Pharma

UCB’s off-label marketing of epilepsy drug Keppra costs $34M fine (Morning Read)

Current medical news from today, including: UCB reaches settlement over off-label marketing of its epilepsy drug Keppra; the Food and Drug Administration warns of higher prostate cancer risks from baldness and prostate drugs; flu shots reach an all time high; and UCLA partners with Roche for stem cell and cancer research.

By Frank Vinluan on June 10, 2011 8:50 am

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Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about the healthcare industry.

UCB fined for off-label use: Belgian drug company UCB must pay more than $34 million in fines (Opens in a new window) after pleading guilty to marketing its blockbuster epilepsy drug Keppra for an off-label use. UCB had promoted the drug for treating migraines, an unapproved indication for the product. Keppra is UCB’s top-selling product generating more than $1.37 billion in 2010 revenue, according to Bloomberg News.

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New prostate cancer risk? The FDA warns that some drugs to treat the prostate and baldness may raise the risk (Opens in a new window) of the most serious form of prostate cancer. But Forbes checked with American Medical Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, a physician who treats prostate cancer. Brawley disagrees (Opens in a new window).

Flu shots reach all time high: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that more people got flu shots in the last year (Opens in a new window) than ever before, reports MedPage today.

Pharma/university partnership: Roche enters a partnership with UCLA on stem cell and cancer research (Opens in a new window).

Dealflow: Med dev company Access Scientific raises $10 million (Opens in a new window) led by private equity firm CAC; CAS Medical Systems raises $15 million (Opens in a new window) to develop its high-tech blood monitors.