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The FDA’s extension will give reviewers more time to review a major amendment to Biogen and Eisai’s application for a subcutaneous induction formulation of Alzheimer’s therapy Leqembi. The new target action date is on Aug. 24.
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The Department of Health and Human Services is spinning its wheels, unable to establish steady leadership at three major divisions—the CDC and the FDA’s two primary review units.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health department has consistently touted radical transparency as being key to its mission. Recent instances—the FDA’s decision not to disclose the recipients of three Commissioner’s National Priority Vouchers and FDA and CDC choices not to publish vaccine-related papers—call this intent into question.
In Salt Lake City, biotech founders new and seasoned reflect on ways to ride out the industry’s challenges, such as sending cold emails to investors and learning to address leadership weaknesses.
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Some 20 travel staff at the FDA, who made arrangements for the regulator’s inspectors, will be getting their jobs back, as per the Associated Press. Some food scientists involved in testing will also be reinstated.
In an internal memo, the World Health Organization signaled its support for anti-obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, which the agency decided against listing in 2023, the last time the Essential Medicines list was updated.
Like fellow Big Pharmas Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson, Amgen is urging the Trump administration to consider tax policy instead of tariffs to promote domestic pharma manufacturing.
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks is confident that weight loss med Zepbound is gaining market share at the expense of Wegovy, even as its rival strikes deals with CVS and Hims & Hers pharmacies.
The new policy, revealed by the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, would make vaccines “less available and less affordable,” according to vaccine expert Paul Offit. It could also further complicate the picture for companies like Novavax.
Announcing first-quarter results, Biogen CEO Chris Viehbacher admitted that tariffs are “a new topic for us,” but said he does not expect major impacts—at least for 2025.
Global employee engagement fell two percentage points in 2024, according to Gallup, while BioSpace found that workforce sentiment decreased among biopharma professionals. Additionally, a recent BioSpace poll suggests engagement could continue to decline in 2025.
Jefferies analysts said Moderna’s first quarter was “in line,” with a miss on revenue offset by a beat on earnings per share.
According to CEO Daniel Vitt, clinical and disability-related outcomes are more relevant than brain volume change for drug development in multiple sclerosis.
To say, as CEO David Ricks did, that this was a good quarter, is an understatement. Mounjaro in diabetes brought in $3.84 billion for the quarter while Zepbound in weight loss booked $2.31 billion.