1. More than 83% of about 500 chronic myeloid leukemia patients taking Novartis’ Gleevec survived for ten years or longer, a Novartis-funded study found. It also found that there were no long-range risks, like heart disease, from taking the drug. (CBS News)
2. Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, the new CEO of Novo Nordisk, is considering acquiring small “bolt-on” companies to expand the company’s product portfolio. (Reuters)
3. Merck KGaA is looking to sell its biosimilars business. The drugmaker has been working with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to develop generic versions of AbbVie’s Humira, Roche’s Rituxan, and Amgen’s Neulasta. (Reuters)
4. Business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and Americans for Tax Reform expressed support for President Trump’s new healthcare plan. Others groups like the American Medical Association have said the bill is “critically flawed.” (The Hill)
5. California insurance giant Blue Shield of California proposed a “preferred” pharmacy plan, which would require consumers under commercial plans to pay up to $50 for drugs outside an established network. (Kaiser Health News)
