Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mylan Launches Semglee, A Biosimilar Insulin, At Discounted Price
Stat: Mylan Launches Low-Cost Biosimilar Insulin, But Many Patients May Not Save
Amid a national outcry over the cost of insulin, one of the largest generic companies launched a biosimilar version at a wholesale price it claimed is 65% less than comparable treatments, although experts say the move is more likely to benefit payers than many patients. Mylan (MYL) is marketing a long-acting version of the best-selling Lantus insulin — which the company named Semglee — for adults with Type 2 diabetes, and adults and children with Type 1 diabetes. But Mylan maintained the price for a package of 5 pens is equivalent to what Lantus sold for in 2007, and that a 10 ml vial is listed at the same price for which Lantus was sold a decade ago. (Silverman, 8/31)
Kaiser Health News: California Rx: State May Dive Into Generic Drug Market
California is poised to become the first state to develop its own line of generic drugs, targeting soaring drug prices and stepping into a fiercely competitive drug market dominated by deep-pocketed pharmaceutical companies. The Democratic-controlled legislature overwhelmingly approved a measure Monday that would direct the state’s top health agency to partner with one or more drug companies by January to make or distribute a broad range of generic or biosimilar drugs — including the diabetes medicine insulin — that are cheaper than brand-name products. (Hart and Young, 9/1)
Stat: Vir And GlaxoSmithKline Begin Pivotal Study Of Covid-19 Antibody Drug
Vir Biotechnology, a San Francisco-based firm focused on infectious disease, and GlaxoSmithKline, the British drug giant, said Monday that they are beginning a study of an antibody drug aimed at treating Covid-19. The study will enroll 1,300 patients around the world who have early symptomatic infection, and will test whether the treatment, VIR-7831, can prevent those patients from being hospitalized. (Herper, 8/31)
Crain's Chicago Business: Chicago Still Sees Demand For Life Sciences Space
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to crush owners of most types of commercial property, four growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have announced deals for new lab spaces in the city over the past six months, belying an otherwise frozen downtown leasing market. The latest one, Chicago-based injectable drugmaker Xeris Pharmaceuticals, is so bullish on the future of the local life sciences scene that it's relocating its research and development team from San Diego to a Near West Side site wholly unproven for scientists doing lab work. (Ecker, 8/31)
Also —
Stat: Advocacy Coalition Urges Justice Department To Charge Opioid Executives
A coalition of advocacy groups and families is asking the Department of Justice to pursue criminal and civil charges against the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, as well as executives of other companies for their role in fomenting the opioid crisis in the U.S. In a letter to Attorney General William Barr, the organizations argue that various companies — both manufacturers and distributors of opioid painkillers — created what they call a “man-made plague” and that executives should be held accountable. (Silverman, 8/31)
