Rise and shine, another busy day is on the way. However, this is also shaping up as a beautiful day as well, despite expectations of still more heat. The skies are clear and sunny, the birds are chirping, and the official mascots are capturing creatures on the Pharmalot campus this morning. This calls for celebration with a cup of stimulation, and we are opening a new package of salted caramel for the occasion. What is upon us right now, however, is our ever-growing to-do list. Sound familiar? So here are some items of interest. Have a great day, everyone. …
Police in China have detained five current and former employees of AstraZeneca for questioning about potential illegal activities, according to Bloomberg News. The individuals being held are all Chinese citizens who marketed cancer drugs in AstraZeneca’s oncology division. The investigation is being led by police in the southern metropolis of Shenzhen, and the detentions took place earlier in the summer. One probe is related to the company’s collection of patient data, and whether that infringed China’s data-privacy laws. Authorities are also looking into some of the individuals’ involvement in importing a liver cancer drug that hasn’t been approved for distribution in mainland China. The company was previously taken to task by Chinese authorities in 2022 for allegedly tampering with the gene-testing results of cancer patients to make treatment eligible for reimbursement by China’s state-run medical insurance.
The number of layoffs in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry surged last month, boosting the year-to-date job cuts well above what was seen at the same time in 2023, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the outplacement and executive coaching firm. A total of 1,561 jobs were eliminated in August, greatly exceeding the 573 positions that were cut in July. This was also well above the 783 jobs the industry slashed in August 2023. So far this year, pharmaceutical companies have axed a total of 9,254 positions, surpassing the 7,670 jobs that had been eliminated at the same time in 2023.
