A screengrab from BIO advertisement, Time is Precious

1. The chairman of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization told attendees at the lobbying group’s conference that “the industry has become an easy scapegoat” on the issue of patient access to costly, new medicines. He added that the “industry is fighting back” and passed out talking points for common industry criticisms. (Bloomberg)

2. The FDA rejected 73% of generic drug applications in March and April, a record high. The agency denied 190 applications and approved 53. (RAPS)

3. An FDA advisory panel recommended Pfizer’s long-acting opioid painkiller, Troxyca ER, for approval. The drug is meant to curb abuse by releasing naltrexone when its crushed. (Reuters)

4. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said there’s no point in giving away cancer treatments to some parts of Africa because they lack the infrastructure to facilitate positive patient outcomes. “It is not only a question of medicine, it is a question of infrastructure. Where is the hospital? Where is the doctor?” he said during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s meeting last weekend. (BBC)

5. Valeant’s experimental treatment for psoriasis brodalumab will face an FDA advisory committee on July 19. An earlier trial for the drug, conducted by Amgen and AstraZeneca, was halted due to reports of suicidal thoughts and behavior in patients.