Oh, what a beautiful morning! Pardon the cliché, but crystal clear blue skies and deliciously cool breezes are encompassing the Pharmalot campus today. So we will celebrate our good fortune with a delightful cup of stimulation. Our choice today is toasted hazelnut. As always, you are invited to join us, or grab a water bottle if you prefer. In any event, the to-do list is growing so we are passing along the latest laundry list of interesting items for you to peruse. On that note, we hope you have a smashing day and conquer the world. And of course, do remain in touch. Your tips and insights make the world go round. …
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is expected to file a lawsuit to block Amgen from acquiring Horizon Therapeutics, Bloomberg News writes. The agency will argue that the $27.8 billion deal would hamper innovation and slow the pace of drug development. Such a move would mark the first time in more than a decade that the FTC has sought to stop a pharmaceutical deal outright. The acquisition was expected to close in the next couple of weeks, and a lawsuit could mark a change in how the agency views consolidation in the pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, the FTC allowed drug industry mergers to proceed so long as the companies divested any overlapping treatments.
The White House is summoning naloxone manufacturers for a roundtable focused on the price of the medication, STAT reports. The move would represent the most concrete White House action to date to address pricing for naloxone, which is used to reverse opioid overdoses. While naloxone is viewed as a critical tool in the fight against drug overdose deaths, its high cost has long been a barrier. Narcan, the naloxone product that won over-the-counter approval in March, remains cost-prohibitive for many consumers, public health organizations, and harm-reduction groups. Its manufacturer, Emergent BioSolutions, recently said it would aim to price a two-pack of Narcan at under $50.
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