Narrow Results

AUSTRALIA – Successful FDA end-of-Phase-2 for Hatchtech head lice product DeOVO^™

AUSTRALIA – Senz Oncology secures seed funding for promising cancer drug.

AUSTRALIA – Geneworks develops DNA barcodes for international security.

INDIA – Stress hormones: Good or Bad for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder risk?

SINGAPORE – New study shows fertility knowledge gaps may exacerbate Singapore's declining birth rate challenge.

SINGAPORE – World's first wearable robotic device for stroke rehabilitation comes to Singapore.

SRI LANKA – Conflicting reports highlight scientific data gaps in Sri Lanka's chronic kidney disease.

EUROPE – InDex Pharmaceuticals strengthens IP position for Kappaproct.

EUROPE – Novozymes and Terranol to market advanced biofuel yeast.

EUROPE – The world's first (official) biosimilar antibody goes to… Rheumatoid Arthritis.

USA – MRI reveals brain's response to reading.

USA – Novozymes partner Chemtex receives USDA commitment to build advanced biofuels plant in United States.

USA – Fossil fuel and renewable energy subsidies on the rise.

INDONESIA – Quintiles expands patient access for clinical trials to Indonesia.

JAPAN – Legacy Healthcare announces breakthrough clinical results in hair re-growth.

SINGAPORE – iNova Pharmaceuticals relocates Regional HQ to Singapore as part of Asia-centric reorganization.

AUSTRALIA – Silencing the bird flu gene: scientists prep live hen trials.

AUSTRALIA – Helsinn grants Specialised Therapeutics Australia (STA) rights to Anamorelin, treat cachexia-anorexia.

NORTH AMERICA – To survive, genes pick up new skills.

NORTH AMERICA – Phase III study evaluates two investigational hormone-releasing IUDs for prevention of pregnancy for up to three years.

NORTH AMERICA – Agilent Technologies introduces SureDesign.

NORTH AMERICA – Progress made towards production of biosimilar products in tobacco plants.

NORTH AMERICA – FDA approves Aerospan for asthma.

EUROPE – New technology offers improved chances for couples undergoing IVF.

EUROPE – Phase IIa Laquinimod trial results show positive data for potential use in active Crohn's Disease.

EUROPE – Pfizer donates vials of Factor IX to the World Federation of Hemophilia.

EUROPE – nViso gets research grant to study 3D facial imaging technology for healthcare applications.

EUROPE – New evidence-based 3D cell culture web portal launched by Reinnervate Ltd.

EUROPE – The social side of vaccine effectiveness.

Thermo Fisher Scientific and Applikon Biotechnology sign bilateral supply agreement.

AET BioTech and BioXpress Therapeutics to co-develop biosimilar Adalimumab.

Octa Phillip Bioscience Managers announces first close on new healthcare fund.

Agilent Technologies' and PREMIER Biosoft's platforms work together to advance lipidomics research.

Phosphagenics licenses TPM^® platform to Indian pharmaceutical company.

Dr. Louis-Philippe Vézina, named as a recipient of the 2012 Prix du Quebec.

SINGAPORE – Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) Announces Partnership with Duke-NUS Medical School’s Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Pledging Joint Commitment to Promote Regulatory Convergence and Capacity Building Across the Region.

SINGAPORE – Guardian Partners with MyDoc to Address Singapore’s Population Health Needs through Integrating Technology and Self-Care.

SINGAPORE & UNITED STATES – CellMax Life’s Precision, Non-Invasive Cancer Testing Now Available throughout Southeast Asia through Asia Genomics.

UNITED STATES – 3-D Printed Models Could Improve Patient Outcomes in Heart Valve Replacements.

UNITED STATES – Promising Target to Protect Bone in Patients with Diabetes.

UNITED STATES – New Antibody Appears to Re-Activate Immune System in Cancer Therapy.

UNITED STATES – Combo Immunotherapy May Herald New Standard of Care for Kidney Cancer.

JAPAN – Chugai’s Bispecific Antibody “Emicizumab” Global Phase III Data in Patients with Haemophilia A with Inhibitors Published in The New England Journal of Medicine Online.

RUSSIA & INDIA – BIOCAD’s Rituximab Biosimilar to Receive Market Authorization Soon in India.

Drug development companies in APAC need to raise their game to capitalise on the $33bn+ immuno-oncology treatment opportunity

Singapore’s pharmaceutical market value to reach $1.15 billion by 2021

Ryzodeg reduces hypoglycaemia in type 2 diabetic fasting patients

FDA approves Amgen’s Repatha (evolocumab) to prevent heart attack and stroke

FDA approves first drug for rare disease, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

FDA approves first biosimilar for the treatment of certain breast and stomach cancers

FDA approves novel gene therapy to treat patients with a rare form of inherited vision loss

Singapore institutes collaborate with Samsung Medical Center to improve treatment of liver cancer

Globavir announces partnership with Singhealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre to study dengue treatment

Mundipharma secures exclusive license for the development and commercialisation of PAION’s remimazolam in Japan

Objective: Efficacy, tolerance, and safety of infliximab biosimilar are the same as infliximab reference product (RP) in the management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients previously were on infliximab RP. We aimed to evaluate the biosimilar CT-P13 (Remsima) in terms of efficacy, tolerance, and safety to its RP.

Materials and methods: Seventy-eight consecutive randomly selected patients were recruited for the study. All patients were naïve to any other biologics before receiving infliximab RP, and all were in clinical remission. The sample of patients was divided into two subgroups: 40 patients were continued on infliximab RP and 38 patients were switched to infliximab biosimilar. All patients underwent clinical evaluation and investigation. Both groups followed up for further 12 months. The disease activity was calculated utilizing Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), using the C-reactive protein (CRP), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Remission considered when BASDAI < 4 and ASDAS < 1.3. Functional scores for all patients were assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI).

Results: Sustained clinical remission was observed after 12 months of treatment in the infliximab RP continued and switched groups. At the end of the study, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), CRP, visual analog scale (VAS), ASDAS, BASDAI, and BASFI were 15.04 ± 2.37, 2.10 ± 0.88, 3.10 ± 0.78, 1.52 ± 0.40, 2.80 ± 0.37, and 3.05 ± 0.24 in the infliximab RP continued group, respectively, and were 15.15 ± 1.45, 2.29 ± 0.89, 3.21 ± 0.69, 1.59 ± 0.57, 2.76 ± 0.45, and 2.89 ± 0.92 for the switching group, respectively; the difference was statistically not significant ($p$ values > 0.05). No significant adverse events were noted in the switching group compared to the continuous group groups.

Conclusion: We found infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 (Remsima) was not inferior to infliximab RP and can maintain patients with ankylosing spondylitis in clinical remission.