1. Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy Opdivo failed to demonstrate progression-free survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had never received treatment. The Phase-III trial evaluated Opdivo in patients compared to chemotherapy. Evercore ISI analyst Mark Schoenebaum called this trial failure “the biggest clinical surprise” of his career. (Reuters)
Short version of interview with $BMY: We didn’t focus on the smallest group of patients; still believe in combo trial.
— Matthew Herper (@matthewherper) August 5, 2016
2. An FDA advisory panel voted 18-1 in favor of approving Egalet’s abuse-deterrent opioid, Arymo ER. The pills are designed to be harder for addicts to crush.
3. Bayer and AbbVie are focusing some of their research efforts on endometriosis, a disorder that affects women and is difficult to diagnose. Doctors often treat the disease with old medicines, and drugmakers are investigating the development of new alternatives. (Bloomberg)
4. Cephalon settled a case with 48 states over its alleged efforts to delay generic versions of Provigil, a drug used to treat sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Cephalon is owned by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. (Reuters)
5. PhRMA plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a post-election advertising blitz to highlight drugs that save or prolong lives. The lobbying group wants the conversation around healthcare costs to include insurers, saying that they also have a role in making healthcare affordable. (Politico)
