Pharma and Biotech Daily: Navigating Industry Developments and Challenges

Pharma and BioTech Daily

Good morning from Pharma and Biotech daily: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in Pharma and Biotech world. Various developments in the biopharma industry are discussed, including Novo's CEO being pressured to cut prices of obesity and diabetes drugs, the FTC suing major pharmacy benefit managers over insulin prices, Bluebird laying off another 25% of its workforce, and Apellis' eye drug being turned down in Europe. Large pharmaceutical companies face challenges as patent protections for their blockbuster drugs expire, forcing them to find new products and markets. Resources are provided on topics such as oncology research, AI in clinical research, overcoming clinical trial delays, and creating compelling biopharma data packages.Masimo CEO Joe Kiani resigned following a proxy battle with an activist investor, and Michelle Brennan was named as the acting CEO. Medtronic and Siemens Healthineers partnered on spine surgery, with Siemens integrating its robotic x-ray imaging system with Medtronic's spine surgery suite. Roche launched a test that can detect 12 respiratory viruses simultaneously, including influenza and COVID-19. The FDA appointed Ross Segan to lead the office responsible for premarket authorizations and recalls. A study found that only 30 out of 157 heart devices with class I recalls had undergone premarket clinical testing.The text discusses various healthcare-related news and insights for healthcare leaders on September 25, 2024. It highlights the need for more oversight in remote patient monitoring in Medicare to avoid fraud and misuse, as well as the increasing number of claims denials reported by providers. The Department of Health and Human Services is set to invest nearly $75 million in rural healthcare, focusing on expanding substance use disorder treatment and maternal healthcare services.Amgen's immune drugs for eczema and myasthenia gravis met their objectives in phase 3 trials, but results underwhelmed Wall Street. Novo's CEO was pressed by the Senate to cut prices of obesity and diabetes drugs. Struggling 2seventy scrapped a key cancer study to save money in the near term. Biogen and UCB received long-awaited lupus data. To improve cancer treatments, the nonprofit Cancer Research Institute aims to foster partnerships between scientists and the pharmaceutical industry.Merck's Keytruda combination therapy failed in a phase III colorectal cancer study, following a similar outcome for Bristol Myers Squibb in December 2023. Amgen saw late-stage wins in eczema and myasthenia gravis, with mixed results according to analysts. Novo Nordisk's CEO agreed to meet with PBMs on pricing for Ozempic and Wegovy, which are expected to dominate the next round of Medicare price negotiations in 2025. The BACE credential is recommended for those seeking to advance their biotech career.Sour Patch Kids has created a translator app to simplify corporate jargon for Gen Z entering the workforce. Mazda's new brand platform aims to enhance customer experiences and community activations. TikTok has updated its search ads with keyword targeting, while Firehouse Subs brings back its hot sauce bar with a new campaign. Coca-Cola is discontinuing its spiced flavor after just 7 months.Regeneron's Eylea empire is facing challenges as competitors launch biosimilars of the blockbuster eye drug. Sales of Eylea have decreased while Roche's drug Vabysmo has seen a significant increase in sales. Additionally, gene therapies are entering late-stage trials for wet AMD, potentially changing the treatment landscape dominated by Eylea.Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are investing billions in licensing and M&A deals to expand their obesity pipelines beyond GLP-1s, solidifying their dominance in the market. Regulators and policymakers are urged to create incentives to make MPoX a more attractive investment opportunity to effectively combat disease. Cancer and diabetes drugs are predicted to dominate the 2025 Medicare ne