Pharma Roundup: YouTube Warning for Shire, China Hopes for Cardinal, and More

Shire officially warned for misleading YouTube video — A YouTube video promoting Adderall XR has earned Shire an FDA warning, as statements by Ty Pennington stating that the drug can “change lives” are excessive promises in the federal opinion. YouTube videos are evidently (if not surprisingly) subject to scrutiny as close as that given to traditional ad campaigns. The video is no longer online, but the narration in question can be seen here. [Source: Eye on FDA]

Cardinal Health betting on China’s emerging drug marketplace — Over at Drug Channels, Adam Fein reports that China will be the world’s fifth-largest market for legitimate pharmaceuticals within a few years. A number of drug-makers are tweaking their China strategies, with Cardinal Health focusing on distribution, not manufacturing. Jason Chen, the company’s head of ops in Asia, discusses China and more in an interview. [Source: Drug Channels]

Mystery Imclone bidder to be revealed (maybe) on Wednesday — Speculation abounds over which mysterious pharma company has offered $70 a share for ImClone. It could be Pfizer, Lilly, or… who knows? Well, if the bidder backs off, we’ll find out who it was on Wednesday night, as promised in a press release. Otherwise the excitement may continue. [Source: Pharmalot]

Can billions lost as patents expire qualify pharma for federal aid? — Not likely, but as lawmakers propose bank bailouts and develop the “troubled asset relief program,” John Mack at Pharma Marketing News wonders if pharma companies can get in on the aid action. The industry is losing billions of dollars this year due to expiring patents on blockbuster drugs — GlaxoSmithKline, for instance, stands to lose the $8.5 billion Advair, Serevent and Lamictal raked in when they were protected. Do those count as “troubled assets,” too? Yes, such losses are no shock, but neither are those facing the recently-bailed-out auto industry…. [Source: Pharma Marketing News]