Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week

In our rundown of the week's most popular stories, President Donald Trump has named his first choice for the top job at the FDA, and Novartis' Cosentyx failed to outclass AbbVie's Humira in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. But the most read story this week was the news that biosimilar competition has cut heavily into the international profits of that same drug, AbbVie's Humira - the world's best-selling drug.

10. China green lights first novel Alzheimer's therapy since 2003 [1]

Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceuticals has announced that its therapy Oligomannate (GV-971) has secured marketing approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and improving cognitive function.

9. England's antibiotic use is down, but antibiotic-resistant infections still spreading, report warns [2]

A new report has revealed that GPs in England are writing fewer prescriptions for antibiotics, but this has done little to halt the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.

8. FDA approves RedHill Biopharma's Talicia to combat Helicobacter pylori infection [3]

RedHill Biopharma is celebrating after the FDA chose to award marketing authorisation to Talicia (omeprazole magnesium, amoxicillin and rifabutin) for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection in adult patients.

7. Despite some advantages, Novartis' Cosentyx fails to outclass Humira in active psoriatic arthritis [4]

Novartis has announced new data drawn from a trial pitting Cosentyx (secukinumab) in head-to-head competition with AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab) – currently the world’s best-selling drug – in the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

6. Promising Phase 3 data for Sanofi's Toujeo secures CHMP recommendation of label expansion in type 1 diabetes [5]

Sanofi took the opportunity at the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes 45th Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts to reveal positive new Phase 3 data on Toujeo (insulin glargine 300 Units/mL) in paediatric and adolescent type 1 diabetes patients between six and 17 years old. 

5. Donald Trump nominates Dr Stephen Hahn as next FDA Commissioner [6]

The US FDA could be set to receive its next long-term Commissioner after the White House revealed President Donald Trump’s top pick to lead the regulatory agency.

4. Redefining the value of medicines with patients at the centre [7]

Liz Lewis, Head of Global Oncology Patient Value, Policy and Access at Takeda Oncology, discusses the importance and challenges of making the patient voice heard in the process of determining the value of drugs.

3. Amgen drops $2.7bn to acquire stake in Chinese biotech in bid to expand in the region [8]

Amgen has signed an agreement with Chinese biotech BeiGene to acquire a 20.5% stake in the latter, in a bid to “significantly accelerate” the pharma firm’s plans to “expand its oncology presence in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market”, it has emerged.

2. Current drugs are "poisoning" elderly patients due to insufficient trial data, House of Lords committee hears [9]

Elderly patients are being put at risk by prescriptions for drugs which have not been properly tested in their age group through clinical trials, a House of Lords committee has heard.

1. International revenue for world's best-selling drug Humira falls 33.5% in the face of biosimilar competition [10]

With the release of its Q3 financial results, AbbVie confirmed that international revenues for its blockbuster therapy Humira (adalimumab) – the best-selling drug in the world – had taken a considerable hit in the face of biosimilar competition, falling 33.5% on a reported basis.

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