Drugmakers On Edge As States Begin To Target Specific Medicines Using Transparency Laws

Stat: More State Lawmakers Are Pushing Transparency Bills For Diabetes Drugs
At least three states have recently introduced bills to require transparency surrounding the cost and pricing of diabetes medicines, posing a growing challenge to the pharmaceutical industry. Over the past few weeks, legislation was introduced in South Carolina, Hawaii, and Colorado, and the intent of each bill largely mirrors a controversial law that was adopted last fall by Nevada, which is now fending off a lawsuit filed by the industry’s largest trade group. (Silverman, 2/8)

Modern Healthcare: Walgreens, AmerisourceBergen Deal Unlikely To Cut Drug Prices
Analysts are scratching their heads over the benefits to be gained from Walgreens Boots Alliance buying a major drug distributor. One thing the unconfirmed deal wouldn't do: lower drug prices. The Deerfield, Ill.-based pharmacy giant is reportedly in talks to buy wholesale drug distributor AmerisourceBergen Corp. The pharmacy chain already owns a roughly 26% stake in AmerisourceBergen, and the two companies purchase drugs together through a joint venture. (Bannow, 2/13)

Bloomberg: Walgreens Surveys Health-Care Landscape In The Face Of Amazon Threat
The remaking of the U.S. health-care industry is gaining speed, and some of the industry’s biggest players are racing to make sure they aren’t left behind. No link in the long chain connecting drugmakers, distributors and insurers to doctors and patients has been untouched by an increasingly vigorous shakeout created by the threat of new competition from Internet giant Amazon.com Inc. and a shifting regulatory landscape. (Langreth, 2/12)

Stat: Drug Makers Loathe These Patent Challenges, And More Are Being Filed Than Ever Before
Last fall, Allergan (AGN) transferred rights for six patents to a best-selling eye drug to a Native American tribe, focusing unprecedented attention on a type of patent challenge that vexes brand-name drug makers. Called inter partes reviews, these are heard before a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office appeals board, not a court, and are generally easier and faster to pursue than more conventional patent lawsuits. Not surprisingly, there are more of these challenges being filed than ever before. (Silverman, 2/13)

Stat: Will New Migraine Drugs Be A Boon — Or Bust — For Patients And Investors?
Drug companies are racing to the market with a new class of pills meant to stop migraines in their tracks — a potential boon for both patients and investors, if the new medications prove both effective and safe. An estimated 37 million Americans suffer from acute migraines, and analysts expect the two leading drugs, from Allergan and Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, to bring in more than $1 billion apiece at their commercial peaks. (Garde, 2/14)

Stat: Bob Hugin To Run For Senate In N.J., Making Drug Prices An Issue At Ballot
Longtime Celgene executive Bob Hugin is launching a campaign to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate — making it likely that the high-stakes race in the pharmaceutical industry’s epicenter will become, at least in part, a referendum on drug prices. Hugin, who retired earlier this month as Celgene’s chairman, plans to announce his candidacy on Tuesday. He’ll run as a Republican seeking to unseat Democrat Robert Menendez, who’s thought to be vulnerable in his quest for a third term after facing bribery charges in a case that has since been dropped. (Robbins and Silverman, 2/12)

The Hill: McCain Urges Trump To Make Good On Promise To Address High Drug Prices 
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) on Monday called on President Trump to make good on his promise to lower drug prices, writing that the problem "is only getting worse." The Trump administration has yet to take substantive action toward reducing the cost of prescription drugs despite promising to do so several times last year and in his State of the Union address last month.  (Hellmann, 2/12)

Kaiser Health News: KHN On NPR: The Uniquely American Problem Of High Prescription Drug Costs
Kaiser Health News Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal discussed drug costs with Scott Simon, the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition on Saturday, Feb. 10. This is a transcript of that conversation. (2/12)

Reuters: Drug Copies Ready To Take Next Bite Out Of Roche's Cancer Sales
European oncologists will soon get their hands on cut-price copies of breast cancer drug Herceptin, turning the screws on maker Roche and giving another boost to a new breed of companies focussed on so-called biosimilars. South Korea's Celltrion is the biggest winner in the biosimilars boom, having tripled in value to $34 billion in the past year as it gears up for more product launches in Europe and the United States. (Hirschler, 2/13)

Stat: Bristol, Needing A Cancer Immunotherapy Boost, Pays Shockingly Steep Price For Nektar Drug
Bristol-Myers Squibb, seeking a new way to make its cancer immunotherapies more effective, is paying a shockingly steep — some will say desperate — price to lock up rights to an experimental drug from Nektar Therapeutics. Under deal terms announced Wednesday, Bristol is paying $1 billion in cash and will make a $850 million equity investment in Nektar at an above-market price in exchange for non-exclusive rights to develop NKTR-214. (Feuerstein, 2/14)

Stat: Is The Novartis Breakthrough Gene Therapy Overpriced Or Not?
Late last year, Novartis (NVS) began marketing a breakthrough gene therapy for treating youngsters with advanced leukemia and slapped a $475,000 price tag on the one-time treatment. The eye-popping number sparked debate, but the drug was quickly deemed cost effective by a nonprofit watchdog.The controversy is far from over, though. (Silverman, 2/9)

Forbes: Patient Advocate Says Novartis' $475,000 Breakthrough Should Cost Just $160,000
David Mitchell, 67, says he’s sure that Novartis’ Kymriah is a breakthrough medicine, and that he will need a similar medicine to treat his own blood cancer. He’s sure of something else, too: Novartis is charging too much.Mitchell, a veteran PR man who is president of Patients for Affordable Drugs, says that Kymriah, which costs $475,000 per treatment for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, should cost only $160,000. That means the price is triple what it should be, by his math, and that Novartis’ breakthrough is overpriced by $315,000.  A research analysis to back up this assertion, co-authored by Mitchell, is being published in the journal Health Affairs this morning, with more detailed results published on Patients for Affordable Drugs’ web site. (Herper, 2/8)

WRIC: Lawmakers Take Aim At Scam Driving Up Drug Prices
Virginia lawmakers are taking aim at a hidden scam driving up prescription drug prices. It’s called a ‘copay clawback’ and 8News first exposed this little-known secret back in December. “The bill before you is a pro-consumer, pro-transparency bill that will help patients and our brick and mortar pharmacists back in our districts,” says Delegate Todd Pillion from Virginia’s 4th District. (O'Brien, 2/9)

Denver Post: Novartis Layoffs To Start In April At Closing Broomfield Plant 
Novartis, a Switzerland-based global health care company, will begin layoffs in April at its Sandoz division in Broomfield. The company announced the closure of its generic drug manufacturing facility late last year. The first wave of layoffs, set for April 7, will include 65 employees, according to a a notice filed by the company with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. (High, 2/9)

Stat: Greek Prime Minister Vows To Recover Billions 'Stolen' By Novartis In Bribery Scandal
The Greek government plans to recover billions of dollars from Novartis (NVS) for overcharging for medicines in connection with the sensational bribery scandal engulfing the country and embattling the drug maker. In comments to lawmakers on Monday, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras urged parliament to investigate allegations that Novartis bribed several former high-ranking government ministers and doctors in order to fix prices and boost sales to hospitals. (Silverman, 2/12)

Stat: Seeking Safety In Numbers, Ireland Wants To Join Multinational Coalition To Fight High Drug Prices
Underscoring a need to control the rising cost of medicines, the Irish government is holding talks with four other small European nations about joining their coalition that negotiates with drug makers. In a statement, Ireland’s health minister, Simon Harris, noted that he had sent a formal letter of intent to open negotiations with Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Austria to join their BeNeLuxA Initiative, which assesses the cost and benefits of medicines, and bargains over pricing. (Silverman, 2/13)