Today's Rundown Big Pharma companies join forces for fightback against COVID-19 COVID-19 outbreak could drive up employers’ healthcare costs by 7%: analysis Experts float Roche stroke drug Activase as potential COVID-19 therapy Drug supplies, costs hurt by unintended consequences of COVID-19 policies, suppliers tell White House Biopharma roundup: Lilly working at 'lightning speed' on antibody hopeful; Bluebird delays gene therapy's EU launch Healthcare roundup: Pelosi promises healthcare 'help is on the way'; JAMA issues call for PPE conservation ideas UCSF partners with Oura smart ring to study early detection of COVID-19 U.S. agencies to collaborate on wide-scale 3D printing of ventilator parts and medical supplies FDA moots virtual AdComms but delays GSK, Intercept meetings Intercept's hotly anticipated NASH drug has to wait for its FDA hearing, thanks to COVID-19 More hospitals turn to in-house tests to handle surge of COVID-19 patients After 'initial shock,' generics supply chain likely to weather COVID-19 blows: analyst Coronavirus delays Bluebird Bio gene therapy Zynteglo’s EU launch, U.S. filing HITAC sets up COVID task force to focus on tech issues impeding frontline clinicians Featured Story | | | Friday, March 27, 2020 A who’s who of leading biopharma companies have joined forces to strengthen the drug industry’s response against the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies including Novartis and Pfizer are contributing to the joint response through actions including the sharing of proprietary compound libraries. |
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Top Stories Friday, March 27, 2020 Employers could face significant benefit cost increases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new analysis shows. Friday, March 27, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic swells, experts around the globe are working to determine which existing medicines might help patients experiencing severe illness. Malaria drug chloroquine has gotten a lot of the attention, but now a team suggests a Roche stroke drug is worth exploring. Friday, March 27, 2020 In an unusual display of coordinated frankness for the industry, a coalition representing generic drug makers, insurers, pharmacies and benefit managers told Vice President Mike Pence and congressional leaders that some policies in place or under consideration to fight COVID-19 are making it difficult and more expensive for patients to get some drugs. Friday, March 27, 2020 As drugmakers begin to push out plans for clinical trials and regulatory approvals, Bluebird Bio has delayed the EU launch of gene therapy Zynteglo amid COVID-19 concerns. Bluebird has had a history of delays with Zynteglo, mostly tied its manufacturing. Friday, March 27, 2020 FierceHealthcare's ongoing coverage of how the coronavirus is impacting the healthcare industry. Friday, March 27, 2020 Medical researchers at the University of California and Scripps Research are using Oura smart rings and Fitbits to study whether data from wearables can identify the early onset of COVID-19 and help stop its spread. Friday, March 27, 2020 Demand for critical medical supplies continues to rise, as does the number of COVID-19 cases, and 3D printers have been seen as a way to help bolster manufacturing capabilities, wherever it is needed. Now, the FDA will be working with government and public-private partners to distribute and evaluate 3D designs and models, in a bid to provide desperately needed hardware and parts. Friday, March 27, 2020 The FDA has expressed an openness to using virtual advisory committee meetings to mitigate the restrictions on face-to-face interactions imposed by COVID-19. However, that openness is yet to translate into action, with the FDA delaying meetings to discuss submissions by GlaxoSmithKline and Intercept Pharmaceuticals rather than having people participate remotely. Friday, March 27, 2020 Intercept Pharmaceuticals and its closely watched nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) candidate have hit another snag, this one courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic. The FDA has put off an advisory committee review of obeticholic acid, now the lead horse in the hotly contested NASH race. Friday, March 27, 2020 More hospitals and academic medical centers are turning to their own labs to develop in-house COVID-19 tests to bypass the long wait for results. Friday, March 27, 2020 The specter of global drug shortages looms large amid the coronavirus pandemic. But so far, the supply chain is holding steady and prices are going up—in the generic drug business, at least. One analyst, in fact, figures COVID-19 could turn out to be a profitable time for the generics industry. Friday, March 27, 2020 First it was the manufacturing process. Now, the novel coronavirus has forced Bluebird Bio to further delay treating patients with its gene therapy Zynteglo in Europe. On top of the COVID-19 impact, the biotech still hasn’t reached an agreement with the FDA over new data the agency has required to complete its review. Friday, March 27, 2020 An advisory group to ONC is standing up a coronavirus task force to tackle privacy and interoperability issues that are impeding frontline clinicians as they combat the growing outbreak. The task force will begin soliciting participation early next week and will likely tackle challenges around privacy, data standards, data interoperability, and infrastructure. |
