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Today's Rundown

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Pfizer, BioNTech launch trial for potential omicron-busting vaccine

Pfizer and BioNTech are launching a new clinical trial to test a potential omicron-busting COVID-19 vaccine. The new vaccine will be included in a three-cohort study that will also examine different regimens of the companies’ existing COVID-19 shot, Comirnaty.

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Top Stories

As HHS releases another $2B in COVID relief payments, hospitals call for Congress to cover delta, omicron expenses

Roughly $6 billion in Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments have yet to be processed and distributed. Providers have so far criticized the administration for being slow on the relief payments, which only apply to costs incurred during early waves of the pandemic.

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FDA chides Eli Lilly for second misleading ad in 2 months, this time for diabetes blockbuster Trulicity

The FDA has given Lilly a slap on the wrist for an Instagram post about its top-selling diabetes med, Trulicity, STAT News first reported. This marks the second round of advertising trouble since December for the Indianapolis-based drugmaker. That prior entanglement was over TV spots for Lilly's migraine treatment Emgality and was quickly resolved. 

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Medtronic lines up FDA approval for spinal cord stimulators to treat painful diabetic neuropathy

The Intellis and Vanta spinal cord stimulators have already been cleared to lessen chronic pain caused by a variety of conditions, and those indications now include the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.

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Sierra's bet on Gilead castoff pays off, teeing up FDA filing for rival to Incyte-Novartis cancer drug

Sierra Oncology’s bet on Gilead castoff momelotinib has paid off. Three years after picking up the drug at a knockdown price, Sierra has reported a clean sweep of phase 3 endpoints, positioning it to challenge Incyte and Novartis for a blockbuster blood cancer market and sending its stock up 43% to $22.

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From full-page newspaper ads to press events, hospitals say their pandemic pleas are reaching the public

Although there's still room for improvement, health system leaders have "encouraging" anecdotal evidence that joint newspaper ads, op-eds and press conferences are successfully conveying the pandemic's severity to the general public. "Our most effective approach is when we join with other systems to present a united front," said Leigh Hamby, M.D., chief medical officer at Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare.

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Johnson & Johnson CEO: Consumer health split won't interfere with our 'more aggressive' approach to M&A

For anyone playing a drinking game, taking a sip each time the phrase “the new Johnson & Johnson,” was uttered during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, hopefully—for health reasons—the beverage was water.

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Using the eyes as a window, AI predicts annual heart attack risk from retinal scans

The algorithm looks for changes in the tiny blood vessels feeding the back of the eye and the complex patterns linked to broader cardiovascular disease.

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Moderna-partnered gene editor Metagenomi adds $175M to crown from Bayer, BMS and others to get into clinic, launch new biotechs

Bayer and Moderna have already signaled confidence in Metagenomi's CRISPR gene editing. Now, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk and a crop of VC shops have also made a $175 million bet on the California biotech's platform.

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Senators want Medicare to reimburse at-home COVID-19 tests just like commercial insurers

A group of nearly 20 Democratic senators is calling for HHS to enable Medicare to reimburse at-home COVID-19 tests for seniors just like a requirement for commercial insurers.

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Call for nominations: The Most Influential People in Biopharma

For an upcoming special report, Fierce will profile the 20 most influential people in the industry—both in the fight against the pandemic and those who are setting the stage for the industry’s advances for years to come.  

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Atomwise bulks up executive team with Boehringer, Moderna, BridgeBio alums

As a handful of Atomwise’s artificial intelligence-discovered small-molecule drug candidates near the preclinical stage, the company is building out its team of seasoned biotech executives to oversee this new chapter.

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Deciphera details stomach cancer flop against Pfizer’s Sutent, cracking the door open for off-label use

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals recently took a serious hit to its billion-dollar hopeful cancer drug Qinlock. As the company undertakes a round of layoffs to deal with the blow, newly unveiled data offer a glimmer of hope for additional uptake—though likely not for an official FDA approval.

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