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Today's Rundown

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Pfizer recalls all Chantix lots nationwide over concerns of cancer-causing impurity

Pfizer's headache with its popular smoking cessation drug Chantix is escalating. After the drugmaker halted global distribution this summer and then recalled more than a dozen lots in the U.S., the company is recalling all lots nationwide.

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Aetna misrepresented network to secure Pennsylvania Medicaid contract, lawsuit claims

A newly unsealed whistleblower lawsuit claims that Aetna misrepresented its provider network to secure Medicaid contracts in Pennsylvania.

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How do faulty genes drive cancer? There's a surprising immune connection, study finds

A study out of Howard Hughes Medical Institute found that more than 100 mutated cancer-suppressor genes don’t act directly on cancer cells to cause them to grow, but rather block the immune system from recognizing and destroying tumors. They believe further research into those immune pathways could inspire new treatments.

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Biogen's Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm slowly gaining steam among prescribing neurologists, study finds

Neurologists are slowly starting to warm up to Biogen's Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, with at least two thirds of those surveyed reporting they expect at least some patients on the treatment by March 2022, according to a new report from Spherix Global Insights.

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First witnesses in Elizabeth Holmes' fraud trial say Theranos manipulated lab data, inflated revenue projections

The first two witnesses took the stand this week in former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes’ federal fraud trial, both former employees of the disgraced blood-testing startup who mapped out the corners they say were regularly cut in the lab, the boardroom and beyond.

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Texas abortion providers under strain, concerned about safety, patient care following 'Heartbeat bill'

The state’s number of abortion clinics, which had previously been only about two dozen, has shrunk in the past few weeks. While some providers remain open and provide legal abortions under the new rules, others have chosen to stop providing abortions altogether. 

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Abingworth, Gimv and Pfizer back stealthy Swiss startup's $61M round to crack gene therapy delivery

In 2017, Joël de Beer dropped out of his Ph.D. program and began trying to build a leading genetic medicines company from a site the size of a parking space. After working quietly for several years to realize the vision, de Beer’s Anjarium Biosciences has now broken cover with 55.5 million Swiss francs from top-tier investors including Abingworth, Gimv and Pfizer Ventures.

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COVID-19 tracker: Moderna scores first full approval in Canada; Lilly nabs expanded FDA nod as post-exposure med

Moderna has scored the first full approval for its COVID-19 vaccine, dubbed Spikevax, in Canada. Very few United Airlines employees have left their posts following the company's decision to mandate vaccines, the airline's CEO reports. Plus more.

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Definitive Healthcare hauls in $420M in IPO, joining steady stream of health tech firms to go public

Riding the wave of investor interest in the red-hot health tech market, Definitive Healthcare saw its stock surge 50% on its first day of trading Wednesday after raising $420 million in its initial public offering.

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FDA appoints CIO, reorganizes IT, cybersecurity efforts into single digital office

The FDA has reorganized and elevated its health IT, data management and cybersecurity efforts into a single, new office that will report directly to the commissioner. The move comes as part of the agency’s wider modernization strategy as it continues to face ever-increasing amounts of clinical data.

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Social media deliver pitfalls and positives for pharmas engaging cancer community, agency says

Pharma companies today can reach cancer patients and physicians more easily than ever thanks to social media—but should they? Yes, but prepare for both pitfalls and positives, say Real Chemistry’s Discern researchers who’ve been studying the space.

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Venture firms warn R&D funding for new drugs will 'drop off a cliff' if Dem bill approved

Several venture capital funds warned that funding for new drugs would quickly dry up if Democrats give Medicare far-reaching drug price negotiation powers in a $3.5 trillion infrastructure package.

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