Pfizer - Articles and news items

David Redfern appointed as new Chairman of ViiV Healthcare

Industry news, News / 25 February 2011 / GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), ViiV Healthcare, and Pfizer today announced the appointment of David Redfern as the new Chairman of the Board for ViiV Healthcare with effect from 1st April 2011, following the retirement of Julian Heslop. David will continue to serve as Chief Strategy Officer at GSK, which owns a majority share in ViiV Healthcare.

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Pharmaceutical materials science and disorder: The next steps

Issue 1 2011 / 16 February 2011 / John Murphy, Senior Scientist, Materials Science, Pfizer

Over the past decade, the pursuit of materials science within the pharmaceutical industry has largely focused on determining the crystal structure of our drug molecules and ensuring that the most stable polymorphic form is carried forward and maintained through development, as the manufacturing issues and regulatory impact arising from the appearance of an unexpected solid form during development are well documented1. Recent advances in this field have begun to make progress towards the prediction of crystal structures for small organic molecules ab initio2, a feat considered at the edges of possibility barely a decade ago3. (more…)

Rodent models meeting need for reduced drug attrition rates

Featured news, News / 14 February 2011 / GDS International

What are the strategies for reducing drug attrition rates in the clinic through the application of transgenic rodent models?

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BioCity Nottingham experience offers Pfizer hope

Industry news, News / 14 February 2011 / Integra Communications Ltd

A significant number of new, innovative pharmaceutical companies could emerge from the releasing of talented Pfizer scientists according to BioCity Nottingham, Europe’s fastest-growing bioscience business incubator. Just a year ago, BioCity responded to the Astra Zeneca Charnwood closure plans by offering a package of support to former employees including training, advice and office or lab accommodation. As a direct result several new ventures have emerged. Such immediate and practical intervention provides a model to both government and the pharmaceutical industry looking to take some of the pain out of the recent announcement. (more…)

Apixaban statistically superior to aspirin in reducing the composite of stroke or systemic embolism

Industry news, News / 10 February 2011 / Pfizer

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY – News) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – News) today announced the publication of the full results of the AVERROES study of apixaban in The New England Journal of Medicine. Conducted in 36 countries, the study was coordinated by the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) at McMaster University and at Hamilton Health Sciences in Canada. The study demonstrated that, for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who were expected or demonstrated to be unsuitable for a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy such as warfarin, apixaban was statistically superior to aspirin in reducing the composite of stroke or systemic embolism, without a significant increase in major bleeding, fatal bleeding or intracranial bleeding. Importantly, there were no significant differences in the risk of hemorrhagic stroke between apixaban and aspirin. The study results also showed that apixaban demonstrated superiority for its secondary efficacy endpoint in reducing the composite of stroke, systemic embolism, myocardial infarction or vascular death for patients with AF when compared with aspirin.

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RNAi screens for the identification and validation of novel targets: Current status and challenges

Issue 6 2010 / 16 December 2010 / Attila A. Seyhan, Translational Immunology, Inflammation and Immunology, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

Recent advances in RNA interference (RNAi) technology and availability of RNAi libraries in various formats and genome coverage have impacted the direction and speed of drug target discovery and validation efforts. After the introduction of RNAi inducing reaagent libraries in various formats, systematic functional genome screens have been performed to query the functions of individual genes, pathways or an entire genome in many disease areas, including cancer, viral pathogenesis and others. As a consequence of these screens, novel mediators of cellular response to disease pathogenesis or treatment approaches have been identified leading to the discovery of novel drug targets, development of combinatorial treatment approaches and patient selection biomarkers. (more…)

Application of flowcytometry in drug discovery

Issue 6 2010 / 16 December 2010 / Dana Buckman, Senior Scientist, Biomarkers – Translational Research, Pfizer

Flow cytometry can be used to advance our understanding of diseases in multiple ways. Drug effects and dosages can be ascertained in vitro, along with patient selection based on mutations and antigen profiles. Within the Diagnostic Biomarkers group of Translational Research at Pfizer, we are utilising flow cytometry in conjunction with other diagnostic tools to assist in gaining a clearer understanding of drug target biology and to identify patients that would benefit most from a specified drug regimen. (more…)

APPRAISE-2 Study with Investigational Compound Apixaban in Acute Coronary Syndrome Discontinued

Industry news, News / 18 November 2010 / BUSINESS WIRE

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) today reported that the companies have discontinued the Phase 3 APPRAISE-2 clinical trial in patients with recent Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) treated with apixaban or placebo in addition to mono or dual antiplatelet therapy. The study was stopped early based on the recommendation of an independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC). There was clear evidence of a clinically important increase in bleeding among patients randomized to apixaban. This increase in bleeding was not offset by clinically meaningful reductions in ischemic events.

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Next Generation Drug Development Summit: Imaging Biomarkers

Industry news / 9 November 2010 / NG Online News

Large pharma has been seeking new biomarkers for years – all part of their drug discovery process, but often only as an afterthought in the development process. That’s changed over recent years, but by-and-large the bulk of biomarker work remains in the hands of small -to -medium-sized companies whose focused approach is more attuned to biomarkers being a major element of a final product. (more…)

Genentech’s ECP-1 Bacterial Manufacturing Facility Named 2010 Facility of the Year Awards Overall Winner

Industry news, News / 8 November 2010 / ISPE

ISPE, a global not-for-profit association of 22,000 technical professionals working in the manufacturing and drug development sectors of the pharmaceutical industry, announced during the Keynote Session at its 2010 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA, that Genentech’s ECP-1 Bacterial Manufacturing Facility is the overall winner of the 2010 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) program.

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Biomarkers in drug discovery and development

Issue 5 2010 / 1 November 2010 / Attila A. Seyhan.Translational Immunology, Inflammation and Immunology, Pfizer

Robust and validated biomarkers are needed to improve diagnosis, monitor drug activity and therapeutic response and guide the development of safer and targeted therapies for various chronic diseases. While different types of biomarkers have been impactful in the field of drug discovery and development, the process of identifying and validating (more…)

Pharmaceutical heads meet as manufacturing safety raises concern

Industry news / 18 October 2010 / Emma Naylor, NG Online News

Last week Pharmaceutical heads met as a result of a drugs recall after a pill mix up of breast cancer pills. The drug, Anastrozole, was made by Fresenius Kabi’s subsidiary in India. The ingredient mix up led to the voluntary recall of 7,192 bottles, each containing 30 tablets. (more…)