Navigating key news stories in pharma

Pharmaceutical packaging company, SCHOTT Pharma, has introduced its SCHOTT TOPPAC® infuse polymer syringe system; a new cap design for prefillable polymer syringes featuring tamper evidence at the individual syringe level.

Medical device company, Terumo, has announced the launch of its injection filter needle, marking the first step in its INFINO™ Development Program. The innovative needle design enhances safety and efficacy in hypodermic and intravitreal injections by incorporating a built-in filter to prevent the injection of particulates.

An AI proof-of-concept study from Dandelion Health has identified an additional 44 million lower-risk cardiovascular patients who could benefit from a GLP-1 treatment. Using inclusion criteria similar to the Novo Nordisk-sponsored trial that helped convince the FDA that Wegovy had heart benefits, Dandelion examined whether GLP-1 use might reduce the risk of major adverse cardiac events such as heart attack or stroke in overweight and obese patients in lower-risk patients that didn’t have severe pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Pfizer’s experimental drug, ponsegromab, has shown promising results in a Phase 2 clinical trial aimed at treating cancer cachexia - a serious condition characterized by muscle and weight loss. Presented at the 2024 ESMO conference, the candidate achieved weight gains of up to 5.6% in patients suffering from cachexia due to lung, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer, surpassing the 5% threshold deemed clinically significant. Pfizer is planning to commence Phase 3 trials by 2025, and aims to provide the first FDA-approved treatment for this life-threatening condition, which currently relies on nutritional support and anti-inflammatory treatments.