J&J Covid Vaccine No Longer Available In US; Advances Made In New Antibiotic Creation
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KFF Health News Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
FiercePharma:
CDC Says J&J's COVID Shot No Longer Available In US
While Johnson & Johnson's adenovirus vaccine against COVID-19 never caught on like the mRNA shots from Pfizer and Moderna did, the prophylactic once carried high hopes. But now, the shot’s fate is officially sealed in the U.S. (Kansteiner, 5/16)
CIDRAP:
Report Highlights G7 Progress, Gaps In Efforts To Boost Antibiotic Development
A joint report from the World Health Organization and the Global AMR R&D Hub urges G7 countries to push harder for innovative financing mechanisms and other incentives to ensure a "robust and sustainable" supply of new antibiotics. (Dall, 5/16)
Reuters:
Abbott Labs Is Sued Over PediaSure Height Claims
A New York City woman sued Abbott Laboratories on Monday, accusing the healthcare company of misleading consumers into believing its PediaSure nutrition drinks were "clinically proven" to increase children's height. (Stempel, 5/15)
ScienceDaily:
A Better Route To Benzocyclobutenes, Sought-After Buildingblocks For Drugs
Scripps Research chemists have solved a long-standing problem in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry with a relatively simple and controllable method for making benzocyclobutenes (BCBs) -- a class of reactive compounds that are highly valued as building blocks for drug molecules, but have been relatively hard to access. (Scripps Research Institute, 5/11)
ScienceDaily:
FDA-Approved Alzheimer's Drug Lecanemab Could Prevent Free-Floating Amyloid Beta Fibrils From Damaging The Brain
Researchers described the structure of a special type of amyloid beta plaque protein associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Scientists showed the small aggregates of the amyloid beta protein could float through the brain tissue fluid, reaching many brain regions and disrupting local neuron functioning. The research also provided evidence that a newly approved AD treatment could neutralize these small, diffusible aggregates. (Cell Press, 5/10)
FiercePharma:
ImmunityBio Gets FDA Snub On Cancer Drug, Shares Crash
ImmunityBio was hit with a complete response letter from the FDA for its bladder cancer prospect, sending the California-based company’s stock into a steep slide Thursday. (Keenan, 5/11)
