Greece

Having earlier this year outlined plans for international expansion, liquids specialist Rosemont has made its first venture outside the UK by acquiring Greek R&D organization Pharma-Data.

J&J says it has “exhausted all current viable avenues” to get its antidepressant nasal spray Spravato reimbursed on England’s National Health Service, after NICE decided against re-appraising the drug following numerous funding rejections.

Haleon has launched in Europe nasal spray technology under the Otrivin brand that is the result of a seven year partnership with Aptar Pharma. Otrivin Nasal Mist’s design is a “significant improvement on other pump devices,” Haleon claims.

CNS specialist Neuraxpharm has snapped up the Lazap olanzapine brand in Greece from local firm Lyofin, helping to further expand its presence in the Greek market following a recent acquisition.

Privately-owned Neuraxpharm has found another company to give it further access to a new European market, picking up Athens-based Brain Therapeutics. It aims now to introduce its Buccolam (midazolam) in Greece.

Major European, US and international off-patent industry events are switching back to being held in person in the second half of 2021, after a sustained period of largely digital-only interactions.

Zentiva has struck a new partnership to expand its already significant operations in Europe, this time in Greece with local firm Lavipharm.

Gerolymatos International's Sinomarin seawater-based nasal spray is now distributed in France by Laboratoire Gifrer.

In addition to our daily in-depth coverage of key events relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re bringing you a periodic round-up of other developments. This edition covers events at the national, EU and global level.

MS Pharma, a leading generics company in the Middle East, has announced an agreement to acquire Greece-based Genepharm as part of an expansion drive into Europe and farther afield.

The Valletta group of southern EU states on improving access to medicines continues to expand and now includes Croatia.

Janssen's Imbruvica (ibrutinib) is not cost-effective for treating NHS patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to NICE, the health technology appraisal institute for England. But the company intends to challenge the decision, which it says is in "stark contrast" to recommendations in 48 other countries around the world, including Greece.

Re-appointed EMA Executive Director Guido Rasi will outline his plans for the agency in early December; pact in Spain calls for the pharmaceutical industry to reimburse government for spending increases above GDP growth.

As the second-quarter earnings season kicked off last week the stock market applauded Greece for continuing to stunt the euro by not Grexiting and China's miraculous government figures on the growth of its economy. It is, after all, growth that remains on everyone's mind because earnings season is supposed to be the appreciation of the growth of sales and earnings. If supporters of the current valuations in biotech are to be believed, it is partly the growth in sales at big biotechnology companies over the last few years that has enabled many much smaller companies to IPO and sell waves of initial and secondary stock offerings to investors.

Last week saw an about-turn by a stock market emboldened by hopes of resolutions to the Greek problem and the bursting of the Chinese equity bubble. That European stock markets can rally when the biggest challenges for Greece and the eurozone are ahead of them is not surprising because, as in life sciences, hopes for a positive outcome are often greater than the actual outcome.

As Greece prepares for a referendum that could bring it to the brink of an exit from the Eurozone, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations ( EFPIA) has warned of the threats posed both to patients and to the pharma industry. Its director general Richard Bergström has written to the European Commissioner for Health Vytenis Andriukaitis and a number of business- and economy-focused commissioners calling urgently for a dialog to find solutions.

It was always likely the fates of BioMarin Pharmaceutical's and Sarepta Therapeutics' experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) drugs were going to be bumping up against each other – although the former firm's product is a ahead of the latter in the regulatory process.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals will increase its focus on women and maternal health with its $700m purchase of Cord Blood Registry (CBR) nine months after it acquired Lumara Health, the maker of pre-term labor drug Makena (hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection) for up to $1bn.

OTC drug, personal care product and nutritional supplement trademark filings compiled by “The Tan Sheet” from Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Class 3 – Cosmetics and Cleaning Preps; and Class 5 – Pharmaceuticals.