Arizona asks the Supreme Court to intervene in an opioid lawsuit targeting the Sackler family. Arizona’s attorney general asked the U.S. Supreme Court to force the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, to return billions of dollars they took out of the company. The filing is designed to ensure that Purdue has enough money to pay any future settlements. (AP)
Judge allows a lawsuit challenging a California drug price transparency law to proceed. The law requires that pharma companies provide advance notice of price hikes as well as the reasons for any increases. Industry trade group PhRMA claims it is unconstitutional because it violates the interstate commerce clause and free speech guarantees. (STAT)
Health insurers are quietly fighting back on Medicare for All. A coalition of insurers ran ads during the Democratic debates attacking the popular healthcare proposal. At the same time, insurers are attempting to voice opposition without creating a political firestorm. (Wall Street Journal)
Pharma companies are returning to the U.S. as the tax benefits of being based abroad shrink. Mylan, which moved its headquarters to the Netherlands in 2015, and Allergan, which moved to Dublin, have made recent deals to bring the companies stateside again. (MarketWatch)
Vertex is eyeing larger merger and acquisition deals. During a call with analysts, CEO Jeff Leiden said any such deals will focus on cystic fibrosis drugs, new tech platforms and preclinical and early-clinical assets (Endpoints)
