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May 04, 2020___

Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Fair price for Gilead's COVID-19 med remdesivir? $4,460, cost watchdog says

While Gilead has yet to present a marketing plan for remdesivir—much less a price—ICER figures the COVID-19 drug could be cost-effective at up to $4,460 per patient. That means it could easily rake in blockbuster sales this year, at least theoretically.

Top Stories

Roche's COVID-19 antibody test nets FDA emergency authorization

The FDA granted an emergency green light to Roche and its previously announced antibody blood test for gauging people’s exposure and immune response to the novel coronavirus.

CDC's Schuchat offers her post-summer COVID-19 predictions

CDC's Anne Schuchat recently joined JAMA Editor Howard Bauchner to talk about her predictions for COVID-19 and what doctors should know about antibody tests.

Which old drugs are in trials for new COVID-19 use? Here's a rundown

As the race for a COVID-19 therapeutic has reached a fever pitch, drugmakers are frantically scouring their existing drug portfolios for possibilities. With major data readouts planned in the coming months, one of those repurposed candidates could prove to be an eventual winner. 

Alnylam, Vir plan year-end trial of new RNAi COVID-19 antiviral

Alnylam and Vir Biotechnology have identified an anti-SARS-CoV-2 development candidate, putting them on track to start testing the inhaled RNAi treatment for COVID-19 in humans around the end of the year.

Portraits in Healthcare: Michigan Medicine physician assistant captures changes through photos

As a physician assistant at Michigan Medicine, Cecile Hollinshead used her experience taking engagement and family photos to get pictures of her colleagues behind their surgical masks as a way to show how COVID-19 is changing the practice of medicine.

Biopharma roundup: Antibodies may be next in the treatment pipeline; Vir, Alnylam to develop inhaled RNAi therapy

An ICER analysis pegged a fair price for Gilead's newly authorized remdesivir antiviral at $4,460 per patient, while Wall Street watchers are already looking to see what therapy may come next.

Healthcare roundup: CVS pledges $1M for frontline workers; Trump says COVID-19 vaccine will be ready by year-end

FierceHealthcare's ongoing coverage of how the coronavirus is impacting the healthcare industry.

Remdesivir, check. Now, analysts are looking ahead to 'several' COVID-19 drugs to come

Gilead made waves on Friday with its emergency FDA approval for remdesivir quickly on the heels of a controlled trial data release. But while it’s an important first step, other COVID-19 medicines will likely be coming down the line, analysts wrote.

Major decline in health spending in Q1 led to decline in GDP, analysis finds

Massive declines in healthcare spending spurred a 4.8% decline in GDP during the second quarter of the year, renewing calls for more financial help for hospitals

With the world waiting, Roche socks $459M into COVID-19 antibody test production

Roche scored a major win with the FDA's backing for its COVID-19 antibody tests last week in a field marked by products of questionable quality. Now, to cover its booming production goals, Roche plans to infuse nearly half-a-billion dollars into its German manufacturing facility. 

CDC launches nationwide public-private effort to coordinate coronavirus sequencing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a wide-ranging consortium—including dozens of state and federal labs, academic research centers, non-profit organizations and industry companies—to rapidly expand the use of whole genome sequencing against the novel coronavirus.

Lilly-partnered AbCellera gets COVID-19 boost from Canadian government

After penning a deal with Eli Lilly last month with the aim to have an antibody in the clinic within four months, Canadian-based AbCellera has been given a financial boost by its government.

J&J backs 'Masking For A Friend' campaign starring Hillary Clinton, TikTok influencers and more

A new social media campaign backed by Johnson & Johnson encourages people to wear a mask to protect others during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic Action Network, supported by J&J, launched “Masking For a Friend” with celebrities, advocating homemade cloth masks to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.