Researchers Seek Ways To Add Speed, Economy, And Flexibility To Process Of Producing Drugs

Stat: Fast, Nimble, And On Demand: The Pursuit Of A New Way To Mass Produce Medicines
Today there’s essentially one model for drug production: make as much as possible. But J. Christopher Love, a professor of chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has spent the last five years pursuing a different vision: a desktop drug manufacturing process that would be fast and nimble enough to help combat a small disease outbreak, treat an unusual cancer, or replace a rare enzyme. He’s not there yet, but in a paper published this week in Nature Biotechnology, Love and his colleagues showed that they can produce thousands of doses of clinical-quality biologically based drugs in about three days. (Weintraub, 10/4)

Stat: Ohio Medicaid Examines A Curious PBM Relationship
In recent months, controversy over the Ohio Medicaid program has provided a rare window into some of the fees paid to pharmacy benefit managers and the subsequent effect on prescription drug costs. Now, an audit finds a new twist: A managed care plan that contracted with the state program collected $20 million through a curious arrangement that has raised concern among state officials. (Silverman, 10/5)

Kaiser Health News: No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist ‘Gag Orders’ On Drug Prices
For years, most pharmacists couldn’t give customers even a clue about an easy way to save money on prescription drugs. But the restraints are coming off. When the cash price for a prescription is less than what you would pay using your insurance plan, pharmacists will no longer have to keep that a secret. (Jaffe, 10/10)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers Proposes To Fine Pharmaceutical Firms Over Price Hikes
Democratic candidate for governor Tony Evers would seek to lower prescription drug prices by creating a new state board that would have the authority to review price hikes and impose fines on drug makers for "excessive" increases. The plan Evers released Monday also would require drug companies to justify large price increases, make the state’s prescription drug program for seniors cover flu shots and allow importing drugs from Canada. (Beck, 10/8)

Columbus Dispatch: Taxpayers May Be Paying Twice For The Same Medicaid Drug Services
The team that discovered that Ohio taxpayers were overcharged up to $186 million for Medicaid prescription drugs last year has uncovered an additional $20 million that might have been wasted to fund services for which taxpayers already were paying. And state Medicaid officials initially did not want that information made public. (Schladen and Sullivan, 10/7)

The Wall Street Journal: Drugmaker Perrigo Hires Ex-Food And Tobacco Executive As CEO
Perrigo Co. has hired a former food and tobacco industry executive to lead the company, less than a year after the drugmaker picked a pharmaceutical and health care manufacturer veteran to lead a turnaround effort. (Armental and Nakrosis, 10/8)

Bloomberg: Perrigo Taps Tobacco Executive As CEO In Shift From Drugs
Kessler, 59, is the former CEO of Lorillard Tobacco Co. He replaces Uwe Roehrhoff, who was appointed president and CEO in January to replace John Hendrickson. Perrigo has been trying to turn itself around after a 16 percent decline in the shares in the past 12 months. It’s in the process of separating its prescription drugs business and refocusing on consumer health products such as an over-the-counter version of heartburn drug Nexium. The separation will be completed by year-end, and options include a sale or merger. (Hopkins, 10/8)

The Wall Street Journal: Pfizer Prepares For CEO Transition With Executive Suite Changes
Pfizer Inc. assigned new leadership roles and jobs to a range of top executives, as the drugmaker prepares for Albert Bourla to begin his tenure as chief executive in January. Earlier this month, Pfizer said its CEO, Ian Read, would leave the job after eight years to make way for Mr. Bourla, who currently serves as chief operating officer. (Maidenberg, 10/9)