Catch up on the top pharma news stories of July in our monthly round-up. From HCP insights on pharma’s use of social media to the latest news on GLP-1 drugs, there’s plenty to discover
Words by Jade Williams
3 July
After over a decade without new treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the European Medicines Agency approves Regeneron and Sanofi’s anti-inflammatory drug, making it the first targeted therapy for the disease. Tonya Winders, CEO, Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform, states: “After more than a decade of limited treatment advancements for those living with uncontrolled COPD, we are now in a new era of disease management for patients and caregivers, and we welcome the addition of innovative, new treatments.”
12 July
Research by clinical development analytics company Phesi shows that type 2 diabetes has become the fifth most researched disease worldwide, surpassing COVID-19 in terms of number of clinical trials – with the growing interest in GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and obesity contributing to this. Dr Gen Li, President and Founder, Phesi, notes that while biopharmaceutical companies may be prioritising diabetes research, they must carefully design trials to account for the disease’s complexity and comorbidities.
15 July
MedFluencers, an HCP marketing agency, releases a survey that reveals a growing trend of HCPs using social media. According to the data, 92% of HCPs are interested in learning about new treatments and devices through social media, with 85% adding that patients have referred to social media posts during consultations. Despite this, nearly 90% of HCPs believe that pharma is under-utilising social media – suggesting that this could be a new opportunity for the industry.
18 July
Healthcare marketing agencies CMI Media Group and Compas release a new report investigating HCPs’ use of the media landscape, covering audio, video, gaming and more. Data reveals that 78% of HCPs use social networks for professional purposes, and 21% consider podcasts crucial for staying updated on treatment options. Notably, two-thirds of HCPs engage with social media weekly, with younger professionals being 27% more likely to do so.
24 July
Pfizer’s new gene therapy for haemophilia A shows promising results in reducing annual bleeding events, outperforming the current standard treatment. In a late-stage study, 84% of patients who received the therapy had improved levels of the clotting protein Factor VIII above 5% at 15 months post-infusion. This success positions Pfizer to enter the haemophilia A market alongside BioMarin, whose treatment costs $2.9m in the US.
26 July
The new UK government sets out plans to amend legislation to allow broader access to NHS data for researchers and pharmaceutical companies, emphasising its potential for both life sciences and the economy in the country. Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, stressed the importance of this data for boosting economic growth and R&D in the UK, suggesting it gives the UK a competitive edge in the life sciences sector, with the ABPI supporting the move. The proposed changes aim to overcome obstacles researchers currently face in accessing the country’s anonymised health data.
