Pfizer Vaccine Dramatically Cuts Long Covid Risk; Subcutaneous Jynneos Gives Strong Antibody Response
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN's Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
CIDRAP:
COVID Vaccine May Cut Long-Term Symptoms Up To 80%
COVID-19 patients who had received two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine reported 8 of the 10 most common long-COVID symptoms 50% to 80% less often than their unvaccinated counterparts, finds an ongoing Israeli study published in the Nature journal npj Vaccines. (Van Beusekom, 9/12)
CIDRAP:
Monkeypox Vaccine-Maker Data Show Strong Response
In contrast to a recent Dutch preprint that cast doubt on the efficacy of Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos (modified vaccinia Ankara [MVA]) vaccine to produce significant neutralizing antibodies to monkeypox, the company has released its own preprint study showing that single and two-dose Jynneos vaccinations administered subcutaneously induced durable neutralizing antibody responses in healthy volunteers. (Soucheray, 9/12)
The Washington Post:
Ketamine Shown To Curb Suicidal Thoughts In New Research
Throughout his 15-year battle with depression, Anthony, 52, could barely get out of bed. He kept empty liter-size soda bottles nearby for when he couldn’t get to the bathroom. Showering and walking out the front door was a feat. He wouldn’t have thought to amuse himself with a tune. (Kornfield, 9/12)
ScienceDaily:
Researchers Develop Messenger RNA Therapy For Ovarian Cancer, Muscle Wasting
Researchers have developed a promising, first-of-its-kind messenger RNA therapy for ovarian cancer as well as cachexia, a muscle-wasting condition associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses. (Oregon State University, 9/13)
North Carolina Health News:
Counterfeit Pills More Common In Street Drug Supply
These days, if you buy a pill off the streets, it’s most likely a counterfeit. Even if a pill says “Xanax” on it — unless acquired directly from a pharmacy — it’s likely something else. (Knopf, 9/6)
New England Journal of Medicine:
Neoadjuvant Cemiplimab For Stage II To IV Cutaneous Squamous-Cell Carcinoma
In a pilot study involving patients with cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma, a high percentage of patients had a pathological complete response with the use of two doses of neoadjuvant cemiplimab before surgery. (Gross, M.D., et al, 9/12)
The Gainesville Sun:
Behavioral Treatments To Treat Sleep Disruptions More Effective Than Sleep Drugs
The use of medication to treat sleep disturbances has fallen dramatically in the U.S. in recent years after several decades of climbing steeply, according to a study by a team of researchers led by a University of Florida Health scientist. (Mallard, 9/11)
Stat:
Akero Drug For NASH Reduces Liver Scarring, Goal Of Mid-Stage Study
Akero Therapeutics said Tuesday that an experimental medicine improved liver scarring at twice the rate of a placebo without worsening other symptoms — achieving the main goal of a mid-stage clinical trial involving patients with the fatty liver disease known as NASH. (Feuerstein, 9/13)
Modern Healthcare:
Humira Biosimilar Savings May Face Delays
Humira, the rheumatoid arthritis and anti-inflammatory biologic that has netted AbbVie nearly $200 billion in sales, has benefited from nearly two decades of exclusivity, allowing the manufacturer to hike the price 470% since the drug was introduced. The monopoly will end with the introduction of several Food and Drug Administration-approved copycat versions slated to hit the market in 2023, and more are on the way. (Kacik, 9/13)
Stat:
How Drugmakers Are Turning Telehealth Into A Marketing Gold Mine
A familiar refrain echoes through drug ads in the United States. It’s heard at the end of TV spots and plastered across magazine pages: Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you. But as medicine moves increasingly online, direct-to-consumer advertising is adopting a more assertive catchphrase: Talk to a doctor now. (Palmer, 9/14)
