1. Biogen licensed an experimental antibody, BMS-986168, which is being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb to treat Alzheimer’s disease and a neurodegenerative disease known as supranuclear palsy. Biogen doled out $300 million upfront for the license.
2. Apple has hired a number of biomedical engineers to work on sensors that monitor blood sugar levels to improve the treatment of diabetes, according to unnamed sources. (CNBC)
3. A physician who is facing felony bribery charges is on the speaker circuit, telling healthcare providers about the dangers of accepting money from drug and device makers. “We have not been prepared for the business of medicine,” she warned providers. “We were taught the medicine of medicine.” (WaPo)
4. A new study published in Pain said that one-third of nursing home residents aren’t receiving enough medicine to properly address their pain, according to data from 2011 and 2012. One of the study’s authors is a consultant for CVS Caremark. (Reuters)
5. President Trump threatened to suspend payments to insurance companies in a bid to begin negotiations with Democrats on his healthcare bill. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government makes payments directly to insurers to reduce copays and deductibles for low-income customers. (WSJ)
