Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Humana Claims Biogen Illegally Paid Copays Under 'Guise' Of Charity
FiercePharma: Biogen Used Charity Giving To Illegally Boost Multiple Sclerosis Drug Sales, Humana Lawsuit Says
For years, federal prosecutors have gone after drug companies for allegedly using charity contributions as a way to boost sales. Biogen was among the pharma players to ink a federal settlement, but now insurance giant Humana is targeting the company’s charity giving with a new lawsuit. In a suit filed in Massachusetts Friday, Humana says Biogen sought to boost sales for multiple sclerosis drugs Tysabri, Avonex and Tecfidera by “seeding” patients with free sample drugs then “sweeping” them onto Medicare and other government insurance programs through its charity giving. (Sagonowsky, 9/27)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
The Wall Street Journal: Merck Nears Deal To Acquire Acceleron Pharma
Merck & Co. is in advanced talks to acquire Acceleron Pharma Inc., XLRN 6.69% according to people familiar with the matter, in a move that would bolster the pharmaceutical giant’s rare-disease business. The deal for Acceleron, which has a market value of around $11 billion, could be announced this week, assuming talks don’t fall apart, the people said. (Lombardo and Dummett, 9/27)
Modern Healthcare: Clinical Care Alone May Not Help Close Racial Gap For Chronic Kidney Disease, Study Finds
Adherence to most recommended care practices to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease was consistently higher among people of color compared to white patients yet those groups still have poorer outcomes from the disease, according to new research. The analysis, published Monday in JAMA Network Open, examined de-identified medical and pharmacy claims, electronic health records, and laboratory results from more than 450,000 commercially insured and Medicare Advantage enrollees from 2012 through 2019. (Johnson, 9/27)
Reuters: Valneva, Pfizer Report Good Phase 2 Results For Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate
French vaccine company Valneva and U.S. drugmaker Pfizer announced on Tuesday more positive Phase 2 results, including on the booster response, for their Lyme disease vaccine candidate VLA15."We are excited by these additional Phase 2 results, which we believe take us a step closer to making a major contribution against this severe disease, subject to regulatory approval," said Valneva's chief medical officer Juan Carlos Jaramillo. (9/28)
