// Biotech and Pharma Therapeutics
Lilly obesity drug shows benefit in sleep disorder study, pointing to new use
April 17, 2024 / Eli Lilly / Obesity / Sleep Disorder / GLP-1 / Clinical Trials
Fresh clinical trial results for Eli Lilly’s drug Zepbound point to a new use for the weight loss medicine in treating a common sleep disorder, adding to evidence the benefits of so-called GLP-1 agonists could extend across a range of conditions.
Two CVS Locations Make Moves To Join National Pharmacy Union Movement
April 15, 2024 / CVS / Pharmacy Guild
Two CVS stores close to CVS Health’s headquarters in Rhode Island have filed petitions to join the Pharmacy Guild, which is building a national pharmacy union, one organizer confirmed to MedCity News on Monday.
Lark Health appoints chief growth officer for GLP-1 tech and more digital health hires
April 15, 2024 / Lark Health / GLP-1 / Digital Health
Digital chronic-condition management company Lark Health announced the appointment of Darren Eckberg as its new chief growth officer, who will lead the expansion of the company’s AI-enabled GLP-1 cost-containment technology.
Boehringer Ingelheim leans on late-stage pipeline, plots 25 new launches over the next decade
April 16, 2024 / Boehringer Ingelheim / Jardiance / Ofev / Drug Sales
Boehringer Ingelheim’s 2023 was largely marked by the highly anticipated launch of its Cyltezo, the first interchangeable biosimilar to AbbVie’s Humira. But with sales disappointing, the company is now turning its attention to a deep late-stage pipeline that could bring 25 new treatments to market through 2030.
Biotech startups rebound with impressive fundraising
April 12, 2024 / Startup
Here’s some promising news for the biotech industry: fresh data reveals a buoyant recovery among startups. The last fundraising quarter produced the best results in two years. This uptick suggests a robust comeback in investor confidence, trumping fears related to the pandemic-induced slowdown.
// 4th Industrial Revolution
Osso VR launches surgical training app for Apple Vision Pro
April 11, 2024 / Osso Health / Apple Vision Pro / Workflows
Virtual training company Osso VR announced the launch of Osso Health, a surgical training app that will leverage the Apple Vision Pro to focus on common orthopedic procedures, such as carpal tunnel release and total knee replacement.
A Wearable Tech Gives Pharmas & Therapists Better Feel for Changes in Mental Health
April 14, 2024 / Wearable Tech / Mental Health / Feel Therapeutics / Clinical Trials
Feel is trying to bring more complete and objective data collection to the field of mental health. The San Francisco-based startup does it with wearable technology that continuously collects data and provides recommendations.
Google Cloud partners with Bayer for AI applications for radiology
April 10, 2024 / Google Cloud / AI / Radiology / Bayer
Tech giant Google Cloud and global enterprise Bayer are partnering to develop AI applications aimed at reducing radiologist burnout and increasing efficiencies in diagnoses.
Deep learning tool may reduce false-positives in screening mammography
April 12, 2024 / Deep Learning / Mammography / AI
Researchers have developed a deep learning tool capable of reducing false positives without missing true cases of breast cancer identified by screening mammography, according to a study published this week in Radiology: Artificial Intelligence.
Submitted for consideration by all healthcare AI stakeholders: 10 principles, 6 commitments, 1 direction
April 11, 2024 / AI / Healthcare
Key collaborators across the healthcare AI life cycle now have a common set of principles to which they can hold each other. And that means everyone from developers and researchers to providers, regulators and even patients.
// Business & Markets
Novartis pays $150M for Arvinas’ phase 3-ready prostate cancer protein degrader
April 11, 2024 / Novartis / Arvinas / Prostate Cancer / PROTAC
Novartis is adding another weapon to its arsenal of oncology therapies, paying Arvinas $150 million upfront for rights to a phase 3-ready protein degrader that could treat a wide range of prostate cancer patients.
Medical Affairs Outsourcing Market Size to Increase at USD 3.66 Billion by 2033
April 12, 2024 / Medical Affairs / Market
The global medical affairs outsourcing market size was accounted for USD 1.82 billion in 2023 and it is predicted to increase at USD 3.43 billion by 2032, according to Precedence Research.
3 Pharma Stocks to Sell in April Before They Crash & Burn
April 11, 2024 / Stocks / Investing
There are some pharma stocks to sell in April. Holding these companies is too risky, especially as the industry faces increasing regulatory scrutiny and pricing pressures. Several major pharmaceutical firms are grappling with patent cliffs, where key drug exclusivities are expiring. This opens the door for generic competition.
Vertex to buy kidney disease drugmaker Alpine for $4.9B
April 10, 2024 / Vertex / Kidney Disease / Drugmakers
Vertex has for years sought ways to branch out beyond its highly successful cystic fibrosis medicines, which have catapulted it into the top ranks of the biotech industry.
AtlantiCare announces partnership with Oracle Health
April 11, 2024 / AtlantiCare / Oracle Health / Partnership
AtlantiCare has announced a partnership with Oracle Health designed to provide the health system with command center infrastructure, including a new generative artificial intelligence-based clinical digital assistant, according to AtlantiCare’s announcement Wednesday.
// Legal & Regulatory
Generic Drug Group Defends Pause on Minnesota Pricing Law
April 15, 2024 / Drug Pricing / Lawsuits / US Supreme Court
The national group representing generic and biosimilar manufacturers is urging a federal appeals court to uphold an injunction on a Minnesota law that aims to limit price hikes on generic drugs, citing recent precedent on laws affecting interstate transactions.
Pfizer, BioNTech Get Legal Pause in Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Lawsuit
April 16, 2024 / Pfizer / BioNTech / Covid-19 / Lawsuit / Patent
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has granted Pfizer and BioNTech’s motion to put on hold Moderna‘s lawsuit against the companies over alleged patent infringement related to their COVID-19 vaccines, pending a review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, according to an electric docket order.
Quebec class action authorized against 16 pharma companies for role in opioid crisis
April 15, 2024 / Quebec / Opioids / Lawsuit
A class-action lawsuit has been authorized to proceed against 16 pharmaceutical companies for their role in manufacturing, selling, marketing and distributing opioid drugs in Quebec.
Talc Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit
April 11, 2024 / Talc Powder / Ovarian Cancer / Lawsuit
Our lawyers are handling baby powder lawsuits in all 50 states. The talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have been ongoing for years. The lawsuits allege that prolonged use of talcum powder (or “talc”), the active ingredient in products such as Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, can cause ovarian cancer in some women.
Neumora’s schizophrenia drug faces FDA hold over convulsions in rabbits
April 15, 2024 / Neumora Therapeutics / FDA / Clinical Hold / Schizophrenia
The FDA has placed a phase 1 trial of Neumora Therapeutics’ schizophrenia therapy on hold after preclinical data revealed rabbits dosed with the drug had experienced convulsions.
// Research & Development
Vertex Pharma scientist talks about the long road to developing non-addictive painkillers
April 15, 2024 / Vertex / Painkillers
For decades, patients seeking medication for pain have had two choices: over-the-counter drugs like aspirin or powerful prescription opioids like oxycodone.
Ultragenyx says Angelman therapy is working, but safety questions remain
April 15, 2024 / Ultragenyx / Neurological Disorder
The treatment — what’s known as an antisense oligonucleotide — is designed to reactivate expression of one allele of a gene called UBE3A that’s silenced in people with Angelman. So far, Ultragenyx has treated 74 pediatric patients in different cohorts of the trial.
PharmAla Biotech Partners with Numinus for MDMA Clinical Trial
April 17, 2024 / PharmAla / Clinical Trial / Numinus
PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of MDXX class molecules, has announced a binding sales agreement with Numinus Wellness Inc. The agreement entails providing PharmAla’s GMP LaNeo MDMA for a prospective clinical trial, highlighting LaNeo as the preferred drug product for MDMA clinical trials globally and for prescribers alike.
Sage’s cognition drug fails in Parkinson’s study
April 17, 2024 / Parkinson’s / Alzheimer’s / Failed Study
An experimental drug designed to improve brain function in people with nerve-degrading disorders has failed a mid-stage study that tested it against Parkinson’s disease.
Mapping the global landscape for induced pluripotent stem cells from patents and clinical trials
April 17, 2024 / Clinical Trials
Although the clinical application of induced pluripotent stem cells is still in its infancy, the development of iPSC technologies reflected by an increasing number of patents provides hope that they will realize their therapeutic potential.
// Politics
California Lawmakers Push Looser Pharmacy Staffing Requirements
April 15, 2024 / Lawmakers / California / CVS / Walgreens / Rite Aid
A measure to loosen California’s pharmacy staffing requirements for drug stores advanced Monday in the state legislature.
A pharmacist would be allowed to supervise up to four technicians at once under the bill (SB 1365) approved by the state Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee.
NATO releases first international strategy on biotechnology and human enhancement technologies
April 12, 2024 / NATO / Biotech / New Tech
Faced with the exponential growth of biotech breakthroughs and their anticipated impact on defence and security, NATO has positioned itself as an ethical leader on biotech and human enhancement technologies by adopting an informed, value-based and gender-aware strategy.
US biotech executive sentenced to 7 years in jail for COVID test fraud
April 12, 2024 / Covid / Department of Justice / California
The chief executive of a U.S. biotechnology company that falsely promised investors it could produce a quick and accurate COVID-19 test was sentenced to seven years’ in jail on Friday, the Justice Department said.
Farm Bill Talks and Crop Insurance Plan
April 11, 2024 / Farm Bill / Crop Insurance / Senate
With a new proposal on the table by Senate Republicans to increase crop insurance premium subsidies rather than focus on raising reference prices, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee said it is time to move ahead with farm bill negotiations.
America hits Chinese biotech—and its own drugmakers
April 15, 2024 / China / Drugmakers / Congress
American health-care costs are sky-high; as treatments get pricier and the number of patients swells owing to an ageing population, they are getting higher. Chinese biotechnology is increasingly sophisticated and, as its companies gain scale, getting cheaper. A growing number of American drugmakers, from startups to big pharma, rely on firms like WuXi AppTec and WuXi Biologics, which conduct drug research on behalf of clients and manufacture compounds used in drugmaking.