Next-gen pneumococcal vaccines: a race to the finish or a foregone conclusion?

November 1, 2019 | 274 views

Pneumococcal disease, defined as infections caused by the bacterium streptococcus pneumoniae, has long been a source of morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants and the elderly. Importantly, rates of pneumococcal disease have been significantly curtailed, largely in developed regions, due to the availability of prophylactic vaccines. These vaccines come in two varieties: polysaccharide vaccines and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Spotlight

Enanta Pharmaceuticals

Enanta Pharmaceuticals is a research and development-focused biotechnology company that uses its robust chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities to create small molecule drugs for viral infections and liver diseases. Enanta’s research and development efforts are currently focused on the following disease targets: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)/ primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Enanta has discovered novel protease inhibitors for use against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These protease inhibitors, developed through Enanta’s collaboration with AbbVie, include paritaprevir, currently marketed in AbbVie’s HCV regimens, and glecaprevir (ABT-493), Enanta’s second protease inhibitor product, which AbbVie is developing as part of its investigational HCV regimen of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) now in registration in the U.S., the E.U. and Japan.

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Pharma Tech

Driving Down Drug Costs: How Real-Time Transparency in PBMs Can Make a Difference

Article | July 7, 2022

In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, transparency in pharmacy benefit management (PBM) has emerged as a critical issue. The discussion surrounding driving down prescription drug costs and increasing access to affordable medications has brought attention to the practices of PBMs. However, achieving true transparency requires more than just buzzwords; it necessitates access to real-time data that empowers consumers to make informed decisions about their healthcare. In this piece, we will explore the importance of real-time transparency in PBMs and highlight how Xevant, a leading platform, is revolutionizing the industry. The Current State of PBM Legislation With over 100 bills to reform PBM practices, legislative efforts are intensifying to address the business practices associated with PBMs. However, one common concern is the absence of language surrounding real-time automation in many of these bills. The lack of such provisions threatens to undermine the effectiveness of the proposed reforms. It is crucial to examine the available resources and insights to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The current state of PBM legislation and the efforts to reform PBM practices highlight the pressing need for transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry. PBMs play a critical role in the drug pricing ecosystem. Still, concerns about “traditional” PBM business practices, such as lack of transparency and opaque rebate systems, have raised questions about their impact on drug prices and patient access to affordable medications. Xevant's Groundbreaking Solution Xevant, led by CEO Brandon Newman, stands at the forefront of the drive for transparency in PBM practices. As the only platform capable of providing PBMs and consumers with real-time, automated, and completely transparent data from the entire pharmacy benefits ecosystem, Xevant is poised to revolutionize the industry against the backdrop of the political landscape. The absence of language surrounding transparency and real-time automation in many proposed bills threatens the effectiveness of the reforms. Yet, innovative companies like Xevant are leading the charge for openness in PBM practices. Xevant's real-time data automation and optimization capabilities empower consumers with timely, comprehensive, and transparent information, enabling them to make informed decisions about their healthcare and potentially save money. With the potential passage of these bills, the pharmaceutical industry could see a shift towards greater accountability, fairer pricing practices, and improved access to affordable medications. The reforms could also create a more level playing field for generic drug manufacturers, fostering competition and lowering prices. Real-Time Data Automation and Optimization Newman emphasizes that transparency cannot be achieved without access to real-time data automation and optimization. This real-time, customized data enables individuals to compare prices, explore alternatives, and understand the specific cost components related to their medications. By bringing together various parts of lowering drug costs, such as drug rebates, 340B contracts, sell-side discounts, copay assistance, and employer negotiations, Xevant offers a solution that empowers consumers with the information they need when required. The Implications of Timely Access to Data The scarcity of timely access to data among many traditional PBMs is a significant challenge in achieving transparency in the pharmaceutical industry. These PBMs typically collect data annually, which leaves a substantial margin of error and can result in millions of dollars lost from consumers' pockets. In contrast, Xevant's capabilities offer a game-changing solution. With Xevant's platform, consumers gain immediate access to critical information regarding drug rebates, markups during spread pricing, competitive alternatives, and the vast landscape of the pharmaceutical ecosystem. Having these complete datasets available in real-time allows individuals to make informed decisions about their healthcare and potentially save lives. The significance of timely access to data cannot be overstated, as transparency becomes meaningful only when it happens in the present rather than months, or even a year, later than when the impact has already occurred. Navigating Proposed Legislation and Questionable Business Practices Another critical aspect of the PBM landscape that Xevant addresses is the moral implications associated with cost-sharing, clawbacks, spread pricing, and the pass-through of rebates. These practices have long been criticized for their opacity and their negative consequences on patients' access to affordable medications. Xevant's transparency-focused approach highlights these practices, allowing stakeholders to evaluate their ethical implications and work towards fairer alternatives. Xevant recognizes that proposed legislation may have potential cracks that allow for slip-through and the continuation of questionable business practices. Delayed and inaccurate reporting are loopholes that can hinder the effectiveness of reform efforts. By actively engaging with legislators and industry stakeholders, Xevant aims to identify these potential shortcomings and advocate for comprehensive robust legislation that leaves no room forexploitation. The Future of Healthcare and the Role of Real-Time Automation As the discussion surrounding PBM reform gains momentum, the future of healthcare in America hangs in the balance. Xevant sets a new standard for efficiency and consumer empowerment in healthcare decision-making by employing AI-driven technology. Xevant's visionary approach to real-time data automation and optimization paves the way for greater transparency and cost savings in the pharmaceutical industry. Wrapping Up Transparency in pharmacy benefit management is crucial to addressing the soaring costs of prescription drugs and enhancing access to affordable medications. Without access to real-time data and automation, the pursuit of transparency remains elusive. Xevant's groundbreaking platform solves this pressing challenge, enabling PBMs and consumers to access complete, transparent data in real-time. As legislative efforts progress, the need for real-time transparency becomes increasingly evident, and Xevant emerges as the leading legal solution for PBMs. When harnessing the power of real-time data automation, the vision of affordable healthcare can be transformed into a reality, benefiting individuals and the entire healthcare ecosystem.

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Pharma Tech

Tips for Managing Chronic Pain Beyond Prescription Painkillers

Article | July 19, 2022

Painkillers like Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin, have been prescribed by primary physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other healthcare providers to patients suffering from varying levels of pain. Though these medications have proven to be an effective source of pain relief, they have also proven to be highly addictive. In fact, it has even been reported that there are more cases of a drug overdose and deaths from prescription painkillers than heroin or cocaine. While there are a number of factors that play into this opioid epidemic, educating doctors and patients on alternative solutions to managing chronic pain is a great place to start combatting this nationwide crisis.

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Pharma Tech

What are the advantages of PCD Pharma Company?

Article | September 29, 2022

PCD Pharma stands for propaganda distribution. A PCD company gives brand name and support to its franchises. They also provide distribution rights and monopoly rights within a particular region. If a person wants to establish their business, it is a must for them to know the pros and cons of the business to make a sound decision. Needless to mention that PCD company has a lot to contribute in the medical filed. Worldwide in a medical field, A PCD Pharma Company is playing an essential and crucial role in the rapid growth. The pharma industry is progressing t a fast pace. The company uses the latest technologies for each brand which ensures the safety of products and accepts the responsibility of human health & life by providing better outcomes. To have a drug license number and company registration, the cost to establish the company is quite cost-effective that is15000-20000rs. So this gives people a brilliant opportunity to have their unit without digging a big hole in their bank balance. Indian produces exquisite quality products, which make pharma companies a considerable success.

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WALGREEN’S IN HOT WATER OVER PHONY PHARMACIST

Article | February 11, 2020

The drugstore chain agreed to pay $7.5 million in fines after an unlicensed pharmacist at several San Francisco Bay locations illegally filled more than 700,000 prescriptions over a ten-year period. According to California prosecutors, Kim Thien Le stole license numbers from other pharmacists to fill prescriptions for Fentanyl, morphine, and other painkillers. Le pleaded guilty to multiple felony impersonation counts. Walgreen’s agreed to the settlement to avoid being charged with consumer fraud in Alameda and Santa Anna Counties. Prosecutors alleged that Walgreen’s failed to verify Le’s license and did not conduct a thorough background check. The company insisted it has taken remedial measures.

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Spotlight

Enanta Pharmaceuticals

Enanta Pharmaceuticals is a research and development-focused biotechnology company that uses its robust chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities to create small molecule drugs for viral infections and liver diseases. Enanta’s research and development efforts are currently focused on the following disease targets: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)/ primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Enanta has discovered novel protease inhibitors for use against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These protease inhibitors, developed through Enanta’s collaboration with AbbVie, include paritaprevir, currently marketed in AbbVie’s HCV regimens, and glecaprevir (ABT-493), Enanta’s second protease inhibitor product, which AbbVie is developing as part of its investigational HCV regimen of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) now in registration in the U.S., the E.U. and Japan.

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Vaccine for Lassa Fever Set To Be Trialed

Technology Networks | October 25, 2019

There is currently no vaccine for the Lassa arenavirus, which causes Lassa fever. This hemorrhagic fever, endemic in West Africa, infects up to 300,000 people each year. Given the urgency of the situation, scientists in the Biology of Viral Emerging Infections Unit and the Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit at the Institut Pasteur evaluated the efficacy of several vaccine candidates. Following their analyses, they identified one of these vaccines, based on the measles platform, as being the most effective to enter clinical testing in humans as soon as possible. This raises hopes in the fight against a disease that claims between 5,000 and 6,000 lives every year. Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is responsible for several thousands of deaths in endemic countries in West Africa every year. The natural reservoir of the virus is a peridomestic rodent that lives near or inside homes, so contacts between humans and the infected reservoir in villages are frequent (see our disease fact sheet). Humans are generally infected by ingesting or inhaling material contaminated with the animal's excreta (urine or feces). Early diagnosis of Lassa fever is difficult to establish because the first symptoms are non-specific (fever, vomiting and nausea), and there is currently no treatment. Vaccinating the populations concerned is therefore the most promising strategy to deal with recurrent outbreaks of Lassa fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has included Lassa fever in its R&D Blueprint list of epidemic threats needing urgent R&D action. Frédéric Tangy, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit, said in an interview: "When it comes to vaccines, all the easy work has already been done, and the more difficult work has still not been completed. Fundamental research is vital for the development of new solutions."

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Lipid nanoparticles used to deliver RNA in vaccines

European Pharmaceutical Review | September 30, 2019

Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles, which encapsulate RNA, for effective and improved vaccine delivery. Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles to deliver RNA vaccines accurately, to ensure the therapy reaches the correct immune cells and produces sufficient amounts of the encoded protein. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US conducted the research into the vaccine. They say it also behaves like an “adjuvant”, boosting the effectiveness of the treatment. Using mouse models, the researchers showed that the RNA vaccine is successful in inhibiting the growth of melanoma tumours. “One of the key discoveries of this paper is that you can build RNA delivery lipids that can also activate the immune system in important ways,” says Daniel Anderson, an associate professor at MIT and the senior author of the study. Anderson’s lab has previously developed lipid nanoparticles for delivering RNA and DNA for a variety of applications. These lipid particles form tiny droplets that protect the RNA molecules and carry them to their destinations.

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Vaccines for Alzheimer’s: exploiting similarities with Down syndrome

Pharmaceutical Technology | September 20, 2019

One approach to overcome continuing challenges facing drug research and development for Alzheimer’s is a vaccine. Swiss AC Immune has developed an Abeta-focused vaccine called ACI-24, which shown to be both effective and safe in pre-clinical models. As well as studying ACI-24 in Alzheimer’s patients, the company is investigating the candidate in Down syndrome patients who have a genetic predisposition to developing Alzheimer’s and are a more homogenous patient group. Believed to be caused by the build-up of plaques in the brain consisting of fibrillary amyloid beta (ABeta) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles of tau proteins, Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 50 million people globally and is the leading cause of dementia. Despite its prevalence, academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry have struggled to develop effective therapies against Alzheimer’s disease, with many drugs failing in late stage clinical trials. Research carried out between 2002 and 2012 concluded that the condition has a 99.6% trial failure rate.

Read More

Vaccine for Lassa Fever Set To Be Trialed

Technology Networks | October 25, 2019

There is currently no vaccine for the Lassa arenavirus, which causes Lassa fever. This hemorrhagic fever, endemic in West Africa, infects up to 300,000 people each year. Given the urgency of the situation, scientists in the Biology of Viral Emerging Infections Unit and the Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit at the Institut Pasteur evaluated the efficacy of several vaccine candidates. Following their analyses, they identified one of these vaccines, based on the measles platform, as being the most effective to enter clinical testing in humans as soon as possible. This raises hopes in the fight against a disease that claims between 5,000 and 6,000 lives every year. Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus (LASV), is responsible for several thousands of deaths in endemic countries in West Africa every year. The natural reservoir of the virus is a peridomestic rodent that lives near or inside homes, so contacts between humans and the infected reservoir in villages are frequent (see our disease fact sheet). Humans are generally infected by ingesting or inhaling material contaminated with the animal's excreta (urine or feces). Early diagnosis of Lassa fever is difficult to establish because the first symptoms are non-specific (fever, vomiting and nausea), and there is currently no treatment. Vaccinating the populations concerned is therefore the most promising strategy to deal with recurrent outbreaks of Lassa fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has included Lassa fever in its R&D Blueprint list of epidemic threats needing urgent R&D action. Frédéric Tangy, Head of the Institut Pasteur's Viral Genomics and Vaccination Unit, said in an interview: "When it comes to vaccines, all the easy work has already been done, and the more difficult work has still not been completed. Fundamental research is vital for the development of new solutions."

Read More

Lipid nanoparticles used to deliver RNA in vaccines

European Pharmaceutical Review | September 30, 2019

Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles, which encapsulate RNA, for effective and improved vaccine delivery. Researchers have developed a series of lipid nanoparticles to deliver RNA vaccines accurately, to ensure the therapy reaches the correct immune cells and produces sufficient amounts of the encoded protein. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US conducted the research into the vaccine. They say it also behaves like an “adjuvant”, boosting the effectiveness of the treatment. Using mouse models, the researchers showed that the RNA vaccine is successful in inhibiting the growth of melanoma tumours. “One of the key discoveries of this paper is that you can build RNA delivery lipids that can also activate the immune system in important ways,” says Daniel Anderson, an associate professor at MIT and the senior author of the study. Anderson’s lab has previously developed lipid nanoparticles for delivering RNA and DNA for a variety of applications. These lipid particles form tiny droplets that protect the RNA molecules and carry them to their destinations.

Read More

Vaccines for Alzheimer’s: exploiting similarities with Down syndrome

Pharmaceutical Technology | September 20, 2019

One approach to overcome continuing challenges facing drug research and development for Alzheimer’s is a vaccine. Swiss AC Immune has developed an Abeta-focused vaccine called ACI-24, which shown to be both effective and safe in pre-clinical models. As well as studying ACI-24 in Alzheimer’s patients, the company is investigating the candidate in Down syndrome patients who have a genetic predisposition to developing Alzheimer’s and are a more homogenous patient group. Believed to be caused by the build-up of plaques in the brain consisting of fibrillary amyloid beta (ABeta) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles of tau proteins, Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 50 million people globally and is the leading cause of dementia. Despite its prevalence, academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry have struggled to develop effective therapies against Alzheimer’s disease, with many drugs failing in late stage clinical trials. Research carried out between 2002 and 2012 concluded that the condition has a 99.6% trial failure rate.

Read More

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