Ebola vaccine should be ready for public use by next year - WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised hopes concerning the management of Ebola virus. It said an Ebola vaccine should be ready for public use by 2015.

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Experimental Ebola drug to become more widely available

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it would convene a meeting of medical ethics experts next week to consider the implications of making experimental Ebola drugs more widely available.

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Novartis launches new high quality antimalarial formulation of Coartem for Africa

Novartis has announced today the launch of a new high quality antimalarial formulation of Coartem® 80/480 (artemether/lumefantrine 80 mg/480 mg), for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in adults and older children who weigh above 35kg. 

The drug has been registered by the Pharmacy and poisons board in Kenya and has already been launched in Nigeria and Angola. Kenya is the 3rd country in Africa to launch Coartem 80/480. Other countries that have registered Coartem 80/480 include Uganda and Ghana.

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Portugal partners Nigeria to improve health, pharmaceuticals

Portugal has expressed its readiness to strengthen the trade ties with Nigeria, even as some Portuguese firms have concluded plans to leverage opportunities in the country and invest in the key sectors of the economy.

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Roche to acquire biotech firm Seragon for $1.7bn‎

Roche Holding AG said it will pay up to $1.725 billion to buy Seragon Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held U.S. biotech company that researches breast cancer treatments, according to Reuters.

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New inhaled drug treats asthma and allergies

A new inhaled medication has the potential to treat mild asthma and allergies by interrupting the production of an immune system protein that triggers allergic reactions, a new study reports.

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Endo International acquires Dava Pharmaceuticals for $600m

Endo International has announced its acquisition of generic drug producer Dava Pharmaceuticals for $600 million.

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Panel convened on access to quality antimalarials across Africa

Malaria experts from countries across Africa are meeting today at the 13th annual National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) Best Practice Sharing Workshop. 

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IBM partners Zambian government to improve access to 200 life saving drugs

IBM has announced a partnership with Zambia's health ministry towards providing citizens with improved access to 200 life saving drugs.

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New tuberculosis drug set for global phase 3 clinical trial

Based on positive results from earlier clinical studies, TB Alliance is advancing the first-ever drug regimen designed to treat both drug-sensitive and some forms of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) to a global Phase 3 clinical trial.

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Researchers in Nigeria unveil new anti-malaria phytomedicine

Nigerian researchers at the country’s Nigeria’s National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and development (NIPRD) have unveiled phytomedicine that is potent for the treatment of malaria, ulcer and fungal related diseases.

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5 million Nigerians to join fight against fake drugs - SON

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said it would be involving 5 million Nigerians in the fight against fake drugs in the country. Dr. Joseph Odumodu, Director-General of the organisation said this while speaking in Ibadan, Oyo state at an enlightenment  tagged  “Zero  Tolerance Against Substandard Products.”

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Viiv announces new collaborations to improve access to HIV medicine

ViiV Healthcare this week announced new collaborations with the goal of increasing access to its HIV medicine, dolutegravir (marketed under the name Tivicay®), just two months after its approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and eight months after approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

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Amgen completes study on new anti-cholesterol drug

US publicly traded pharmaceutical company, Amgen Inc has announced it has completed a fifth late-stage study of its experimental anti-cholesterol medicine, leading competitors that are trying to bring a new class of therapies to a market estimated to be worth billions.

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Scientists discover new drug target to help reduce cocaine addiction

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have discovered a new molecular mechanism that could alter reward circuits found in the brain of those addicted to cocaine.

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