Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pandemic Hit Sales Of Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes Drugs
Bloomberg: Covid Surge Slashes Drug Sales For Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes
Fewer routine doctor visits, procedures and screenings for cancer and other diseases during the pandemic hit pharmaceutical companies hard in the first quarter, slowing sales of everything from vaccines to diabetes therapies and oncology drugs. Merck & Co. reported fewer new patients starting treatment with its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda and getting vaccinated for HPV and pneumococcal disease. Sales of Amgen Inc.’s top arthritis drug Enbrel declined as fewer patients were diagnosed and started treatment. And Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. saw revenue drop for a key cancer drug and other products administered in health-care settings. The shares of all three declined on Thursday. (Court, 4/29)
NPR: Encouraging Results For Alzheimer's Drug Repurposed For Fragile X Syndrome
An experimental drug intended for Alzheimer's patients seems to improve both language and learning in adults with Fragile X syndrome. The drug, called BPN14770, increased cognitive scores by about 10% in 30 adult males after 12 weeks, a team reports in the journal Nature Medicine. That is enough to change the lives of many people with Fragile X, says Mark Gurney, CEO of Tetra Therapeutics, developer of the medicine." People with Fragile X with an IQ of 40 are typically living with their parents or in an institutional setting," Gurney says. "With an IQ of 50, in some cases they're able to ride the bus, they're able to hold a job with some assistance and they're able to function better in their community." (Hamilton, 4/30)
Fox News: Dental Opioid Prescriptions Ups Overdose Risk For Patients, Families: Study
A large-scale study analyzing national claims data linked dental opioid prescriptions with an increased risk for an overdose among patients and their family members. Researchers affiliated with the University of Michigan published findings in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on Thursday, drawing from data on over 8.5 million dental procedures from 2011-2018 among privately and publicly insured patients aged 13 to 64. The most common procedures addressed acute dental pain, tooth extraction and root canals. (Rivas, 4/29)
FiercePharma: Johnson & Johnson Scores In Talc Appeals As NJ Court Knocks Down $117M Verdict
Johnson & Johnson has been hit with billions in talc verdicts, but it's had mixed success in appeals. With a new decision Wednesday, the company chalked up its latest appeals win. A court in J&J's home state of New Jersey struck down a $117 million verdict against the drugmaker originally handed down there in 2018, Bloomberg reports. The court ruled that the trial judge shouldn’t have allowed certain expert testimony, so J&J and its talc partner Imerys—which has since declared bankruptcy—deserve another trial. (Sagonowsky, 4/28)
FiercePharma: Can Regeneron Make 'Monoclonal Antibodies' A Catchphrase? New COVID-19 Ad Campaign Gives It A Go
What's the hottest new catchphrase on TV? Monoclonal antibodies. Well, maybe not yet, but the phrase is the star of Regeneron's new TV ad campaign. In one of four new TV ads, people wearing face masks go about their day casually chatting to one another or listening to the radio, repeating the phrase “monoclonal antibodies.” Then a doctor on a telehealth call tells an older male patient that he has COVID-19 and adds “let’s talk about monoclonal antibodies.” (Bulik, 4/28)
