Eicos Science Injection Is First FDA-Approved Frostbite Treatment
The drug will be sold under the brand name Aurlumyn and is expected to be available in the spring, though pricing is not yet known. Meanwhile, prescriptions for the first pill to treat postpartum depression are said to be "off to a promising start" after its launch.
Reuters:
US FDA Approves First Treatment For Severe Frostbite
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Eicos Sciences' injection, making it the first-ever treatment to treat severe frostbite in adults. The treatment, which will help reduce the risk of amputation, will be sold under the brand name Aurlumyn and is expected to be available in Spring 2024, although its pricing has not yet been determined, the company said in an e-mailed statement. (2/14)
In other pharmaceutical developments —
Axios:
Prescriptions For Postpartum Depression Pill Off To "Promising" Start
At least 120 prescriptions were written for the first pill treating postpartum depression in the days following its launch, drugmaker Sage Therapeutics disclosed in its year-end earnings report on Wednesday. Postpartum depression affects an estimated 500,000 people each year. But with a launch price of $15,900 for the drug Zurzuvae, analysts had expressed uncertainty about its potential market and how insurers may cover the treatment. (Reed, 2/15)
CIDRAP:
CDC: Just 39% Of Children Have At Least One Dose Of HPV Vaccine
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report today notes that 38.6% of children age 9 to 17 had received at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2022, with rates rising with age from 7% in the youngest kids to 57% in the oldest. HPV vaccination has been recommended in the United States since 2006 for girls and 2011 for boys. The multiple-dose vaccine, targeted to be initiated for children ages 11 to 12 years, may be started as young as age 9 and prevents against the most common cancer-causing HPV strains. (Soucheray, 2/14)
Fox News:
Cervical Cancer Deaths Could Be Reduced With Home HPV Testing, Study Finds
A new program called SHIP Trial Network, led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is exploring testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) via self-collection to prevent cervical cancer, according to a press release.The Last Mile Initiative, announced at the White House Cervical Cancer Forum on Jan. 25 by NCI's director Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, will gather data on a self-collection method for HPV. (Stabile, 2/15)
Reuters:
Putin Says Russia Is Close To Creating Cancer Vaccines
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russian scientists were close to creating vaccines for cancer that could soon be available to patients. Putin said in televised comments that "we have come very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory drugs of a new generation". Putin did not specify which types of cancer the proposed vaccines would target, nor how. (2/14)
Reuters:
Cholera Vaccine Stocks 'Empty' As Cases Surge
The emergency global stockpile of cholera vaccines is empty with all available doses for this month already allocated to countries battling major outbreaks, two United Nations agencies told Reuters. The rest of this year will see a predicted shortfall of at least 50 million doses between demand and supply, a UNICEF official added, as cases continue to surge worldwide. (Rigby and Dickie, 2/14)
Reuters:
Wegovy Packing Supplier Catalent Lays Off 300 Workers
Catalent has reduced its headcount by about 300 employees as part of its ongoing restructuring plans, the company disclosed in a regulatory filing on Wednesday. The contract drug manufacturer first adopted plans to reduce costs and consolidate facilities last June and extended the efforts during the second-quarter with reported job-cuts in its Biologics and Pharma and Consumer Health segments. (2/14)
On smoking and vaping —
Stat:
Juul Documents Reveal Insider Tactics On Political Lobbying
A new trove of internal emails and other documents from the e-cigarette maker Juul reveals the company’s extensive behind-the-scenes efforts to promote its interests in Washington — a rare insight into the otherwise opaque methods corporations use to influence the government. (Florko, 2/15)
Stat:
'Revelatory' Study Finds A Smoking Impact That Remains After Quitting
Public health messages have told us for decades that if you smoke, you should quit. And if you don’t smoke, don’t start. But a new study suggests smoking may be even worse than we thought. (Cooney, 2/14)
