5 Top Pharmaceutical News Stories of 2019

Investors showed an interest in a variety of developments in the pharmaceutical space in 2019.

Overall, market watchers had plenty to whet their appetites with in the pharma industry this year, and in 2020 companies are sure to continue working to meet the demands of unmet medical markets. Drug pricing tensions will also no doubt keep rising as the US presidential election looms.

Before the new year begins, the Investing News Network (INN) is providing an overview of our most popular pharma news stories of 2019. If you missed them before, catch up below with our most noteworthy stories of the year, according to our audience.

1. FSD Pharma Strengthens Drug Development with GW Executive

The INN team started the year off by attending the Biotech Showcase in San Francisco — one of the most highly sought-after events of the year — and had the opportunity to speak with FSD Pharma (CSE:HUGE,OTCQB:FSDDF) Co-chairman Raza Bokhari and CEO Rupert Haynes.

The executives told INN about the company’s plans to bring its cannabis products to the pharmaceutical sector. They also discussed FSD Pharma’s clinical trials of cannabinoid products for conditions related to irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.

Listen to the interview below for more of what Bokhari and Haynes had to say.

2. Propanc’s Cancer Stem Cell Technology Ready for the Clinic

The next story on the list is another Biotech Showcase interview, this time with Propanc Biopharma (OTCQB:PPCB) CEO James Nathanielsz. He spoke about the company’s stem cell technology and how it works on cancer stem cells.

Listen to the interview for what Nathanielsz had to say about the company’s technology and its cancer drug, called PRP, which Propanc has been developing for over a decade.

3. Tenax Therapeutics Working on Phase 2 Trial

INN also spoke with Tenax Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TENX) CEO Anthony DiTonno at the Biotech Showcase. He talked about his company’s Phase 2 clinical trial for pulmonary hypertension.

Listen to the interview with DiTonno below to hear more about the clinical trial, the drug candidate and the company’s financing plans.

4. Rafael Pharma Stands Out with Drugs Treating Difficult Cancers

In March, INN spoke with Rafael Pharmaceuticals, a Rafael Holdings (NYSEAMERICAN:RFL) subsidiary, about its unique approach to hard-to-treat cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

President and CEO Sanjeev Luther discussed the company’s lead drug candidate, devimistat (CPI-613), and how it only targets cancer cells and not healthy ones.

5. FDA Blasts McKesson for Shipping Illegal Opioid Products

In February, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to drug distributor McKesson (NYSE:MCK) for allegedly shipping illegal opioid products.

The agency accused the company of not identifying, isolating or investigating “illegitimate medications.”

“This is simply unacceptable,” former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said at the time. “A distributor’s failure to have systems in place to investigate and quarantine suspect and illegitimate products within their control is a violation of the law.”

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_LifeScience for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: FSD Pharma is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.