Australia's life sciences sector welcomes new CGT concession but urges RDTI fixes

Nicole Johnston, Country Therapy Area Head, Immunology for Novartis Australia and New Zealand, said the company is assessing the viability of a reimbursement submission while supporting access through private pathways in the interim.

Sanofi Australia leaders and volunteers joined last night's Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise funds and public awareness of the link between stable housing and health outcomes.

Gilead has announced a rapid donation of more than 2,000 vials of its intravenous antiviral remdesivir to the Republic of Uganda to support response efforts to the current outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease.

At a symposium hosted by GSK this week, titled 'Infectious Diseases Across the Lifespan – The Hidden Burden Beyond the Acute Episode', clinicians and researchers called for a broader view of infectious disease risk and prevention in adults.

Given China’s scale and the rapid growth of its pharmaceutical market, the impact of benchmarking on in‑market and older products in countries like Australia could be significant.

Bain & Company’s 'Front Line of Healthcare Study' has found that Australians feel more informed and more demanding, but are also struggling with access and affordability.

Australia's life sciences sector is entering a period of heightened legal and regulatory complexity, with nearly four in five industry leaders expecting their class action exposure to grow over the next three to five years, a major new MinterEllison report finds.

Which is worse? A company removes a cancer medicine from the PBS and commits to continuing to supply it to patients for free. Or, an advisory committee that disregards patient and clinician input, rejects a submission, and supports delaying treatment until it is literally too late and the patient is close to death.

Under the deal, the company will receive an upfront payment of US$10 million and is eligible for success-based milestones totalling up to US$330 million plus tiered royalties.

“The decision to discontinue the ZOLADEX monthly (3.6mg) implant from Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) reflects the way the PBS currently works, which means that the price offered is too low, making it unsustainable to supply the medicine on the PBS,” the AstraZeneca spokesperson said.

It remains in F1 because a second brand has never been listed. Policymakers have responded to this situation by constructing mechanisms to ensure the pricing impact of the statutory reduction that applies when medicines move from F1 to F2. Has anyone ever asked why, when there are generics in other markets, one has never made it to Australia? The pricing response has been an act of denial.

Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals has announced the completion of enrolment in its pivotal Phase 3 trial of Zilosul injectable pentosan polysulfate sodium for knee osteoarthritis, a milestone that moves the company into the next phase of clinical and corporate catalysts.

The High Court will hear Otsuka's appeal this week in its case against Sun Pharma, arising from the Federal Court's decision that patent-term extensions should be limited to active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The emerging impact of China's use of international reference pricing might pose a significant risk to access to medicines in Australia. The critical importance of detail and getting the basics right when negotiating with the government - its ability to operate so effectively in the detail is how the government succeeds in these negotiations. Phrase of the week!

Companies plan product launches over years. They build capability, map the environment, assess risks and opportunities, test and refine their plans, and ground their approach in readiness and reality. Policy campaigns should adopt the same approach.

The survey found that 82 per cent of biotech companies six years and older agreed they would experience a significant impact. 36 respondents (61 per cent) said the proposed changes to the Capital Gains Tax would negatively affect them.

At what point does the sector understand that two decades of an obsessive focus on HTA, its arcane processes and technical inputs, have failed to deliver for patients? Surely, it's time for a new approach and a different discussion focused on taking back some control.

Health Minister Mark Butler is facing a difficult road with his signature reform of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, as state and territory ministers oppose key aspects of the enabling legislation.