Pharma Roundup: ImClone Takeover Drama, Generic Thalidomide, and More

Who’s buying ImClone? — The hostile takeover drama between ImClone and Bristol-Myers Squibb remains unresolved, leaving more unanswered questions than a soap opera cliffhanger. Why did BMS’s only representative on the Imclone board resign earlier this week? Will Imclone CEO Carl Icahn and BMS head Jim Cornelius spar and insult their way through further press releases? Will the identity of the $70-per-share bidder on Imclone by revealed? Tune in next week! [Source: In the Pipeline, AP via Forbes]

Generic thalidomide submitted for approval — Barr Labs has submitted an ANDA for a generic version of thalidomide, the birth-defect-causing drug which shocked the world into more strident drug regulation in the sixties. The drug is currently marketed by Celgene as Thalomid. [Source: In Vivo]

Boston cancels drugs-from-Canada program — After all the hubbub a few years ago over Canadian generics, U.S. consumers may be satisfied with domestically-available prescription drugs after all. A program allowing employees of the city of Boston to procure drugs from Canada has been cancelled due to lack of interest. [Source: WSJ Health Blog]

Genentech VP on operational excellence: “People, process, and technology” — Patrick Yang, executive VP for product ops, shared “9 behaviors of world class organizations” and “10 essential qualities of great manufacturing leaders,” as well as his views on the industrialization of biotech, at a pharma manufacturing conference. [Source: PharmaManufacturing.com]