Hello, everyone, and how are you today? Gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus this morning, but our spirits remain sunny. And why not? Once again, we are reminded of a favorite bit of wisdom from the Morning Mayor: “Every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.” So go ahead — tug on the ribbon, and join us for a delicious cup of stimulation. Our choice today is the flavorful chocolate raspberry. As always, do feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some items of interest to get you going. Hope you have a smashing day, and do stay in touch. We appreciate new pen pals. …
PhRMA has a reputation in Washington for might, money, scorched-earth tactics, and fighting even the tiniest of policy changes, but over the last year, the powerful industry trade group has lost its edge, STAT explains. Though PhRMA blared for years that allowing the government to negotiate drug prices would threaten the industry’s existence, the organization failed to muster the money or clout to stop the policy in the final stretch. PhRMA may have watered down the major reforms, but did not mount a pressure campaign as in the past, nor dramatically spike its lobbying spending or attack supporters in this year’s mid-terms, despite some dramatic threats to do so.
Just weeks ago at company headquarters, Haruo Naito, the 74-year-old chief executive of Japan’s Eisai, was feeling vindicated after almost four decades of trying to develop an Alzheimer’s drug, The Financial Times writes. “I think it is safe to say that the results have proved that the condition will improve by removing the amyloid-beta aggregates,” Naito, the grandson of Eisai’s founder, said in an interview held before the death of a second patient was disclosed. “With lecanemab as a beginning, we are feeling increasingly confident that we can develop the next Alzheimer’s drugs, one after the other.”
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