STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Ozempic tackling kidney disease, OTC birth control, and more
Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? We are doing just fine, despite a spot or two of rain descending on the Pharmalot campus. In fact, our spirits remain sunny, thanks to a bit of wisdom we learned long ago from the Morning Mayor, which is that every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. So while you tug on the ribbon, we will fire up the coffee kettle for another cup of stimulation. Our choice today is orange creme, a refreshing change of pace. Now, though, the time has come to get busy. So here is the latest menu of tidbits for you to peruse. We hope all goes well and you conquer the world. …
The White House ballyhooed a routine step in Medicare’s new program to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs, its latest effort to draw attention to the program in an election year, STAT writes. The news is not controversial: The pharmaceutical companies that make the first 10 drugs up for negotiation all submitted counteroffers. It’s an incremental step in the new program, which was created in 2022. Earlier this year, Medicare sent its initial price offers to the companies. Neither the Biden administration nor the drug manufacturers have volunteered any information about the White House’s initial price offers or the counteroffers. The process is scheduled to end by Aug. 1.
Novo Nordisk’s diabetes medication Ozempic cut the risk of patients developing advanced kidney disease or dying from kidney or heart complications, adding to the evidence the wildly popular drug has broader health benefits for patients beyond addressing their diabetes, STAT notes. Overall, Ozempic lowered the risk of progression of kidney disease and of related health events by 24% versus placebo, according to the topline study results. The company, which will present full study data later this year, plans to file for an expanded approval of Ozempic based on the data in both the U.S. and Europe.
Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…
