RESEARCH

Ethypharm to acquire Altan Pharma, allowing it to enter the Spanish market and expand its Critical Care portfolio and R&D pipeline.

Ethypharm | June 19, 2021

Ethypharm reports today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Altan Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets injectable medicines for hospital use.

On account of the strong presence of Altan Pharma in Spain, Ethypharm will reach full commercial coverage of the main 5 European markets after shutting, which is expected in the second half of 2021. Ethypharm will likewise profit with an enlarged portfolio of great hospital injectable products and a rich pipeline of R&D projects, which fit perfectly with its current Critical Care franchise.

"Altan Pharma's product portfolio and geographic coverage are highly complementary to those of Ethypharm. We look forward to welcoming Altan Pharma's teams, as we are convinced that together, our product portfolio, our R&D and our industrial expertise, will put us in a stronger position to fulfil our commitment to the patients we serve", said Bertrand Deluard, CEO of Ethypharm. "The Altan Pharma acquisition is an important milestone in Ethypharm's transformation journey. By entering the Spanish market and reinforcing our Critical Care franchise, Ethypharm proves once again its ability to execute on its long-term growth ambition."

"Joining an established European specialty pharmaceutical company, with a strong direct commercial presence in Europe beyond Spain and in major growth territories for injectable medicines, will be a booster for the international expansion of Altan Pharma's product portfolio"  said Guillermo Herrera, CEO of Altan Pharma. "Since its inception in 1998, Altan Pharma has been committed to improving patient care by providing specialty medications of superior quality and value for the benefit of patients and caregivers."

About Altan Pharma
Altan Pharma is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets injectable medications for the hospital and other provider segments. Altan is a premier, global injectable drug company that is committed to improving patient care by providing specialty medications of superior quality and value for the benefit of patients and caregivers.

Altan Pharma currently markets a portfolio of over 40 injectable medications used in pain and anaesthesia, epilepsy, oncology, anti-infectives, cardiovascular, and gynecology and is developing an attractive portfolio of additional products in these areas.

Spotlight

Welcome to Pharmaprojects’ 2023 review of trends in pharmaceutical R&D. For over 30 years now, I’ve been taking an annual look at the evolution of pharma R&D, and in this article, I’llexamine the state of play at the start of 2023.

Spotlight

Welcome to Pharmaprojects’ 2023 review of trends in pharmaceutical R&D. For over 30 years now, I’ve been taking an annual look at the evolution of pharma R&D, and in this article, I’llexamine the state of play at the start of 2023.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMACY MARKET

Accord Healthcare Expands Offerings with Generic Relapsing MS Drug

Accord Healthcare | March 14, 2023

On March 13, 2023, Accord Healthcare informed that it has expanded its portfolio with Teriflunomide, a film-coated tablet equivalent to Sanofi Genzyme's Aubagio. The drug treats relapsing forms of MS in adults, including clinically-isolated syndrome and active secondary progressive disease. The company offers Teriflunomide in 14 mg and 7 mg tablets, now available for shipping. Teriflunomide has been granted FDA approval as an immunomodulatory agent for patients aged 18 and above. Its purpose is to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses, which can lead to new or worsening neurological symptoms associated with the disease. Accord Healthcare US Vice President of Sales Jim Brown stated, "We're proud to add Teriflunomide to our portfolio. This is an important oral therapy for the millions of patients living with relapsing MS." He added, "Generic medicine allows broad access to effective therapy, to help improve disease course and potentially slow progression of MS." (Source – Cision PR newswire) Teriflunomide is an immunomodulatory medication that inhibits an enzyme critical to a metabolic pathway that supports lymphocyte proliferation. This results in fewer activated lymphocytes, which minimizes inflammation and immunological reactivity, resulting in lower recurrence rates and protection of brain volume against inflammatory nerve cell attacks. Around 2.8 million people globally have multiple sclerosis, with the majority diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS that typically begins in their twenties or thirties. Diagnosis involves experiencing two or more attacks or relapses while maintaining stability. New or exacerbated symptoms characterize relapses, and the immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers, ultimately causing long-term damage. Symptoms include numbness, fatigue, double vision, and balance problems. Besides, relapsing-remitting MS can also progress to active secondary progressive disease. About Accord Healthcare Accord Healthcare, a subsidiary of Intas Pharmaceuticals, is recognized as a prominent player in the generic pharmaceutical industry. The company's vision is to enhance patient access to medicines and revolutionize the pharmaceutical experience for healthcare providers and patients. With an emphasis on advanced manufacturing technology and in-house research, Accord Healthcare delivers a wide range of affordable, complex, and essential medicines. The company's dedication to forward-thinking and innovative solutions remains at the core of its mission. Headquartered in Durham (North Carolina), its products are marketed in 80 countries through the Intas network.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH

Simulations Plus Enters New Strategic Collaboration to Discover Anticancer Therapies Through Its AI-Driven Drug Design Technology

Businesswire | March 29, 2023

Simulations Plus, Inc. a leading provider of modeling and simulation software and services for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy, today announced that it established a strategic research collaboration with the Sino-American Cancer Foundation (SACF). This collaboration will leverage Simulations Plus’ staff and Artificial Intelligence-driven Drug Design technology in the ADMET Predictor® software platform to support the discovery and design of novel inhibitors of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2), an emerging cancer target. Per the terms of the collaboration, Simulations Plus will develop quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for efficacy against MTHFD2, using information from SACF as well as academic and patent literature. The biologists, computational and medicinal chemists in the Early Drug Discovery Services team at Simulations Plus will work with the researchers at SACF to define the multi-objective parameters against which the lead molecule(s) will be optimized. The new AIDD Module in ADMET Predictor® will then be employed to generate libraries of virtual compounds that are optimized for potency and other chosen parameters. The teams will select promising candidates for synthesis and testing, and ensuing rounds of QSAR model building and AIDD optimization will be performed until the milestone criteria in the collaboration agreement are achieved. “We value the trust and confidence SACF has in our team and AI technology to complement and accelerate conventional drug design and lead optimization processes,” said Dr. Jeremy Jones, Principal Scientist at Simulations Plus and project lead. “By combining their drug discovery expertise with our algorithmic and data science know-how, we are confident we will successfully support their hit-to-lead target development activities.” As part of this agreement, SACF will provide upfront funding to Simulations Plus to design a set number of compounds for efficacy against MTHFD2 which will be exclusive to SACF. Subsequent milestone payments will be made as key research and development goals are met. “SACF has had an active interest in AI for de novo design for some time, and we have found a trusted partner in Simulations Plus to help us integrate this into our research,” added Dr. Frank Luh, CEO of SACF. “Scientists from the two organizations will work side-by-side to combine SACF’s data with all that Simulations Plus offers to identify the next generation of compounds that could help in the treatment of cancer.” John DiBella, SLP Division President, said, “The Early Drug Discovery Services offering at Simulations Plus is tailor made for this type of partnership, where our team of experts, including computational, medicinal, and cheminformatics specialists, provide end-to-end AI-driven drug discovery and optimization support to complement the SACF team. Simulations Plus continues to invite future collaborations which benefit organizations and, most importantly, the global communities we serve.” About Simulations Plus, Inc. Serving clients worldwide for more than 25 years, Simulations Plus is a leading provider in the biosimulation market providing software and consulting services supporting drug discovery, development, research, and regulatory submissions. We offer solutions that bridge machine learning, physiologically based pharmacokinetics, quantitative systems pharmacology/toxicology, and population PK/PD modeling approaches. Our technology is licensed and applied by major pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and regulatory agencies worldwide.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMACY MARKET

COEUS Holdings Announces Rebranding to Reflect the Unification of Each Business Unit Into One Entity

Businesswire | May 02, 2023

COEUS, a leading healthcare communications, technology, talent, and consulting firm delivering a variety of services and platforms to all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, announced today that it has completed a major rebranding. Following nearly 14 years of both organic growth and acquisitions, all business units have been combined to form one entity: COEUS. Since the company’s inception in 2009, the company sought to build a suite of services capable of providing end-to-end solutions for drug and therapy manufacturers ranging from preapproval, through launch, and eventual loss of exclusivity. “A little over 13 years ago, we started this company with just one employee. After a series of acquisitions, the hiring of more than 140 people, and the creation of numerous distinct business units all coming online at different times, we felt it was a necessary part of our evolution to consolidate the business units to one entity capable of servicing all clients,” stated Marc Hixson, CEO, COEUS. “Our clients have routinely told us that our experts, our strategic vision of what healthcare should be, and our commitment to leveraging — and building — technologies that improve the biotech, pharmaceutical, and payer audiences truly sets COEUS apart. It’s time to let the rest of the industry in on it.” Through the rebranding, the company has redesigned its logo, launched an entirely new website and reinvented all its marketing collateral to reflect the company’s new identity. As part of the consolidation, COEUS has appointed Jodie McVan to the position of Chief Commercial Officer. In her new role, Jodie will oversee the day-to-day operations, staffing, and the management of existing offerings, as well as drive the creation of new services and products for the consulting and agency business. “With the combination of end-to-end service offerings for manufacturers, our technology platforms and services for manufacturers and payers alike, and industry leading talent and deep subject matter expertise, COEUS is well-positioned to efficiently deliver world-class service to our clients,” stated Jodie McVan, Chief Commercial Officer, COEUS. Visit 1COEUS.com to explore the new website and brand. About COEUS Established in 2009, COEUS is a leading healthcare consulting, communications, technology, and talent firm. The company offers clients a variety of services, as well as SaaS technology platforms, for various stakeholders throughout the healthcare ecosystem including all payers and emerging or more established drug manufacturers. Leveraging the deep knowledge and experience of the company’s many subject matter experts, COEUS works on all drug types with a particular focus on cell and gene therapies, rare diseases, and oncology. The company also has unique expertise in the creation and management of value-based agreements by leveraging COEBRA™, the company’s evidence and outcomes adjudication platform. In its 13-year history, the company has supported the launch of more than 120 pharmaceutical brands and has worked with more than 300 pharma clients including many top global pharmaceutical manufacturers.

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