1. The Justice Department contacted Patient Services, which helps patients pay the out-of-pocket costs of drugs, in connection with a probe into the marketing of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals’ cholesterol-lowering drug Juxtapid. Aegerion plead guilty to misbranding charges and will pay more than $35 million to resolve those allegations. (Reuters)
2. The most heavily promoted drugs in Canada were found to have little therapeutic value, according to a new study. Researchers said that the study questions whether doctors should read journal ads or seek sales reps for more information about promoted drugs. (CMAJ)
3. Allergan received a refusal-to-file letter from the FDA for a supplemental new drug application for its schizophrenia drug, Vraylar, for an indication that would allow the drugmaker to market it as a treatment for negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
4. The FDA said clinical-trial results of PTC Therapeutics’ experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, ataluren, were “clearly negative.” An advisory committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday. (Endpoints News)
5. ICYMI: AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez believes that criticism of high drug prices is waning, and the company “sees little risk of significant changes in drug price regulation in the U.S.” (Axios)
