1. The FDA’s director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Janet Woodcock, told a congressional committee that she is concerned about the agency’s ability to manage biosimilar applications. “What I’m concerned about is that this program is going to explode,” said Woodcock. “I’m concerned that we will not have the staff because we’re always waiting to catch up.” (BioCentury)

2. Johnson and Johnson announced a joint project with biotech Viacyte to speed up the development of its first stem cell type 1 diabetes treatment. The two drugmakers plan to take embryonic stem cells and attempt to turn them into insulin-producing cells that are implanted under the skin. (AP)

3. Celltrion’s biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade gained support from FDA staffers in a report. Data from Celltrion’s development program for CT-P13 showed “no clinically meaningful differences” between it and Remicade, FDA staff wrote in the report. (Bloomberg)

4. House lawmakers sounded off on drug pricing, directing their ire at executives from Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Turing Pharmaceuticals. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) castigated both Nancy Retzlaff, Turing’s chief commercial officer, and Howard Schiller, Valeant’s interim CEO, charging, “You abused the system. I find it repulsive what you’ve done.”  (MM&M)

5. ICYMI: Novo Nordisk said its type 2 diabetes stalwart Victoza is losing market share to Eli Lilly’s Trulicity. Victoza is injected daily while Trulicity only requires a weekly injection. “With the introduction of a new drug like Trulicity, in terms of market share, we are losing share,” CEO Lars Rebien Sørensen said during the company’s full-year earnings call.  (Bloomberg)