Many prescribers don’t read drug labels, meaning they may not see the new warnings and recommendations in the immediate- and extended-release opioid labels, says Brandeis’ Kolodny. Meanwhile, as the Senate advances a bill that would allow comparative review of opioids, they make up a smaller amount of the drug development landscape.

In Q4 2014 start-ups raised $1.5 billion, a new record. Several companies penned alliances with tech transfer entities; eight start-ups were acquired.

An increasing number of SMEs are going down the joint venture route to establish a presence in the sizeable Chinese healthcare market. In this second instalment of a two-part feature, Tina Tan asks Enigma Diagnostics CEO John McKinley about his experiences of finding the right partner for a joint venture in China.

Setting up a joint venture with a Chinese partner offers one access route. In the first of a two-part feature looking at companies’ experiences breaking into China, Clinica’s Tina Tan speaks to Raymond Akers, executive chairman of Akers Biosciences, to learn about his journey to signing a deal with a Chinese JV partner and the challenges he faced.