The Japanese scandal over research using the Novartis blockbuster hypertension drug Diovan (valsartan) continues to widen. The first major figure brought down in the scandal was Hiroaki Matsubara, a prominent cardiologist and researcher at Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan, who resigned from his position after numerous retractions and investigations. Then last year accusations surfaced about another prominent researcher, Issei Komuro, a professor…
Saying Sorry May Not Be Good Enough For Novartis
September 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Novartis has issued a formal apology over misconduct relating to valsartan (Diovan) research in Japan, but that apology does not appear likely to satisfy the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, which plans to fully investigate the company’s role in the scandal. If necessary, ministry officials are prepared to raid the company’s offices in Japan. A Novartis…
Lancet Formally Retracts Jikei Heart Study Of Valsartan
September 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Lancet has formally retracted the Jikei Heart Study paper, originally published in 2007. The retraction had been widely anticipated for more than a month, after a series of news reports in Japan made it clear that the long-simmering controversy over scientific misconduct involving the Novartis blood pressure lowering drug valsartan (Diovan) had come to a full boil. (See our earlier story here.)…
More Bad News For Novartis Blood Pressure Drug
July 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In the last few days more bad news about valsartan (Diovan, Novartis) has emerged in Japan. Another major study conducted in Japan– the Jikei Heart Study– will be retracted and Japanese health authorities said they were investigating severe skin reactions associated with use of the drug. The new events are only the latest problems for the…
Novartis Acknowledges Employees Participated In ‘Independent’ Trials
May 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Novartis has acknowledged that employees of the company participated in five “independent” investigator-initiated post-registration trials without disclosing their relationship to the company. The company said that a broader “comprehensive investigation with independent third party experts is ongoing” but that it has “provided an update” to Japanese medical societies and to the principal investigators of the five…
Another One Bites the Dust: Diovan Patent Expires But Generic Valsartan Is MIA
September 25, 2012 by 1 Comment
Although the patent on valsartan (Diovan, Novartis) expired last Friday, a generic version of the popular antihypertensive drug has yet to make it to market. By contrast, a generic version of Diovan HCT, the combination of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide, was recently launched by generic drugmaker Mylan. As reported on Pharmalot, Ranbaxy, the embattled generic drugmaker, holds…
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