Express Scripts is pushing back on Novartis’ $4 million to $5 million price for its new gene therapy drug. The drug treats spinal muscular atrophy with a one-time infusion. Novartis’ valuation of the drug has put the company in the middle of the debate over high prices of rare disease treatments. (Reuters)
WPP is planning to merge Wunderman and J Walter Thompson into a shop called Wunderman Thompson with 20,000 staffers in 90 markets. (MM&M) Last month, the holding company said it would eliminate the WPP Health & Wellness brand and combine its healthcare specialist shops with creative agencies, including merging ghg into Wunderman. (MM&M)
Pfizer has won another cancer approval, its fourth in two months. The FDA approved Daurismo with chemo to treat acute myeloid leukemia, giving Pfizer one more cancer treatment under its belt after approvals for two forms of lung cancer. (Endpoints)
A Chinese scientist has claimed he used CRISPR gene-editing technology on twin girls born recently. The scientist, He Jiankui, is expected to speak at the International Summit on Human Genome Editing this week. Meanwhile, gene-editing scientists are scrambling to verify his claim. (STAT)
The FDA has put Zafgen’s diabetes drug trial on hold after health concerns. The agency said the trial was stopped because of heart-safety risks from the drug, but Zafgen says it has not found safety issues yet in other trials of drug. (Reuters)
