Healthcare Business Rewind: Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson’s Bad NEWS, Vivus Wants A European OKAY

Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) and Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) bapineuzumab Alzheimer’s drug failed in a Phase III trial of persons already exhibiting symptoms, but scientists might yet test it on those at risk of the disease but who are not yet affected. So far the two firms have no plans to assess bapineuzumab in that way.

Investing Insights: Chelsea Therapeutics Earnings: Loss Narrowed.

Vivus, Inc. (NASDAQ:VVUS) seems to be setting up its two new drugs, Stendra and Qsymia, for a European okay. It’s not yet confirmed, but the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has invited the firm for a meeting next month to discuss Qysmia, and it has also received a ‘Day List of 120 Questions’ from the regulators on Stendra, for which it is prepping its responses. Meanwhile JPMorgan allows an 80 percent probability that Qsymia will be approved on the Continent.

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) reports that it’s ending its Phase 3 study of its pancreatic cancer drug Ganitumab, based upon recommendations from an independent Data Monitoring Committee. Subsequent to a review of the pre-planned interim analysis, the committee decided that the drug was not likely to exhibit a statistically significant improvement towards the primary endpoint of overall survival.

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