Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said the pharma giant has dropped some early-stage cancer drugs from its pipeline. He attributed the decision to Medicare’s new ability to negotiate certain drug prices, which will make them no longer worthwhile for the company. (Barron’s)
The Food and Drug Administration cleared Thermo Fisher Scientific’s test to detect women with risk of severe preeclampsia. The regulatory nod for the biomarker test will have a significant impact on prognosis and treatment for thousands of women at risk for preeclampsia every year in the U.S., a company executive said.(Reuters)
Moderna presented early data on its mRNA treatment for propionic acidemia, a rare metabolic disease where people can’t break down certain proteins and fats. The findings suggest patients had fewer severe attacks characteristic of the disease following treatment.(Endpoints News)
An independent advisory committee to the FDA voted to recommend a shot that protects infants from RSV by vaccinating their mothers while pregnant. The 14-person panel unanimously recommended the shot, made by Pfizer, based on its efficacy and voted 10-4 to recommend it based on its safety. (Yahoo! Finance)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D-Calif.), suffered previously undisclosed medical complications during her Senate absence, people close to her said. Many described it as “frightening” to see her operating in the Senate in her current state. (The New York Times)
