Following the U.S. FDA’s March 11 approval of Novo Nordisk A/S’ glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, Wegovy (semaglutide), to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance ensuring coverage.
When it comes to whether Medicare Part D should cover the new anti-obesity drugs, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and lawmakers may be caught between the math and public pressure.
The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of Pfizer Inc.’s Emblaveo (aztreonam-avibactam), an antibiotic combination that would offer a new option to patients with serious bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. If approved, Emblaveo would be among the first beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combos cleared for use in Europe.
In February, the U.S. FDA greenlit 11 new drugs, a slight decrease from the 14 approvals seen in the same month the previous year but an increase from January’s tally of eight FDA approvals.
The U.S. FDA has approved Duvyzat (givinostat), from Italfarmaco SpA, for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It is the first oral, nonsteroidal drug for treating all of DMD’s genetic variants. The oral treatment is approved for those ages 6 and older.
Kevin Dills, who the U.S. SEC said secretly controlled Oncology Pharma Inc., consented to a final civil judgment in federal district court related to a fraudulent stock-selling scheme.
As part of its required series of guidances on using real-world evidence, the U.S. FDA released a draft guidance in response to sponsors’ growing interest in the potential use of observational studies to contribute to a demonstration of the effectiveness or safety of a drug or biologic.
Although there’s bipartisan interest in the U.S. Congress to hold pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) accountable for their contribution to the costliest drug prices in the world, the Biden administration ignored PBMs when it again focused on drug companies as the bad guys of pricing in its proposed 2025 budget.
After months of wrangling, the update of the EU pharmaceutical legislation passed an important milestone on March 19, when members of parliament on the health committee reconciled their opposing views and voted the file through.
Two days after the U.S. FDA announced approval of gene therapy Lenmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel), making it the first treatment option for rare disease metachromatic leukodystrophy, Orchard Therapeutics and parent firm Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. disclosed the wholesale acquisition price of $4.25 million for the one-time treatment, which edges out hemophilia B gene therapy Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec) to become the world’s most expensive drug.