Every drugmaker wants to find differentiators for their products. And for Ironwood ($IRWD), it was obvious. "Is this a constipation drug that improves abdominal symptoms, or is this an abdominal pain drug that improves constipation?" chief commercial officer Tom McCourt first asked company R&D chief Mark Currie. And because it was the latter, Ironwood and partner Allergan ($AGN) now stand apart from OTC offerings, a position that helped them grow U.S. sales to $454.8 million last year. More from FiercePharmaMarketing
@FiercePharma: Tokyo-listed SanBio gets Japan PMDA nod for brain trauma stem cell trial. Article | Follow @FiercePharma
@EricPFierce: Unable to find a buyer, Sun will close the Ranbaxy plant in Ireland, lay off 70 remaining workers. Story | Follow @EricPFierce
@CarlyHFierce: Facing a new assessment of Kyprolis, Amgen castigates cost-effectiveness team's methods. More | Follow @CarlyHFierce
> Japan-based Eisai has teamed up with PharmStandard to localize production in Russia, in hopes of broadening access to its drugs there. Report
> European regulators backed a label update for Medivation's ($MDVN) prostate cancer drug Xtandi. Report
> Boehringer Ingelheim's new lung cancer drug Giotrif won a new, targeted use in that disease in Europe. Report
> Novartis ($NVS) won EU approval for Revolade as a treatment for children with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITC); the approval covers tablets and a new oral suspension formula. Release
Medical Device News
@FierceMedDev: Illumina expands San Diego HQ with new Blackrock-owned digs starting mid-2017. Story | Follow @FierceMedDev
@EmilyWFierce: Gilead keeps Martin's pay going strong at $18.8M in his last year as CEO. More | Follow @EmilyWFierce
> FDA approves first leadless, transcatheter pacemaker for Medtronic, St. Jude up next. Story
> IBM and Pfizer join forces for real-time patient monitoring system for Parkinson's. More
Biotech News
@FierceBiotech: $BIND Therapeutics looks for immuno-oncology partner, CEO tells FierceBiotech he may have to sell the company. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech
@JohnCFierce: A capricious bureaucracy taking something away is irritating. Treasury targeting a megainversion is predictable. | Follow @JohnCFierce
> Heat Biologics to slash staff by a fifth, cut more than half of patients in cancer trial. Story
> Roche steps in to help fund $34M Lumos round for rare disease R&D. More
Pharma Asia News
> China biotech Essex Bio signs $3.5M antibodies deal with U.S. antibody specialist Abpro. Item
> Tokyo-listed SanBio gets Japan PMDA nod for brain trauma stem cell trial. Article
> Eisai to work with Russia's PharmStandard on oncology manufacture. News
> Lupin's new M&A deals to strike at Indian rival Sun's perch in Japan. More
> Drug price cuts in Japan sink in though details sparse. Story
CRO News
> Failure of Pfizer-Allergan deal may hit CROs long term. More
> QPS expands biologics service with SCIEX deal. Article
> InVentiv to go public, hopes to raise $500M. Story
> GE Healthcare rolls out new R&D partnership in Turkey. News
> SynteractHCR sends team to the American Lung Association's 'Fight for Air Climb.' More
Pharma Manufacturing News
> Pfizer recalls mislabeled bottles of adult Robitussin. More
> Eisai turns to PharmStandard for manufacturing in Russia. Article
> New player jumping into cell therapies manufacturing. Story
> Teva expands API site in Hungary. News
> Pfizer to look for 20% cost cuts in some manufacturing, Ireland employees told. Report
And Finally... U.S. lifespan is weighed down by obesity, JAMA says. Report