Amazon, Blue Plans team up on drug savings card
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Today's Rundown

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Sanofi, scarred by Roche scrap, hits goal in once-weekly hemophilia A trial and plots race to regulators

Sanofi is fighting back against Roche in the hemophilia A market. Having seen Hemlibra eat into sales of its long-acting factor VIII (FVIII) therapy, Sanofi has now posted positive phase 3 data on its once-weekly successor, positioning the French pharma and partner Sobi to start filing for approvals.

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Top Stories

ViVE 2022: Amazon Pharmacy teams up with Blue Plans in 5 states to roll out prescription discount savings card

MIAMI—Amazon Pharmacy is partnering with Blue Plans in five states and Prime Therapeutics to tackle the affordability of prescription medications. The online retail giant's pharmacy arm is rolling out a prescription discount savings card that's available to some Blue Plans members.

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Medtronic, FDA expand HawkOne atherectomy recall to include TurboHawk Plus catheters

The previous recall covered more than 95,000 devices for Medtronic’s HawkOne system after it was discovered that the catheter’s guidewire could bend during use.

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That key Gilead breast cancer readout? Try 2024, and don't get your hopes up: analyst

Gilead Sciences just tipped off what sounded like mixed results for Trodelvy, the cornerstone of the Big Biotech’s oncology ambitions. Now, one analyst suggests investors continue to keep their expectations low for the key expansion opportunity⁠—at least for now.

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AbbVie, Alvotech settle Humira patent and trade secrets disputes, teeing up another biosim rollout next year

Under the deal, Alvotech could launch its Humira copycat as early as next summer. AbbVie will grant Alvotech a license to its Humira-related patents in the U.S., which take effect on July 1, 2023. Alvotech is on deck to pay royalties to AbbVie and it “acknowledges the validity and enforceability of the licensed patents,” AbbVie said in a release. 

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Adaptive Biotechnologies lays off 12% of workforce to narrow immunosequencing tech

About 100 workers are being laid off as Adaptive reorganizes its business, homing in on just two core areas that can be served by its immune system-focused genetic sequencing technology.

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RISE 2022: Health plans grapple with how to acquire, implement health equity data

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—Health plans are going to have to start collecting data on social determinants of health. But how should that data be collected and used is still up in the air for some plans, experts say.

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Saluda's spinal cord stimulation system scores FDA approval for chronic pain

The latest candidate in the search for opioid-free pain relief comes from Saluda Medical and uses spinal cord stimulation rather than prescription medication to lessen the effects of intractable pain in the trunk and limbs.

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With FDA AdComm on the books, Acadia sees glimmer of hope in second stab at Alzheimer’s psychosis

An FDA advisory committee meeting usually means an additional hurdle for a drug approval. But for Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ once-rejected Nuplazid label expansion bid, it could be a hard-fought opening for a possible green light.

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J&J's long-acting injectable push barrels forward as it adds 2nd large molecule to Midatech pact

Johnson & Johnson is tightening its ties to Midatech, adding a second experimental large molecule to a collaboration that is using technology from inkjet printers to create long-acting injectable medicines.   

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Congress to grant 5-month extension for pandemic telehealth flexibilities with omnibus bill

The House presented a sweeping funding package early Wednesday morning that includes a five-month extension for telehealth flexibilities introduced during the pandemic.

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Enough with data collection, FDA needs diversity policies to boost representation in clinical trials: report

Life science consulting firm Trinity Life Sciences is calling on the FDA to implement minimum representation requirements for clinical trials to help boost diversity in studies. 

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J&J inks vaccine licensing deal with Aspen, paving the way for Africa's first local COVID-19 shot

South Africa’s Aspen has clinched its COVID-19 vaccine licensing deal with Johnson & Johnson, in a move the company said could be a “game-changer” on the path to Africa’s vaccine sovereignty.

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