Sanders threatens to subpoena J&J, Merck CEOs over drug prices

The Senate HELP committee, which is seeking testimony from J&J's Joaquin Duato and Merck's Robert Davis, hasn't issued a subpoena since 1981.

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 19, 2024

FDA authorizes Florida to import drugs from Canada

The clearance is a major shift for the agency, which described its decision as a “first step” in allowing Florida to bulk purchase lower-cost Canadian medicines. 

By Jonathan Gardner , Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 5, 2024

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Drug pricing

President Trump’s efforts to install a most-favored nation pricing policy present new risks for an industry already adjusting to Medicare price negotiations.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Humira leads ICER’s latest list of ‘unsupported’ price hikes

AbbVie’s blockbuster medicine topped a list of treatments that, combined, elevated U.S. healthcare spending by $1.3 billion in 2022, according to the price watchdog’s latest yearly report.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 11, 2023

Pricey new gene therapies for sickle cell pose access test

Casgevy, the first CRISPR therapy approved by the FDA, will cost $2.2 million, while Bluebird’s competing genetic medicine is priced at $3.1 million.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Dec. 8, 2023

Biden administration goes after drug patents in bid to lower prices

The White House is supporting a policy that would allow the U.S. government to sidestep patent protections for drugs developed with federal funding and that have prices deemed “extreme, unjustified, and exploitative.”

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 7, 2023

BIO names longtime Amicus head John Crowley as new CEO

Crowley, a rare disease advocate who led Amicus for nearly two decades, will take the reins as the industry group seeks to challenge Medicare’s new drug pricing powers.

By Jonathan Gardner • Dec. 5, 2023

BioMarin secures hemophilia gene therapy coverage in Germany

Drawn-out negotiations led to a lower price than initially expected, but analysts called the agreement a step forward for the biotech company.

By Kristin Jensen • Nov. 29, 2023

FTC challenges patents held by nine big drugmakers, citing unfair competition

The agency claims intellectual property for emergency allergy shot EpiPen and asthma medication Advair was “improperly listed” in an FDA database.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 8, 2023

Biogen, Sage set price of postpartum depression pill at $15,900

The price is below what some analysts had predicted and significantly less than $34,000 Sage initially set for its earlier postpartum infusion, Zulresso.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 7, 2023

PBMs, PhRMA trade blame over drug costs in House hearing

Pharmacy benefit manager lobby PCMA and drugmaker lobby PhRMA pointed fingers over problems in the prescription supply chain during the House committee's second hearing on the PBM industry.

By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 19, 2023

Astellas withdraws lawsuit challenging Medicare drug price program

The drugmaker said it still believes the U.S. government’s price negotiation powers are unconstitutional, but is pulling back a lawsuit it filed in July.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Sept. 7, 2023

Medicare named the first 10 drugs up for negotiation. Now what?

The list of blockbuster cardiovascular, diabetes and cancer drugs gives the industry a window into how regulators are approaching price negotiations.

By Karissa Waddick • Aug. 30, 2023

Medicare names first 10 drugs for price negotiations

The Inflation Reduction Act gave the U.S. government new pricing powers, which CMS put into practice this August with its first slate of blockbuster targets.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated Aug. 29, 2023

AstraZeneca the latest pharma to challenge drug pricing law

The drugmaker's lawsuit follows similar legal challenges from Merck & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson, among others. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 25, 2023

CVS launches new venture in biosimilar drug experiment

The subsidiary, called Cordavis, will work directly with manufacturers to market or co-produce low-cost biologic drugs, starting with Novartis’ Humira copy.

By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 24, 2023

Boehringer sues to block US drug price program

The pharma’s suit, which claims Medicare’s new power to negotiate certain drug prices is unconstitutional, comes days before the agency will reveal the first 10 medicines to be included under the plan.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 22, 2023

Blue Shield of California drops CVS Caremark in pharmacy benefit overhaul

BSCA has kicked CVS Caremark, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the country, to the curb and is electing to carve out various pharmacy functions with companies like Amazon instead.

By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Aug. 17, 2023

EQRx to sell to Revolution Medicines after failed bid to upend US drug pricing

The all-stock deal is a quiet end for the ambitious biotech, which was sold for its billion-dollar bank account after the FDA derailed its plans to develop low-cost cancer medicines.

By Ben Fidler • Aug. 1, 2023

GSK confident in RSV vaccine launch, but sets expectations for ‘steady build’

GSK expects its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine will be a multibillion dollar product. But at the beginning, it’s predicting a slower launch than for its fast-selling shingles shot.

By Delilah Alvarado • July 27, 2023

Biosimilar makers split strategies in bid to take on top-selling Humira

In challenging AbbVie for share of a $19 billion drug market, competitors are testing whether high upfront discounts or behind-the-scenes rebates can win them an advantage.

By Jonathan Gardner • July 26, 2023

J&J joins pharma allies in challenging US drug pricing law

The pharma claimed in federal court that the Inflation Reduction Act, which threatens sales of its blood thinner Xarelto, amounts to “confiscation of constitutionally protected property.”

By Kristin Jensen • July 19, 2023

Pharma’s strike-from-all-sides attack on the IRA could end up at the Supreme Court

Industry lawsuits have taken a ‘multi-pronged’ approach to challenge the Inflation Reduction Act’s price negotiation program on constitutional grounds. 

By Alexandra Pecci • July 6, 2023

Alvotech to raise cash after third FDA rejection for Humira biosimilar

The latest regulatory setback, tied to continuing manufacturing issues, ensures Alvotech and partner Teva won’t be able to launch their drug alongside a wave of emerging Humira copycats.  

By Kristin Jensen • June 29, 2023

Sarepta prices Duchenne gene therapy at $3.2M

The cost makes Sarepta’s treatment among the most expensive medicines in the world. But company executives said they don’t expect significant insurer pushback.

By Ben Fidler • June 22, 2023

AbbVie, Coherus mend dispute over low-price Humira biosimilar

The biosimilar developer’s plans to set steep discounts on its copycat version of AbbVie’s Humira set off a legal back-and-forth between the companies.

By Kristin Jensen • June 15, 2023