Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Moderna Vaccine OK Expected Soon, HHS Buys 100M More Doses
The Hill: Trump Administration To Purchase Another 100M Doses Of Moderna Vaccine
The Trump administration announced on Friday that it will purchase another 100 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, according to a release from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The vaccine is still pending emergency authorization from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) but approval appears likely. (Hellmann, 12/11)
The New York Times: Covid Patient Study Shows Some Benefit From An Arthritis Drug
Adding an arthritis drug called baricitinib to Covid treatment regimens that include the antiviral drug remdesivir might shave a day or more off recovery times, especially for those who are seriously sick, according to a study published on Friday. The findings of a government-sponsored clinical trial were made public more than three weeks after the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the dual treatment. Earlier this month, some experts said they were uncomfortable deploying drugs without the opportunity to vet the underlying data supporting their performance. Last month, the World Health Organization also recommended against remdesivir as a treatment for Covid patients because evidence supporting its use was lacking. (Wu, 12/13)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
Stat: AstraZeneca To Acquire Alexion For $39 Billion In Blockbuster Deal
AstraZeneca on Saturday said it was acquiring Alexion Pharmaceuticals for $39 billion, marking a significant expansion into the treatment of rare diseases of the immune system. The deal — a mix of cash and stock — values Alexion at $175 per share, a 45% premium to Friday’s closing stock price. (Feuerstein and Herper, 12/12)
Stat: Historian Tells Judge Making Purdue A Public Benefit Company Is A Bad Idea
For the past few weeks, a U.S. bankruptcy court has heard objections to a plan to transform Purdue Pharma into a public benefit company, which would be run on behalf of the numerous communities that have pursued the drug maker for compensation for the cost of the opioid crisis. The notion is part of an $8.3 billion settlement of criminal and civil charges reached with the Department of Justice. And at a recent hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain cited a new book by an historian to express tentative support for the proposal. (Silverman, 12/11)
