QDIS Blog

This came across my desk last week and I haven’t had time to comment on it yet. Seems Schering-Plough is interested in merging with Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Schering-Plough eyes Bristol-Myers deal: newspaper - washingtonpost.com:

I think this is just speculations on the part of major media, fueled the recent problems that BMS has had and with their CEO being fired. Knowing some of each company (I use to work for BMS) I think the culture and approach to drug development are so different that it would be difficult at best. While there appears to be a good match in terms of not having a lot of overlap in terms of promising areas, I feel these are overwhelmed by the differences in approaches to developing drugs.

I should point out that this seems to only have been discussed internally inside Schering-Plough and that they have not approached Bristol-Myers Squibb.

A lot will depend on the search for a new CEO at BMS and how whomever they hire views such a proposal. I’ll definitely keep my eye on this and see what develops in the near future.

Technorati Tags: BMS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, drug development, pharma M&A, pharmaceutical companies, Schering-Plough

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I continue to be concerned about the number of bacteria that are developing more and more resistance to most known antibiotics. Recently, tuberculosis (TB) has seen a rise world-wide but even more concerning is that he number of multi-drug resistance strains have been turning up in the US.

More drug-resistant TB seen in U.S. - Yahoo! News:

There are about 2 million cases of TB world-wide each year and most are in Africa and southeast Asia. Recently in Africa 50 people died from a strain which is said to be extensively drug resistant.

In the US, about 74 cases of TB have been reported since 1993. But in the modern area of jet travel, it seems inevitable that it will spread. Already there has been an increase in the US in these multi-driug resistant strains: in 2004 there were 18 cases but in 2005 that increased to 24.

Unfortunately, until this becomes profitable for the pharmaceutical companies, I don’t see many of them investing significant amounts of money. I hold hope that some smaller nibbler biotech or pharmaceutical company will be able to make progress in this area.

Other Resources

• Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) - Home Page (Center for Disease Control)
• WHO | Tuberculosis
• MedlinePlus: Tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Institute for Tuberculosis Research
• Stop TB Partnership - Home Page
• Tuberculosis News

Technorati Tags: antibiotics, drug resistance, tuberculosis

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I came across this article recently again on biogenerics.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/19/2006 | Opening a path for biotech generics

There’s not much new but it does have quotes from both sides; those for a biogenerics system and those against it.

I still think there will eventually be a system of some kind for approval of biogenerics but I think it will take an act of Congress before to make it happen and I’m not holding my breath for changes anytime in the next few years. Until a large number of diverse groups bring pressure to bear, things won’t improve.

Technorati Tags: biogenerics, drug development, follow on biologics

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