Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pharma Is Still 'Getting Away With Murder,' Trump Says Hinting At Intent To Bring Down Costs
The Hill: Trump Promises Action On Drug Prices
President Trump on Monday attacked prescription drug companies and hinted at taking action to bring down rising drug prices. “We are going to get prescription drug prices way down because the world is taking advantage of us,” Trump said during a wide-ranging press conference. (Weixel, 10/16)
In other pharmaceutical news —
The New York Times: Patents For Restasis Are Invalidated, Opening Door To Generics
A federal judge in Texas invalidated four key patents for the dry-eye treatment Restasis on Monday, dealing a blow to its manufacturer, Allergan, which had sought to protect its patents by transferring them to a Native American tribe. The ruling, by United States Circuit Judge William C. Bryson of the Eastern District of Texas, does not mean that generic versions of the drug will be available soon, however. Allergan said that it would appeal the decision, and the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved copycat versions of the drug. (Thomas, 10/16)
Bloomberg: Drugmakers Are Planning To Start A Phase 2 Trial To Cure Peanut Allergy
Aimmune Therapeutics Inc. is teaming with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. in hopes of developing a cure for peanut allergies. Aimmune, based in Brisbane, California, specializes in food allergy treatments and has been developing a desensitizing therapy, AR101, to protect peanut allergy sufferers against reactions from accidental exposures. By combining AR101 with Regeneron’s inflammation-inhibiting drug Dupixent, the companies are seeking to increase protection enough so patients stop reacting to peanuts even after treatment ends. (Chen, 10/16)
