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Today's Rundown

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Merck makes beeline to FDA, seeking approval for COVID-19 antiviral 10 days after reporting data

Merck isn’t hanging around. Ten days after reporting data on its oral COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir, Merck has filed for emergency use authorization from the FDA as part of a rapid global push to get the drug to patients.

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Top Stories

Biden doubles down on vaccine mandates, pointing to increased uptake and limited resignations

In a speech and new report, the U.S. president pointed to data indicating major increases in employee vaccination rates and relatively few resignations following vaccination requirements. About 40% of all U.S. hospitals have publicly announced a vaccination requirement for their workforce.

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Supernus strikes $400M+ Adamas buyout as its top drug heads toward the patent cliff

As Supernus' top drug Trokendi inches toward the patent cliff, the central nervous system-focused drugmaker has struck an M&A deal to quickly expand its portfolio of marketed medicines. 

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Gossamer unveils new pipeline plans a year after lead program fizzled out in phase 2

Almost a year to the day after Gossamer Bio’s lead program failed twice in phase 2, the California biotech is unveiling two preclinical assets ready to enter the clinic in an effort to turn things around.

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Medtronic’s Hugo surgical robot heads to Europe with regulatory green light

Medtronic has secured European approval for its Hugo surgical robot, clearing the way for the system to make its continental debut in multiple countries.

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Pacira boosts nonopioid pain portfolio via $450M Flexion buy, with more CVR payments to come

Delivering postsurgical analgesic Exparel to blockbusterland is no longer enough for Pacira BioSciences’ appetite. The company is now reaching for its mergers and acquisitions war chest to expand its nonopioid pain management offerings.

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Mount Sinai unveils first-of-its-kind department to develop AI tools for healthcare

Many hospitals and health systems talk a big game about integrating artificial intelligence into nearly every aspect of clinical care, but Mount Sinai, for one, is actually putting its money where its mouth is.

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Hospital prices vary widely, often higher with insurance than cash, The New York Times finds

Hospitals charge patients widely ranging prices for the same basic services, a recent New York Times investigation found. As federal regulators push for more price transparency, experts argue that the published data are not necessarily an accurate representation of the price a patient might pay and, in the end, the CMS rule does not help patients shop for services.

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AbbVie's Botox patent lawsuit is 'very unlikely to derail' Revance's rival launch: analysts

For a small company seeking to market a rival to a dominant brand, a patent lawsuit from a global pharma giant would seem to be a cause for concern. But Revance has a good chance of beating back AbbVie's recent patent case, one team of analysts figures.

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Kaiser Permanente union members 'overwhelmingly' vote to authorize strike over contract negotiations

Nearly 21,000 of the nonprofit's nurses and workers based in Southern California could walk off the job, according to their union. The dispute centers around contractual pay increases they say are insufficient and will hamper recruitment during the next few years.

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Veracyte kicks off limited release of its nasal swab lung cancer test, as it gears up for full commercial launch

The company also delivered recent findings that showed the Percepta genomic test’s ability to more accurately separate groups of patients based on their risk of developing tumors from suspicious lung nodules.

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PopHealthCare launches new national medical group, Emcara Health

PopHealthCare, a subsidiary of GuideWell, is launching a new national medical group that aims to offer a slew of value-based care services to payers nationwide.

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