A report adopted by the European Parliament calling for measures to support a “greater market presence for generic and biosimilar medicines” has been welcomed by Medicines for Europe.

The WHO and Medicines Patent Pool have announced “the first transparent, global, non-exclusive license for a COVID-19 technology” after striking a deal for a COVID-19 serological antibody technology with the Spanish National Research Council through the WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool.

After an extraordinary year that saw demand patterns and the supply chain upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a major merger that has transformed one of the global off-patent industry’s biggest players, Generics Bulletin’s Top 50 has once again seen significant changes.

As CEO Michael Goettler provides an update on the progress made by Viatris in its first year as a combined company, he also offers Generics Bulletin hints as to the detailed strategy that will be unveiled at the firm’s upcoming investor day and explains how biosimilars – including interchangeable Semglee (insulin glargine) – and complex generics are important components of the firm’s future growth plans.

Perrigo CEO Murray Kessler has acknowledged “disappointing” third quarter results for the company during a transitional quarter that saw it finally divest its Rx prescription generics business ahead of its upcoming acquisition of consumer healthcare specialist HRA Pharma.

A five-year period of temporary relief from EU state aid rules should be introduced for countries willing to invest in API and medicine production, Medicines for Europe has urged, insisting that current restrictions do not allow the investment necessary to bolster the supply chain in the wake of COVID-19.