The FDA has modified recommendations for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) after the agency found clinical evidence that the drug class could increase cardiovascular event risk in chronic kidney disease patients. The FDA has recommended that more conservative doses of the drug be administered.

Following consultation with the FDA, Diamyd Medical has decided to suspend dosing in a U.S. Phase III study, DiaPrevent, with the antigen-based therapy Diamyd and to initiate closure of the study.

While statin therapy is meant to reduce a patients risk of cardiovascular events, a meta-analysis has found that the drug class was associated with an excess risk on new-onset diabetes. The meta-analysis was published in the June 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Zealand Pharma, a Copenhagen-based biopharmaceutical company, and Boehringer Ingelheim have signed an exclusive global license and collaboration agreement for dual-acting glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and patients with obesity.

Research originating from France has shown an increased incidence of bladder cancer when diabetic patients were administered pioglitazone (Actos, Takeda Pharmaceuticals). As a direct response to these results, the French Medicines Agency (Afssaps) said it would pull the drug from the market, and now Germany has followed suit. The FDA also warned the public about the increased risk and has decided to revise the medication's label.

Data presented at this years American Society of Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) symposium have shown that the HeartMate II continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) increased both the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeds and stroke in patients implanted with the device. However, previous data comparing HeartMate II to the pulsatile-flow device HeartMate XVE may contradict these findings.

Patients affected by Baxter Healthcare's tainted heparin caught a win after a Cook County judge awarded $625,000 to the estate of 63-year-old Chicagoan Steven Johansen, who died due to adverse events linked with the contamination. The case was the first of hundreds of lawsuits alleging that Baxter distributed contaminated heparin drug vials.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California ruled in Eli Lilly's favor, vacating a temporary restraining order and denying a request by Amylin Pharmaceuticals for a preliminary injunction that sought to impose restrictions on the Lilly Diabetes sales force and other relief.