In a historic decision that could affect approvals going forward, the Food and Drug Administration has approved Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab. The drug, which targets beta-amyloid in the brain, has had a controversial path, with some experts arguing there isn’t enough evidence of efficacy. (STAT)
U.S. vaccination rates have dropped off, imperiling President Biden’s goal of getting 70% of adults inoculated by July 4. With fewer than one million shots being administered per day, the decline is turning the vaccination sprint into a marathon. (The Washington Post)
Johnson & Johnson is cutting off its collaboration with Argenx over the company’s anti-CD70 antibody cusatuzumab. Argenx says it will “evaluate all alternatives to advance” the drug with its current Phase Ib data. (Endpoints News)
Older adults are often subject to “polypharmacy,” or being prescribed a large number of drugs that may not interact well with one another. It’s spurring healthcare providers to consider “deprescribing” in an effort to reduce adverse drug reactions. (The New York Times)
The Biden administration will provide 750,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan as part of its vaccine diplomacy strategy. Taiwan, which holds geopolitical significance in U.S.-China relations, is currently experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak and a vaccine shortage. (Politico)
