nexavar on its own in a Phase III trial. Nexavar is jointly produced by Bayer and Onyx (ONXX -0.45%), while Tarceva, which is already used in lung cancer, is sold by Astellas Pharma and Roche unit Genentech.
Comment![Healthcare]
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 4:04 PM
Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK +1.5%) says the the FDA has approved Myrbetriq, a drug to treat adults with overactive bladder. The condition is one in which the bladder muscle cannot be controlled, squeezes too often or squeezes without warning. The drug relaxes the muscle and thereby relieves the symptoms.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move]
Monday, June 4, 2012, 10:17 AM
ASCO oncology conference: Medivation (MDVN -0.6%) and partner Astellas (ALPMY.PK) say their enzalutamide drug for advanced prostate cancer met secondary endpoints in a Phase 3 study. Medivation last month said it has applied for FDA approval to use enzalutamide in men with advanced prostate cancer who had undergone chemo. (see Zytiga)
Comment![Healthcare]
Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 2:40 PM
A bladder-treating drug from Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK) raises the risk of a number of side effects for patients including higher blood pressure, according to a report from the FDA issued ahead of a meeting next month on the treatment. Competing drugs in the multi-billion dollar overactive bladder market are offered by Pfizer (PFE -0.5%) and Warner Chilcott (WCRX -1.1%).
Comment![Healthcare]
Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 11:18 AM
AstraZeneca (AZN -0.9%) forges a deal to co-develop a novel cancer treatment from Hutchison China MediTech (HNCMF.PK) and buys options on diabetes pills from Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK). The products are at an early stage and won't do much to calm concerns about AZN's thin pipeline, especially after yesterday's setback.
Comment![Healthcare]
Monday, September 19, 2011, 2:34 PM
Optimer Pharmaceuticals (OPTR) is up 6.4% after Jefferies reiterates a Buy and $17 PT. The firm is bullish on better-than-expected sales of Optimer's Dificid drug, and on the pending EU launch of the drug by partner Astellas (ALPMY.PK). Jefferies also thinks milestone payment from Astellas will strengthen Optimer's cash position.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move, Quick Ideas]
Tuesday, July 26, 2011, 11:14 AM
Canadian drug developer Cardiome Pharma (CRME) surges 23.5% after announcing it has given consent for the transfer of North American rights for the development and commercialization of its Vernakalant IV atrial fibrillation drug from Astellas (ALPMY.PK) to Merck (MRK). Cardiome releases earnings after the close today.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move]
Friday, July 15, 2011, 9:33 AM
Biopharmaceutical researcher Vical (VICL +7%) says it will get a $130M upfront payment from Japan's Astellas Pharma (ALPMY.PK) in a new licensing deal to develop and sell its TransVax vaccine.
Comment![Healthcare, On the Move]