Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Big Fight Looms Over Small Firm's Drug For Rare Neuromuscular Disorder
Stat: Catalyst Takes Its Fight Over A Rare Disease Drug To Canada
An unusual battle between two small companies over the market for a rare disease drug has now spread to Canada, where Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX) has gone to court in hopes of blocking a rival medicine sold by Jacobus Pharmaceuticals, a small, family-run company, from reaching patients. At issue is the small, but potentially lucrative market to treat people with a rare neuromuscular disorder called Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, or LEMS. (Silverman, 8/26)
CNN: China Covid-19 Vaccine: Inside The Company At The Forefront Of China's Push To Develop A Coronavirus Vaccine
Inside the white, sterile walls of a new building on the southern outskirts of Beijing, two employees donning masks and rubber gloves are busy pipetting a clear, colorless liquid into rows of small vials. In some areas, the interior fit-out is still underway. Outside, construction vehicles are digging up dirt. (Culver and Gan, 8/26)
Also —
Stat: Trump Has Launched An All-Out Attack On The FDA. Will Its Integrity Survive?
President Trump has instigated an all-out crusade against the Food and Drug Administration at a critical point in the federal government’s fight against Covid-19. Three senior FDA officials and several outside experts told STAT that Trump’s attacks threaten to permanently damage the agency’s credibility — especially when combined with a disastrous series of public misstatements on Sunday from Stephen Hahn, the cancer doctor who became FDA commissioner in December. (Facher, 8/27)
