Fri.Dec 08, 2023

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In historic decision, FDA approves a CRISPR-based medicine for treatment of sickle cell disease

STAT

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the world’s first medicine based on CRISPR gene-editing technology, a groundbreaking treatment for sickle cell disease that delivers a potential cure for people born with the chronic and life-shortening blood disorder. The new medicine , called Casgevy, is made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics.

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SAEM Clinical Images Series: Bulge in the Belly

ALiEM - Pharm Pearls

A 45-year-old male status-post right nephrectomy secondary to a renal mass presented to the emergency department with right-sided flank pain. He endorsed low-grade intermittent right-sided flank pain since the nephrectomy one year prior, associated with an increasingly enlarging mass extending laterally from his right abdomen. Over the course of the past several days, the mass had become larger and more painful.

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Opinion: After living with sickle cell disease for 39 years, I’m both excited and skeptical about the newly approved gene therapies

STAT

For 39 years, I have lived with sickle cell disease. As of late, the sickle cell community has heard a lot of excitement about gene therapy’s potential to be the cure we’ve all been waiting for. That potential took a step toward fulfillment Friday when the Food and Drug Administration approved Casgevy from Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ and Lyfgenia from Bluebird Bio, both gene therapy treatments for people with sickle cell.

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ASBM and GaBI Webinar Examines Policy Challenges to Interchangeable Biosimilars

Safe Biologics

On November 30, ASBM and the Generics and Biosimilars Initiative (GaBI) hosted I nterchangeable Designation for Biosimilars- Ensuring Continuity of Patient Care: Upholding Interchangeability Status for Biosimilars. The webinar was the fourth in a series covering key health policy issues. The most recen t of the webinars, hosted July 29th, examined the negative impact of the Inflation Reducation Act’s Medicare drug price setting provisions.

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Position Your Pharmacy for Expansion

Speaker: Chris Antypas and Josh Halladay

Access to limited distribution drugs and payer contracts are key to pharmacy expansion. But how do you prepare your operations to take the next step? Meaningful data: Collect and share clinical data regarding outcomes, utilization, and more Reporting: Limited distribution models require efficient tracking and reporting systems Workflows: Align workflows with specific pharma and payer contractual requirements For in-depth, expert insights on pharmacy expansion, watch this webinar from Inovalon.

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STAT+: A Q&A with the CEO of CRISPR Therapeutics on a historic approval and the road ahead

STAT

Editas Medicine, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Intellia Therapeutics were all started in the 2013-2014 time frame with the same goal of turning the nascent CRISPR gene-editing technology into medicines. With the approval of Casgevy , the world’s first gene-edited therapy and a potential cure for sickle cell disease, CRISPR Therapeutics won the race.

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The FDA is poised to approve the first CRISPR drug. Here’s what’s next in gene editing.

PharmaVoice

A look at the fast-evolving pipeline for gene editing therapies.

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CRISPR therapy for sickle cell approved by FDA in gene editing milestone

BioPharma Dive

In addition to clearing Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy, the FDA also granted an early OK to Bluebird bio’s sickle cell treatment Lyfgenia.

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STAT+: New proposals for scientific misconduct investigations worry some research universities

STAT

Research universities are voicing concerns over some proposed changes to the process for reviewing scientific misconduct allegations, citing worries that new government requirements would hobble their own independent procedures and constitute a huge administrative burden. Nearly two decades since it last released research misconduct rules, the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) is ready to update its requirements for ensuring the scientific standards of projects funded by the U.S.

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Cambridge researchers redesign future mRNA therapeutics

Pharma Times

One-third of patients who received Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine had unintended immune responses - News - PharmaTimes

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STAT+: Vertex gets a win as Colorado board leaves cystic fibrosis drug off a list of unaffordable medicines

STAT

In a win for Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a Colorado state board voted not to place the company’s best-selling cystic fibrosis medication on a list of drugs for which payment limits will be set for most residents, including those whose insurance is covered by a government agency or a commercial health plan. The Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board voted unanimously that the expensive medicine, which carries a wholesale price of about $310,000 in the U.S. before any rebates or discoun

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5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Pharmacy Management Software

Are you still using workarounds to manage your daily operations? To achieve peak performance, it's time to explore other options for specialty and infusion pharmacy software. Streamline pharmacy operations and improve clinical performance with automated processing, real-time data exchange, and electronic decision support. Download this helpful infographic to: Drive efficiency and patient adherence from referral receipt to delivery and ongoing care – all with our Pharmacy Cloud.

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NHS England board questions if IT will be in place for January Pharmacy First rollout

The Pharmacist

NHS England is not confident IT solutions will be in place for the planned 31 January rollout of Pharmacy First, senior officials have revealed. The Government had already said the rollout date was subject to the ‘appropriate digital systems being in place’ to support the services. However, during a public meeting yesterday NHS England’s board was told […] The post NHS England board questions if IT will be in place for January Pharmacy First rollout appeared first on The Pharmacist.

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Opinion: Clients bring politics into the therapy room. Here’s what that means for the therapist

STAT

“Can I tell you what I really think about what’s going on?” she asks, looking down and clutching her coffee, her right sneaker tapping. I had been fairly sure about two things ahead of our session: one, that she would talk about the Conflict, and two, that I would dislike what she was going to say. I gulp what I hope is a hidden gulp, every inch of me wanting to tell her no actually, can we please not go there and just stick with your relationship unhappiness?

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FDA Approves Two Landmark Cell-Based Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease

PharmExec

FDA approval of bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia and Vertex Pharmaceuticals' and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy marks significant milestone in the treatment of sickle cell disease.

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Chronic fatigue syndrome estimated to affect 3.3 million in U.S., more than previously thought: CDC

STAT

Health officials on Friday released the first nationally representative estimate of how many U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome: 3.3 million. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s number is larger than previous studies have suggested, and is likely boosted by some of the patients with  long COVID. The condition clearly “is not a rare illness,” said the CDC’s Dr.

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Pricey new gene therapies for sickle cell pose access test

BioPharma Dive

Casgevy, the first CRISPR therapy approved by the FDA, will cost $2.2 million, while a competing genetic medicine also cleared Friday is priced at $3.1 million.

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STAT+: Medicare’s advisory committee isn’t sold on big pay raises for doctors

STAT

On Thursday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reviewed Medicare performance data and concluded that despite doctors’ protests that their pay hasn’t kept up with inflation over the last 20 years, doctors shouldn’t get more than a minor raise for 2025. On the other hand, the committee admitted hospitals could use a larger increase in payment rates.

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FDA approves first gene therapies to treat patients with sickle cell disease

World Pharma News

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two milestone treatments, Casgevy and Lyfgenia, representing the first cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients 12 years and older. Additionally, one of these therapies, Casgevy, is the first FDA-approved treatment to utilize a type of novel genome editing technology, signaling an innovative advancement in the field of gene therapy.

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STAT+: New proposals for scientific misconduct investigations worry some research universities

STAT

Research universities are voicing concerns over some proposed changes to the process for reviewing scientific misconduct allegations, citing worries that new government requirements would hobble their own independent procedures and constitute a huge administrative burden. Nearly two decades since it last released research misconduct rules, the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) is ready to update its requirements for ensuring the scientific standards of projects funded by the U.S.

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Merck suffers bad week as 3 Keytruda combination trials fail

BioPharma Dive

The setbacks for Merck demonstrate the challenge drug developers face in improving on Keytruda, which has brought in at least $18 billion so far this year for its maker.

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Morning Rounds: 3D-printed organs, antimicrobial resistance in Ukraine, and other major health stories of the day

STAT

Understand how science, health policy, and medicine shape the world everyday. Sign up for our Morning Rounds newsletter here. Institutions push back on scientific misconduct rules Investigating scientific research misconduct is necessarily a heavy lift for universities and other institutions. Many are now saying that proposed  changes  from the U.S.

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Vitamin D supplements do not prevent bone fractures in children, suggests study

The Pharmacist

A new study involving nearly 9,000 children deficient in Vitamin D found that supplementing children’s diets with Vitamin D had very little impact on the strength of a child’s bones or the number of fractures they had. The findings, which the researchers describe as ‘striking’, are published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology and will likely have […] The post Vitamin D supplements do not prevent bone fractures in children, suggests study appeared first on The Pharmacist.

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STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

STAT

Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others.   That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going. And here is our regular feature in which we highlight a different person each week.

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AbbVie Collaborates with BigHat Biosciences on Next-Gen Therapeutic Antibodies

PharmaTech

This collaboration will combine BigHat Biosciences’ AI/ML-guided Milliner platform with AbbVie's expertise in oncology and neuroscience to develop next-generation antibodies.

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CRISPR is about to make history. Here’s the 5-minute rundown of what to expect

STAT

Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today?  Sign up  to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Today, we talk about the much-awaited CRISPR-based drug Casgevy, discuss the new Gavi initiative that plans to dramatically ramp up vaccine manufacturing in Africa, and more. Have a nice weekend!

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Competitive Intelligence Quiz

PharmaState Academy

"The Quiz competition is on! Participate Now! Note: You can participate only 1 time. Participation by using another name & email id will lead to disqualification. The winner will be announced after profile verification. Once you're a winner, you will not be considered for the prizes for another two months. Note: You can participate only 1 time. Participation by using another name & email id will lead to disqualification.

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Revisiting the Landscape of Potential Nitrosamines in Pharmaceuticals using CPCA framework: Q&A with Naiffer Romero – Part Two

Quality Matters

Revisiting the Landscape of Potential Nitrosamines in Pharmaceuticals using CPCA framework: Q&A with Naiffer Romero – Part Two Quality Matters recently sat down with USP Principal Scientist Naiffer Romero, who has teamed up with researchers at LHASA Limited, AstraZeneca, Sai Life Sciences and Merck for collaborative research on nitrosamine impurities.

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AbbVie to buy neuroscience specialist Cerevel Therapeutics for $8.7bn

European Pharmaceutical Review

AbbVie has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cerevel Therapeutics and its neuroscience pipeline – including antipsychotic emraclidine – for approximately $8.7 billion. Cerevel’s pipeline includes multiple clinical-stage and preclinical candidates with potential across several diseases including schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and mood disorders.

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BioMed X launches call for applications in autoimmune disease research

Pharma Times

The project will explore the biology of human autoreactive plasma cells - News - PharmaTimes

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Sanofi to focus on 12 blockbuster drug candidates, immunology pipeline

Express Pharma

The 12 blockbuster drugs include nine medicines and vaccines with 2 billion to 5 euros ($2.15-$5.38 billion) in peak sales potential, and three “pipeline-in-a-product” assets with a potential of more than 5 billion euros in peak sales, Sanofi said. Sanofi said on Thursday it will focus on 12 potential blockbuster drug candidates and prioritise development in immunology, as it faces investor pressure after abandoning 2025 margin targets while boosting research and development spending

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Transforming Medication Access with the Next Generation of Patient Support Services

Drug Channels

Today’s guest post comes from Kelly Martin, Vice President of Product Management at CoverMyMeds. Kelly discusses the obstacles that patients face when attempting to access, afford, and adhere to specialty therapies. She describes how CoverMyMeds improves the patient experience by blending technology with human expertise and connection. Click here to learn about CoverMyMed’s next-generation patient support services.

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MHRA authorises Mounjaro for weight management

European Pharmaceutical Review

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised diabetes medicine, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), for weight loss and weight management in adults aged 18 and over. Mounjaro is now authorised for adults with a BMI of 30kg/m² or more (obesity), as well as those with a BMI between 27-30kg/m² (overweight) who also have weight-related health problems eg, prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart problems.

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Pfizer’s multiple myeloma treatment secures conditional approval in EU

Pharmaceutical Technology

Pfizer has added the EU to its growing number of markets for its targeted immunotherapy intended for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

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A Guide on Determining Stability of Molecular Crystals in Pharmaceutical Drug Development

Pharmaceutical Commerce

Study analyzes and predicts how conditions in research and development can be predicted via computer simulation.

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Signal: US lays out plan to seize govt-funded drug patents to lower cost

Pharmaceutical Technology

The newly announced plans would allow third parties to manufacture such drugs if manufacturers make them unaffordable.

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Pharmacy minister briefed on ‘critical’ issues facing sector

The Pharmacist

The new pharmacy minister has been briefed on a range of ‘critical topics’ within the sector, including Pharmacy First, funding, pressures and digital interfaces. Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison met with Dame Andrea Leadsom – who was recently appointed the parliamentary under secretary of state with responsibility for primary care – this […] The post Pharmacy minister briefed on ‘critical’ issues facing sector appeared first on The Pharmacist.