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Today's Rundown

Biogen used charity giving to illegally boost multiple sclerosis drug sales, Humana lawsuit says
Fierce Biotech's 2021 Fierce 15
How many employees have hospitals lost to vaccine mandates? Here are the numbers so far
How to rescue Big Pharma drug castoffs from the scrap bin through nonprofit partnerships: report
Novo Nordisk to smarten up its disposable insulin pens with digital diabetes devicemaker Biocorp
Hospital finances 'not out of the woods yet' as delta fuels high-acuity stays in August
Kyowa Kirin’s awareness message for physicians goes beyond skin-deep for Poteligeo rare cancer drug
UnitedHealth Group develops calculator that allows schools, businesses to simulate COVID testing programs
Zebra Medical earns its stripes with FDA nod for AI to catch calcium buildup in arteries

Featured Story

Biogen used charity giving to illegally boost multiple sclerosis drug sales, Humana lawsuit says

By Eric Sagonowsky

For years, federal prosecutors have gone after drug companies for allegedly using charity contributions as a way to boost sales. Biogen was among the pharma players to ink a federal settlement, but, now, insurance giant Humana is targeting the company’s charity giving with a new lawsuit.

Fierce Biotech's 2021 Fierce 15

By Ben Adams

COVID-19 was inevitably the focus of Fierce 15 last year. This year, it’s pretty much more of the same as we see how the sector has and continues to navigate the pandemic while raising cash, running trials, hiring staff, keeping them safe, and making deals during an incredibly difficult 18 months.

How many employees have hospitals lost to vaccine mandates? Here are the numbers so far

By Dave Muoio

Reports are trickling out on firings and voluntary resignations as some provider organizations reach their first deadlines for partial or full COVID-19 vaccination for their workers.

How to rescue Big Pharma drug castoffs from the scrap bin through nonprofit partnerships: report

By Annalee Armstrong

If a potentially promising treatment sits idle in a Big Pharma's stockroom, shouldn’t patients have access to it? That’s a question asked by nonprofit think tank The Milken Institute, which is out with a new report Friday pitching a path forward for medicines that could offer hope to patients but have been shelved for business reasons.

Novo Nordisk to smarten up its disposable insulin pens with digital diabetes devicemaker Biocorp

By Conor Hale

Biocorp’s Mallya digital device clips directly onto prefilled insulin injectors and logs delivery amounts and times by linking to a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Hospital finances 'not out of the woods yet' as delta fuels high-acuity stays in August

By Dave Muoio

Kaufman Hall's latest monthly report suggests that hospitals' margins and volumes have improved over 2020 but still fall short of 2019's performances.

Kyowa Kirin’s awareness message for physicians goes beyond skin-deep for Poteligeo rare cancer drug

By Beth Snyder Bulik

Kyowa Kirin wants physicians to make the link between rare cancers that present on the skin to the blood connection underneath. Its new “Treat the Blood, Treat the Skin” campaign for Poteligeo, which is approved to treat two types of cutaneous lymphomas—mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome—is built on the insight that physicians often think of them as diseases of the skin.

UnitedHealth Group develops calculator that allows schools, businesses to simulate COVID testing programs

By Paige Minemyer

As schools and businesses weigh their options for tracking COVID-19 cases, UnitedHealth Group's researchers have developed an online calculator tool organizations can use to game out potential testing programs.

Zebra Medical earns its stripes with FDA nod for AI to catch calcium buildup in arteries

By Andrea Park

Zebra Medical is hoofing its way through the FDA gauntlet, racking up eight 510(k) clearances for its artificial intelligence software systems in barely three years.

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