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Today's Rundown

Roche's gene therapy plans take Shape with $3B-plus biobucks deal
Cerner taps Google, Geisinger vet Feinberg as new CEO. Here's how much he'll get paid in his new gig
Pharma's reputation drops again. Could it foreshadow a return to the bottom?
Vertex layers on bluebird bio pressure with $1.2B Arbor gene-editing pact
Samsung plots $205B investment, massive hiring spree to ramp up CDMO, biosimilars and more
KFF: Preventable COVID hospitalizations among unvaccinated cost U.S. health system $2.3B
Novartis' Kymriah flops in earlier lymphoma use, where Gilead, Bristol Myers CAR-T rivals succeeded
Rare disease data-focused AllStripes raises $50M to enhance medical record mining
CMS delays enforcement of key parts of price transparency rule by 6 months
Medtronic's earnings sidestep new COVID variants and faulty heart pumps, shielded by new products and tuck-in deals
COVID-19 tracker: Samsung plots massive manufacturing expansion; Medtronic dodges delta's worst effects in latest earnings
Nominations for Fierce Healthcare's 2021 Women of Influence

Featured Story

Roche's gene therapy plans take Shape with $3B-plus biobucks deal

By Amirah Al Idrus

Roche may market the first FDA-approved in vivo gene therapy, but the company isn’t resting on its laurels. The Swiss pharma is teaming up with Shape Therapeutics on next-generation gene therapies for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and rare diseases in a deal that could exceed $3 billion.

Cerner taps Google, Geisinger vet Feinberg as new CEO. Here's how much he'll get paid in his new gig

By Heather Landi

David Feinberg, who spent the past two years at Google leading the tech giant's health efforts, is moving over to lead Cerner after a three-month CEO search. The new CEO will make nearly $35 million through 2022, according to recent SEC filings.

Pharma's reputation drops again. Could it foreshadow a return to the bottom?

By Beth Snyder Bulik

Pharma's reputation continues to slide, now down to 53% of consumers who still hold a positive view. The decline began after a February high of 62% approval, down to 60% in May and then 56% in June—and now down three more percentage points, according to The Harris Poll.

Vertex layers on bluebird bio pressure with $1.2B Arbor gene-editing pact

By Kyle LaHucik

Months after first-in-human gene-editing results made a splash around the world, Vertex is making a $1.2 billion edit to its CRISPR work through a new research pact with existing partner Arbor Biotechnologies. After dishing out $900 million upfront to CRISPR Therapeutics for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia in April, Vertex is doubling down in its attempt to beat bluebird bio to market with a gene-editing therapy for those blood diseases.

Samsung plots $205B investment, massive hiring spree to ramp up CDMO, biosimilars and more

By Fraiser Kansteiner

With a self-proclaimed “Super Plant” already on the way in South Korea, Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim said in January that the CDMO’s expansion was just getting started. He wasn’t kidding. The manufacturer’s parent company Samsung Group is investing an eye-popping 240 trillion won ($205 billion) across its biopharmaceutical, semiconductor and telecommunications businesses, among others.

KFF: Preventable COVID hospitalizations among unvaccinated cost U.S. health system $2.3B

By Dave Muoio

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated 113,000 preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations in June and July alone.

Novartis' Kymriah flops in earlier lymphoma use, where Gilead, Bristol Myers CAR-T rivals succeeded

By Angus Liu

Novartis’ Kymriah is losing its shot at a key market expansion opportunity in second-line lymphoma, where CAR-T rivals from Gilead Sciences and Bristol Myers Squibb recently found success.

Rare disease data-focused AllStripes raises $50M to enhance medical record mining

By Conor Hale

With the goal of launching 100 new digital research programs across different rare diseases, AllStripes has secured $50 million to intensify its efforts at collating medical records and searching them for insights that could aid in drug development.

CMS delays enforcement of key parts of price transparency rule by 6 months

By Robert King

CMS has given insurers another six months to meet key requirements in a price transparency rule that goes into effect in January.

Medtronic's earnings sidestep new COVID variants and faulty heart pumps, shielded by new products and tuck-in deals

By Andrea Park

Thanks to a safety net stitched from a variety of new product launches and its continued focus on tuck-in acquisitions, Medtronic reported better-than-expected revenues of just under $8 billion for the first quarter of its 2022 fiscal year.

COVID-19 tracker: Samsung plots massive manufacturing expansion; Medtronic dodges delta's worst effects in latest earnings

By Noah Higgins-Dunn,Kevin Dunleavy,Fraiser Kansteiner

Samsung Group is spending more than $200 billion in the coming years to bolster its manufacturing network. While Medtronic noticed a delta slowdown starting in late July in the U.S., the company was largely able to avoid its worst effects in its most recent earnings report. Plus more.

Nominations for Fierce Healthcare's 2021 Women of Influence