1. The FDA approved Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic, a once-weekly injection set to compete with other GLP-1 therapies such as Eli Lilly’s Trulicity. (Reuters)
2. Walgreens is rebranding itself to reach female millennial and Gen X consumers with an updated mobile app, loyalty program, and website in the wake of mergers, including CVS Health and Aetna. The drugstore chain is partnering with Med Express to launch urgent care centers in four states, as part of a pilot test. (CNBC)
3. Drugmakers are increasingly transparent about their clinical trial data, with public availability of results up in 505 trials for 19 novel drugs, a new study found. Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi/Genzyme had high transparency marks, while Valeant was at the bottom. (Endpoints News)
4. Drugmakers such as GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and AstraZeneca plan to invest in Britain post-Brexit, as part of the country’s Life Sciences Sector Deal. GSK will invest $54 million in genomic research, and Merck plans to expand its research operations in Britain. (Reuters)
5. A Philadelphia jury ordered Bayer and Johnson & Johnson to pay $27.8 million in damages to a patient taking blood-thinning drug Xarelto, concluding the drug was responsible for her being hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding. The drugmakers plan to appeal the verdict. (Bloomberg)
