Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
AstraZeneca wins some, loses some. U.K drug company AstraZeneca yesterday won FDA approval of its Brilinta, a blood thinner made to rival the second-best-selling drug in the world, Plavix. Brilinta is made to cut the risk of heart attack, stroke and death in patients with severe chest pain or heart attack history. The anticlotting drug won approval in Europe in December, but the FDA delayed a decision at that time, asking for more data on its effectiveness. AstraZeneca’s FDA win came just one day after an FDA panel rejected dapagliflozin, an experimental diabetes drug that was associated with a high risk of bladder and breast cancer.
AMAG-Allos merger. Massachusetts-based AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Colorado-based Allos Therapeutics Inc. announced Wednesday they will merge in a $686 million deal. The combined company will have a portfolio including AMAG’s Feraheme for the treatment of iron deficiency in adults with kidney disease and Allos’ Folotyn for the treatment of relapsed peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
Panel supports Edwards heart valve. An FDA advisory panel showed support for Edwards Lifescience’s less-invasive heart valve for use in patients who are too ill for open-heart surgery. The device would be the first valve of its kind sold in the U.S. if it gains FDA approval, although it has been available in Europe since 2007.
More healthcare jobs on the way. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates in a new report that the healthcare and social service sector will add 4 million jobs by 2018. Among the fastest growing healthcare jobs, based on percent growth of the occupation, are biomedical engineers, home health aides and medical scientists.
Heart pumps go wireless. Researchers on the East Coast have prototyped a wireless heart pump that they say would eliminate the irritation and risk of infection that comes with electric cords in traditional heart pumps.
