Business

AstraZeneca has announced that it will stop manufacturing the Pulmicort 100 and 200 µg/dose budesonide HFA pMDI. According to the company, the device has caused "complex manufacturing issues" and the resulting difficulty is causing it to stop production immediately. David Smith, Executive Vice President, Global Operations and IS said, “We have exhausted all … [Read more...] about AstraZeneca discontinues Pulmicort MDI

Biopharmaceutical company Insmed Incorporated has announced that its shareholders have approved a one-for-ten reverse stock split and the conversion of its Series B preferred stock into common stock. Insmed acquired Transave and its Arikace inhaled liposomal amikacin in December 2010. The company is developing Arikace for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa … [Read more...] about Insmed announces reverse stock split

Mangrove Partners, which holds approximately %5.7 of the outstanding shares of CPEX Pharmaceuticals, has announced that it will oppose the merger of CPEX with FCB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Footstar Corporation. The merger was announced in early January 2011. According to Mangrove, the $27.25 per share offer for CPEX, which is developing Nasulin intranasal insulin, … [Read more...] about Shareholder opposes CPEX merger

Since October 1, 2010, Vectura's financial performance has exceeded the board's expectations, according to the company's interim management statement. Chief Executive Chris Blackwell attributes the improved performance to a restructured R&D program and says that Vectura expects to have more than £73m cash on hand by March 31, 2010. Read the company's press … [Read more...] about Vectura announces better than expected financial results

North Carolina specialty pharma company Inspire Pharmaceuticals has announced that it is cutting 27% of its workforce (65 jobs) after its denufosol inhalation solution for the treatment of cystic fibrosis failed a Phase 3 trial. The company says that it will drop pulmonary drug development altogether in order to focus on its opthalmic products. Read the company's … [Read more...] about Inspire drops respiratory drug program after failure of CF drug

A group of investors led by LSP Life Sciences Partners of Amsterdam has put together €5 million that device company Activaero will use for continued development of its inhalation systems. Activaero recently initiated clinical studies involving the delivery of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) using its Akita Jet nebulizer system. Read the company's press release. … [Read more...] about Activaero gets €5 million in new funding

According to MannKind Corporation, it remains committed to gaining approval for its Afrezza inhaled insulin despite continuing requests from the FDA for additional data. The company announced that it is restructuring in order to focus on the Afrezza approval, resulting in a layoff of 41% of its workforce. MannKind's net loss for 2010 was more than $170 million. Read … [Read more...] about Mannkind cuts more than 40% of workforce

According to Teva, its worldwide sales of respiratory drugs, including the Pro-Air albuterol and QVAR beclomethasone inhalers, were down 3% from 2009, to $875 million. Of that amount, $556 million is attributable to sales in the US, where ProAir has a nearly 50% market share and QVAR is the 2nd place inhaled ICS. Read the company's press release … [Read more...] about Teva respiratory drug sales down slightly in 2010

Isis Pharmaceuticals has reportedly closed down Altair Therapeutics, which it had spun off in 2007 to develop AIR645, an inhaled IL-4 and IL-13 inhibitor for the treatment of asthma. The drug, which was the only one in Altair's pipeline, failed its latest trial in the fall of 2010. Altair had seven employees. Read an article. … [Read more...] about Altair Therapeutics is no more