Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Novo Sues Florida Compounding Pharmacies For Impure Wegovy Doses
Reuters: Novo Nordisk Finds Compounded Wegovy Up To 33% Impure, Sues Florida Pharmacies
Novo Nordisk said on Thursday it sued one compounding pharmacy and refiled a lawsuit against another after finding their products claiming to contain the active ingredient for its in-demand weight-loss drug Wegovy were impure, some by as much as 33%. The Danish drugmaker said it found impurities in all the drugs tested from Wells Pharmacy and Brooksville Pharmaceuticals, both based in Florida. Novo first sued Brooksville in July, and discovered a substance called BPC-157 in samples from Wells. (Wingrove, 12/1)
Reuters: AbbVie Seeks Lift From 'Guided Missile' Cancer Drug With $10 Bln ImmunoGen Deal
AbbVie will buy ImmunoGen for $10.1 billion in cash, it said on Thursday, the latest major drugmaker to acquire a maker of promising "guided missile" cancer therapies as its top-selling treatment Humira faces newer rivals. ImmunoGen's Elahere belongs to a new class of treatments called antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) that precisely targets cancer cells, potentially reducing toxicity for other cells. (Leo and Mishra, 11/30)
Reuters: US FDA Probes Quality Issues With China-Made Plastic Syringes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Thursday it is looking into reports of leaks, breakages and other quality problems with plastic syringes manufactured in China. The agency was conducting further investigations along with federal partners and may prevent plastic syringes made in China from entering the U.S. market, if necessary, it said. (11/30)
On the opioid crisis —
Stat: Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Settlement Reaches Supreme Court
After weeks of anticipation, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear arguments to decide the fate of a controversial bankruptcy deal in which the owners of Purdue Pharma would contribute up to $6 billion in exchange for immunity from further lawsuits. (Silverman, 12/1)
Side Effects Public Media: The White House Is Urging Schools To Address A Rise In Fentanyl Exposure Among Teens
Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, is a life saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses. But in two-thirds of adolescent overdose deaths the medication wasn’t used even though there was someone nearby. The main driving factor behind these overdose deaths is fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is so potent even a tiny amount can be fatal. (Li, 11/30)
