WTO director general says pharma could have done more on voluntary licensing for COVID-19 vaccines and also calls for better transparency of pricing and contracts to ensure “a level playing field” when it comes to saving lives.

Antitrust regulators in the US, Europe and elsewhere say they will now collaborate on how to best assess pharmaceutical mergers, in a move that could restrict deals on grounds they excessively raise prices paid by consumers or dampen medical innovation. 

South African’s Aspen Pharmacare has published first-half financials results that match a recent trading update, following a major reshaping. The new-look firm says it has “spent a long time building and a long time justifying building.”

Aspen expects to report significant growth in its continuing operations for the first half of its financial year, following deals with Sandoz and Viatris that have seen the South African firm divest major businesses in Japan and Europe.