Women drive Alzheimer’s R&D forward
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Today's Rundown

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Pfizer, Moderna, J&J and AstraZeneca assess omicron's effect on their COVID-19 vaccines

Producers of the world's top COVID-19 vaccines say they are moving quickly to test their shots against the new omicron variant. They also are developing shots tailored to the new strain. Moderna said it has a three-pronged strategy to address the threat.

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Top Stories

Thermo Fisher, Qiagen and other COVID-19 test makers prepare for oncoming omicron variant

With the omicron variant on the horizon, diagnostic companies are racing to determine whether the coronavirus’ latest mutations will hinder the performance of their screening tests. Companies including Thermo Fisher Scientific, Qiagen and Co-Diagnostics have stated that their PCR tests are not affected by the new strain.

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Biden dismisses need for more lockdowns as new COVID-19 variant sparks travel restrictions

President Joe Biden downplayed the need for new lockdowns due to the omicron variant as the WHO looks for more answers on the variant's impact.

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'What it takes': Beyond the headlines, women are pushing groundbreaking new Alzheimer's treatments forward

As Fierce Biotech reported out the aftermath of the controversial approval of Biogen’s Aduhelm, we discovered a common thread at many of the top pharma companies who are working on the most advanced treatments in development: women. We wanted to know—how have they kept going?

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Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Eli Lilly cut insulin prices and lose share in China's latest cost squeeze

On the centennial of the discovery of insulin, China decided a round of price cuts on the diabetes therapy is due. As a result, foreign companies Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Eli Lilly are taking a beating in the key market.

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Labor shortages impacting care for patients with disabilities. Here's how some organizations are tackling the problem

The turnover rate among support staff for people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities continues to climb, despite people with these disabilities being significantly more at risk of dying from COVID-19.

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Is molnupiravir a turkey? Merck slips out drop in efficacy of COVID-19 antiviral over Thanksgiving period

The efficacy of Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral has fallen sharply. While most Americans were sleeping off Thanksgiving, Merck revealed the relative risk reduction fell from 50% to 30% in the final analysis of its phase 3 data, sending its stock sliding down.

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Repealing Trump-era breakthrough device coverage limits access to 'life-changing treatments,' lawmakers say

Sixty-one bipartisan lawmakers told CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure that they "do not support" the repeal of the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology final rule, citing patients' reduced access to novel products.

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Amgen asks Supreme Court to take up its high-profile PCSK9 patent case against Sanofi and Regeneron

After Amgen earlier this year suffered a third consecutive loss in its high-profile PCSK9 patent feud with Sanofi and Regeneron, the company faced two choices: appeal further or drop the issue. Not content to play sitting duck, Amgen has asked the Supreme Court to step in and review the case.

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GE Healthcare doubles down on AI with new product launches, partnerships with Optellum and Cambridge

As GE prepares to spin off its healthcare business into a separate entity, the soon-to-be standalone company is forging ahead in its quest to develop a broad range of artificial intelligence tools designed to overhaul and revamp existing hospital practices.

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UnitedHealth Group taps Wilson as new chief medical officer

UnitedHealth Group's Margaret-Mary Wilson, M.D., is stepping into the role of chief medical officer to lead the company's clinical innovations, focusing particularly on improving health equity.

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Ocugen COVID shot will have to wait for US market as FDA slaps clinical hold on phase 3 trial

It was a black Friday indeed for Ocugen, which revealed in the early morning hours after Thanksgiving that the FDA placed a clinical hold on its COVID-19 vaccine. 

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BD ramps up tech development with new science chief, scientific advisory board

If BD’s ongoing hiring spree is any indication, the medtech giant—which recently reported nearly 20% growth in revenue for its fiscal year 2021—seems to be aiming to make an even bigger splash in 2022.

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