U.S. drug payers have been able to beat back high prices for some COPD and diabetes drugs, much to the chagrin of GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) and Sanofi ($SNY). But several new categories promise to break out in a big way, and we are not talking just about hepatitis C drugs. Experts suggest new classes of oncology drugs as well and cholesterol fighters will be widely used and highly priced. While a worry for payers, that is a positive for investors in companies like Merck ($MRK), Sanofi ($SNY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb ($BMY).

Rare-disease specialist Alexion Pharmaceuticals ($ALXN) won a double header from the EMA today when the agency recommended approval of two of its drugs, including Kanuma, the enzyme replacement med it

UPDATED: Merck cancer drugs and Sanofi, Amgen cardio meds have formularies on high alert

U.S. drug payers have been able to beat back high prices for some COPD and diabetes drugs, much to the chagrin of GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) and Sanofi ($SNY). But several new categories promise to break

Ex-Allergan chief Pyott sells off San Juan mansion for $5M

FormerAllerganChairman and CEODavid Pyottfound himself out of a job whenActavissnapped up his company. He walked away with quite a golden parachute, however--$534 million, says theOrange County Regist

AbbVie's hep C cocktail delivers 100% cure rate in genotype 1b niche

AbbVie knows it has to press its case forViekira Pakif it's going to get--and keep--a sizable share of thehepatitis Cmarket. Today, it unveiled some new data that could help it do just that. Viekira

ASCO proposes cancer drug scorecard, with some scary examples for Big Pharma

The American Society of Clinical Oncology promised a rating scale forcancer drugs--and now, it has delivered. Let the blowback begin. The drug scorecard, published in theJournal of Clinical Oncology,

Mylan CFO jetting off to Israel for stock exchange meeting: Reuters

Mylan ($MYL) is sending its CFO, John Sheehan, on the road in Israel. That's the home country of its spurned suitor Teva ($TEVA), but it's also one place where its takeover target Perrigo ($PRGO) is p

Top-spending pharma advertisers for 2016: J&J, Pfizer, Roche and Novartis

Pharma ad budgets may be set to dip overall in 2016, but the industry's big spenders will still be shelling out $2 billion each--or more--to promote their drugs, according to an annual spending study.

Generics maker Alvogen eyes faster growth after CVC-led buyout

In the latest bit of pharma M&A, a group of investment funds teamed up to buy generics makerAlvogen. A consortium led by CVC Capital Partners snapped up a majority stake in the NJ-based company, i

U.S. court nixes Teva's Copaxone patent--again

It's been a long legal road forCopaxone, and one that took yet another turn Thursday as the U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the drug's patent for the second time. In January, the U.S. Supre

Valeant said to step up talks on potential $800M deal for Egypt's Amoun

Last month, reports said Valeant ($VRX) was eyeing up one of Egypt's largest drugmakers. Now, word has it, those talks have progressed, and the Canadian pharma could be ready to pull the trigger in th