AstraZeneca plc (AZN)

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Minyanville

The latest company to dip its toe in the emerging tide is AstraZeneca ( ). The Anglo Swedish pharmaceutical company announced on Thursday that it has struck a deal with India's Torrent Pharmaceuticals, which will supply AstraZeneca with the licenses and market authorizations for 18 drugs in nine countries. Torrent will manufacture the products under AstraZeneca's safety and standard protocols. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Tracy Staton at Fierce Pharma

AstraZeneca is jumping into the branded generics market with a licensing and supply deal with India's Torrent Pharmaceuticals. And like other Big Pharma generics maker arrangements, this deal will marry AstraZeneca's brand name with Torrent's generic products in an effort to boost emerging markets sales for both. . Off patent drugs tend to sell better in emerging markets if they're attached to a recognizable pharma brand; consumers consider a Big Pharma name to be a quality guarantee. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Britta Holt at Fitch

Fitch Ratings London 11 : Fitch Ratings says today that major European pharmaceutical companies are seeking alliances and M&A opportunities in emerging markets such as India to offset the looming negative growth impact from unprecedented drug patent expiries, government and third party payer cost containment policies, and the challenging regulatory environment in Europe and the US. "Large European pharmaceutical companies, such as AstraZeneca which announced a license and supply agreement with the Indian branded generics company Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd today, are seeking to increase their presence in emerging markets," says Britta Holt, Director in Fitch's EMEA Corporate Healthcare team. "Such initiatives among large Pharma companies reflect a strategic attempt to position themselves in high growth regions, although this puts pressure on operating profitability.". Under AstraZeneca and Torrent's agreement, the Indian company will supply AstraZeneca ('AA '/Stable/'F1+') with a portfolio of generic medicines for which Torrent already has licenses in a range of emerging market countries. Branded generics are an important product area for big European pharma companies in emerging markets, as they are generally more affordable than innovative drugs and demand is therefore high. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Brian White at Shore Capital Stockbrokers

AstraZeneca is linking up with Indian group Torrent Pharmaceuticals to boost its presence in emerging markets.In its first partnership with a generic drugs manufacturer, Astra will initially buy 18 products from Torrent and brand and market them in nine countries. Other medicines and countries may be added later. The motivation for the deal becomes clear from Astra's forecast that "the emerging markets are forecast to contribute 70% of pharmaceutical industry growth in the next five years, and branded generics represent approximately 50% by value in these emerging markets." Shore Capital analyst Brian White said:Ahead of its Emerging Markets Day on , and fulfilling one of the commitments given at the full year results announcement, Astra has announced a license and supply agreement with Indian generics company Torrent Pharmaceuticals. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Pharmalot

The drugmaker failed to accurately reflect side effects of its Seroquel antipsychotic in an ad aimed at doctors, according to the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority . To be specific, AstraZeneca breached three points of the code by claiming its drug had "a favourable weight profile across the full dose range" compared with rival drugs, The Financial Times writes. The decision by the authority, which is the self regulatory arm of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, will be a blow to AstraZeneca as it defends itself against numerous lawsuits brought by patients in the US, the FT pointedly notes ( background here ). 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Zacks Investment Research

AstraZeneca ( AZN , Analyst Report ) has received a pipeline setback with a mid stage candidate failing to meet the primary endpoint of its study. The company was evaluating the effectiveness of Recentin (cediranib) in a phase II/III study (Horizon III) compared with Roche's ( RHHBY ) Avastin (bevacizumab), both in combination with chemotherapy in patients with first line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). AstraZeneca is conducting another study with Recentin (Horizon II) in first line mCRC. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Savvas Neophytou at Panmure Gordon

LONDON. AstraZeneca PLC said Monday that its cancer drug Recentin failed in a head to head late stage trial with Roche AG's Avastin in tests for use as an initial treatment against colon cancer. The London based drug company said it will wait for the results of a second study on Recentin , this time testing its effectiveness in combination with chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone , before deciding whether to submit the drug to regulators for marketing approval. AstraZeneca's shares dropped 1.6 percent to 2,949 pence ($44.58) after the announcement. Panmure Gordon analyst Savvas Neophytou said the stock coming under pressure was expected, but advocated buying on weakness "as the mid term guidance story remains intact, because Recentin was a high risk development." 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Ed Silverman at Pharmalot

Ed Silverman, who runs the Pharmalot blog,reported today that AstraZeneca provided more details about its plan to layoff 8,000 employees or 12% of its workforce by 2014. . According to the post, the company will R&D programs in thrombosis; acid reflux; ovarian and bladder cancers; systemic scleroderma; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety; hepatitis C and vaccines (other than respiratory syncytial virus and influenza). . The company will shutter research facilities throughout the UK and Sweden and shed about 3,500 R&D jobs. 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Zacks Investment Research

The projection excludes royalties for Synagis due to ongoing legal disputes with MedImmune, now a part of AstraZeneca ( ). Excluding legal disputes with MedImmune, the company anticipates first quarter revenue growth in excess of 35%. Dividends . 

AstraZeneca plc (AZN) - Seamus Fernandez at Leerink Swann & Company

Crestor logged $4.5 billion in sales last year, according to Bloomberg data. If AstraZeneca loses the case, the ruling "would place roughly 80 cents to 90 cents of earnings per share at risk starting in 2011, or $5 to $6 per share at risk" and "is unlikely to be ignored," said Seamus Fernandez, an analyst for Leerink Swann in New York, in a Jan. 27 note to investors. (2 of 2) . First Seroquel case goes to trial in N.J. AstraZeneca PLC hid the diabetes risks of the antipsychotic drug Seroquel, a lawyer for a former user suing the company told a New Jersey jury this week in the first case to go to trial over the medicine