A recent decision by Novo Nordisk to pull biphasic isophane insulin (Mixtard 30) from the U.K. drug market could slap on 9 million ($11.8 million U.S.) to the National Health Service (NHS) drug bills in England alone, according to an editorial published in the August issue of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has granted the Medicines Company's motion for summary judgment and ordered the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office "to consider the Medicine[s] Company's patent term extension application timely filed."

After the FDA gave the green light to Sandoz Pharmaceuticals for its generic enoxaparin sodium injection (Lovenox, Sanofi-Aventis), Sanofi hit the FDA with a lawsuit that urged the agency to revoke the approved abbreviated new drug application.

An upsurge in the number of people in the U.K. diagnosed with diabetes has been linked to a 40 percent rise in costs over the last four years. According to the latest NHS report published July 30, the number of diabetes-related prescriptions distributed has reached 35.5 million and soaked up 650 million ($953 million U.S.) in costs.

Edwards Lifesciences, a developer of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, has reported net income for the quarter, which ended June 30, of $57.5 million, compared with net income of $47.5 million for the same period in 2009.

As the baby boomer population begins to age and demand more care, cardiologists are seeing a surge in patients, but are getting reimbursed less and less for their services, according to a survey conducted by MedAxiom, a subscription-based resource provider for cardiology practices.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved a two-year clinical study that will evaluate the impacts of genetic information and changes in adverse event rates in patients administered the anticoagulant warfarin (Coumadin, Bristol-Myers Squibb), in order to provide evidence on how individual patients respond to the drug.

The ever-increasing evidence linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to cardiovascular conditions has spurred cardiologists to form multidisciplinary teams to better treat their patients suspected of having OSA.