Glaxo seeks flu drug approval

Article Abstract:

Glaxo Wellcome PLC, along with its subsidiary, Glaxo Wellcome Inc., based in Mississauga, Canada, has filed for fast-track approval in Europe and Canada, to market the first inhaled drug for the treatment and prevention of influenza. The companies have applied for approval for Relenza, which works by blocking nueraminadise, an enzyme found on the surface of the fluvirus, effectively preventing the virus from spreading the infection from cell to cell. European and Canadian regulatory approvals could make Relenza available by mid-1999, and an application to market the drug in Australia has already been filed, with a corresponding filing with the US Food and Drug Administration slated to follow before end-1998.

Comment:

Has filed for approval in Europe and Canada to market Relenza, an inhaled drug for the treatment and prevention of influenza

Europe, Antiviral Respiratory Preps, Glaxo Wellcome PLC, Antiviral agents, Respiratory system agents, Glaxo Wellcome Inc.

Court stays prohibition of generic AZT sales

Article Abstract:

An earlier court ruling was nullified by the Federal Court Appeal, which allowed generic drug makers in Canada to continue selling their less expensive versions of the AIDS drug, AZT. The previous ruling prohibited manufacturers Apotex Inc., Toronto, Canada-based Novopharm Ltd. and Interpharm Inc. from making and selling their versions of AZT in Canada until the year 2005. Novopharm Chairman and CEO Leslie Dan, said the generic versions of the drug typically sell for at least 30% to 40% lower than the branded version by Glaxo Wellcome Inc.

Comment:

Canada: The Federal Court Appeal allowed generic drug makers in Canada to continue selling less expensive versions of AZT

Antiinfective Preparations, Anti-infective agents

QLT shares rise on drug price tag

Article Abstract:

Vancouver, Canada-based QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc's higher-than-projected price tag for vision drug Visudyne and plans to launch the product in Sept 1999, prompted the company's stock price to hit a record level. In North America, the company set a price of $1,200 for Visudyne, a new laser- activated drug for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), up 20% from the consensus projection of $1,000. In the European Union, the preliminary price for the drug has been set at 1,000 euros ($1,070).

Product information, Ophthalmic Drugs, Ophthalmic agents, QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc.