The concept of bispecific antibodies – monoclonal antibodies able to recognise and engage two different antigens – has been explored for over twenty years. Development of therapies based on the approach has, however, been hampered by difficulties in their construction,…
Blog Archives
FDA Committee Recommends Approval of New Gout Treatment
Although the first written descriptions of gout date back over 4000 years, it wasn’t until the mid nineteenth century that excess uric acid in the blood leading to needle-like urate deposits in joint spaces was recognised to be the cause…
Biologics and Generics Tipped to Dominate in 2014
Evaluate Pharma predict that the six best selling drugs in 2014 will all be biologics. Despite some recent clinical set-backs, Roche’s anticancer drug, Avastin® (bevacizumab), is tipped to be the number one best seller, with 2014 revenues of more than…
Alemtuzumab Effective in Early MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease in which the myelin sheaths surrounding nerve fibres are destroyed. The disease affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to loss of sight and mobility as well as depression, fatigue and problems…
Encouraging News for Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a painful, chronic, progressive and disabling auto-immune disease. Newly released data has shown that a novel biologic, Actemra™ (tocilizumab), is superior to current standard of care in RA patients. Actemra™ is a humanised monoclonal antibody to…
Small Molecules Still Out in Front
Although many companies do not publicise trials, the available evidence shows that biologics are still lagging behind traditional small molecules in the drug development stakes. An analysis published by DrugResearcher of drugs entering clinical trials in 2007 showed that more than…
