Laxman Dige’s Post

The drug price inflation rate is expected to hit 3.8% next year, thanks largely to increased use of expensive medications like GLP-1s and cell and gene therapies. Spending on semaglutide, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 (better known by its brand name, Wegovy), is up 77% this year compared to summer 2023. And with the ever-expanding list of diseases GLP-1s could treat, spending on the drug class is becoming increasingly significant for providers as they manage pharmacy spend. Cell and gene therapies, which treat diseases like sickle cell anemia and spinal muscular atrophy, cost anywhere from $250,000 to $4.3 million for one dose. Providers should be prepared for these drugs to “significantly impact” their budgets, especially as the therapies are likely to become even more popular in the coming years, as nearly 300 are in clinical trials.

𝗘𝗹𝗶 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗡𝗔-𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗯𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆. Eli Lilly is partnering with Haya Therapeutics to discover new drug targets for chronic metabolic conditions and obesity. Founded in 2017, Haya has homed in on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as potential targets to treat diseases. These RNA molecules are not translated into proteins but, rather, interact with and regulate biological processes. Haya’s innovative platform focuses on identifying tissue- and disease-specific lncRNAs to develop RNA-targeting therapies. #obesity #metabolism #metabolicdisease #therapy #RNA #innovation #biotech #pharmaceuticalcompany #medicine

Advocating for Regulatory Flexibility in Rare Disease Therapies Yesterday, FDA’s biologics chief Peter Marks and former deputy commissioner Janet Woodcock discussed the pressing need for regulatory flexibility in rare disease drug development. They emphasized balancing adherence to regulations with the flexibility required to bring life-saving therapies to market faster. Key highlights: - The importance of smart regulatory flexibility to focus on patient needs while staying compliant. - Challenges with insurance coverage for costly new therapies. - The critical need for investment in gene therapy manufacturing to reduce costs. It's inspiring to see leaders in the field championing innovation and patient-centric approaches. Let's support these efforts to bring hope to those battling rare diseases. #RareDisease #GeneTherapy #FDA

Stories making headlines today in the biopharma industry: In the healthcare sector, we've seen a recent downturn in startup funding for in-licensing drugs to China. From 2019 to 2021, companies raked in hundreds of millions through these deals, fueled by a vast market eager for novel drugs. However, this swiftly imploded due to pricing issues, intense competition, and a global funding shortage. In other news, Johnson & Johnson showcased promising data from a program potentially rivaling Bristol Myers Squibb’s Sotyktu for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. This collaborative project with Protagonist Therapeutics delivered JNJ-2113 that maintained its skin-clearing impact for a whole year. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals is preparing for a fresh attempt at FDA submission for its type 1 diabetes treatment, after addressing safety concerns in 2019. The drug, Sotagliflozin, will be resubmitted as an adjunct to insulin in managing patients with type 1 diabetes and chronic kidney disease by mid-2022. In the gene therapy space, Lexeo Therapeutics managed to gather an impressive $95 million in financing, anticipated to propel the clinical-stage biotech up to 2027. Meanwhile, the FDA has lifted the partial hold on Nurix’s Phase Ia/Ib clinical trial for NX-2127, a promising cancer drug candidate. Boehringer Ingelheim announced a partnership with Sosei Heptares aiming to develop treatments across the whole spectrum of schizophrenia. Boehringer will have exclusive access to license Sosei's GPR52 agonists, including its pioneering program, HTL0048149. Lastly, Novartis provided a glimpse into the potential expansion of remibrutinib, an experimental BTK inhibitor undergoing trials for various immune and neurological diseases. Initial data from a study involving five compounds for the chronic skin condition Hidradenitis Suppurativa, indicated remibrutinib successfully met its primary endpoint at both dosage levels. #pharma #biotech #topstories #biodatastudio

Have you heard of a class of drugs called antisense oligonucleotides? 💡💊 Well, these drugs target the disease source at the RNA level and block the ability of the RNA to make a protein or work in other ways. 🧬 They are a highly specific treatment and are also extremely versatile in terms of what types of diseases they can treat, currently showing a lot of promise for CNS disorders, eye-related diseases, and cancers, among others. 👁️ All of this potentially makes them extremely advantageous. And companies are starting to take notice. 🔬 Read our latest article to find out more! 👇️ https://lnkd.in/dWRnx86N #RNAtherapy #biotechinnovation #precisionmedicine #eyediseases #cancertreatment Rene Rückert, M.D. MBA | Isarna Therapeutics GmbH | Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Tokyo Medical and Dental University | Wave Life Sciences | Denali Therapeutics | Secarna Pharmaceuticals | AstraZeneca

RNA became a "hot topic" in drug development - here an interesting article discussing the promises of antisense technology. Thanks to Labiotech.eu! And: Check out the development of antisense-based therapies in Opthalmology: Isarna Therapeutics GmbH

Exciting times ahead in drug development! For true patient-focused innovation, we need to integrate patient considerations right from the earliest stages of drug discovery. Behavioural science is playing a pivotal role, helping us understand patient needs beyond quality, safety, and efficacy. Even the #WHO is on board, calling for experts to join their global Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Sciences. For novel therapies like cell and gene treatments, understanding patient fears and priorities early on can shape development and communication strategies, making groundbreaking treatments more acceptable and commercially viable. Let's embrace a holistic, patient-focused approach to drug development, leveraging behavioural science to unlock new opportunities and improve patient outcomes from day one! #HealthcareInnovation #BehavioralScience #PatientFocused #DrugDevelopment #PharmaRevolution

Excited to share a new article exploring the importance of integrating behavioral science from the outset is crucial. By understanding patients' real priorities and subtle influences on treatment adherence, pharmaceutical companies can design therapies that are not only safe and effective but also aligned with patient preferences. This approach can significantly enhance the acceptance of novel treatments, such as cell and gene therapies, by addressing concerns early on. This article discusses how embracing behavioral science ensures a holistic view in drug development, ultimately improving patient outcomes and commercial success. Be interested in hearing your thoughts https://lnkd.in/eZB4EbSy

🌶 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 (May 28, 2024) 👇 💊Novartis: Planning regulatory submissions for rare kidney diseases this year. 🧪Johnson & Johnson: Acquired Numab Therapeutics AG Therapeutics’ bispecific antibody NM26 for Phase II studies. 🧬Innovent Biologics: Achieved primary endpoints in Phase 3 trial for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. 💡RevolKa Ltd.: Signed a master service agreement with Daiichi Sankyo US for protein engineering technology. 🦠Moderna: Reported smaller-than-expected loss for Q1 due to strong Covid vaccine sales. 🔬Merck Group: Acquired gene therapy tools maker for $600 million. 🧫Biogen: Acquired immune drugmaker HI-Bio for $1.15 billion. 🏭Eli Lilly and Company: Invested an additional $5.3 billion in its Indiana plant. 🎯AstraZeneca: Set a sales target of $80 billion by 2030. 🤝Novavax: Experienced a significant turnaround following its partnership with Sanofi. 📉 LOSERS: 🤷♀️AstraZeneca: Failed to show overall survival benefit in non-small cell lung cancer patients. 🚫 Novo Nordisk: FDA Ad-com voted against Icodec once-weekly insulin in Type1 diabetes, 7-4 💰Pfizer: Plans to save $1.5 billion by 2027 through cost-cutting measures. What are your thoughts on these developments? Share your insights below! Don't forget to follow ATACANA GROUP Inc. for daily updates on Pharma winners and losers! #pharmaceuticals #biotech #news #artificialintelligence #competitiveintelligence

Delighted that the latest article which Lisa Campbell and I worked on together has been published in Healthcare Business Today. In the evolving landscape of patient-focused drug development, integrating behavioral science from the outset is crucial. By understanding patients' real priorities and subtle influences on treatment adherence, pharmaceutical companies can design therapies that are not only safe and effective but also aligned with patient preferences. This approach can significantly enhance the acceptance of novel treatments, such as cell and gene therapies, by addressing concerns early on. We discuss how embracing behavioral science ensures a holistic view in drug development, ultimately improving patient outcomes and commercial success. https://lnkd.in/eZB4EbSy