STAT+: A patent win for Pfizer and BridgeBio
A change to FDA clinical trial data review, Rocket sells its priority review voucher, and more biotech news from The Readout
Medical News
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about the FDA speeding up trials, a Supreme Court hearing on ‘skinny labels,’ and more
The FDA announced efforts to make clinical trials more efficient, starting by reviewing data in real time from trials conducted by AstraZeneca and Amgen
AbbVie outlines Skyrizi defense against new J&J plaque psoriasis rival Icotyde
Immunology med Skyrizi charted sales growth of 30.9% over 2026's first quarter, bringing in $4.48 billion as AbbVie's top earner.
Regeneron's quarterly sales of Eylea drop below $1B for the first time in 8 years
As regulatory delays continue to plague Regeneron's Eylea franchise, quarterly sales for the eye disease medicine have dropped below $1 billion for the first time since the second quarter of 2018.
New GSK CEO’s first quarter boosted by Shingrix surge as Exdensur stumbles in switch trial
In GSK’s first quarter with Luke Miels as CEO, the company’s flagship shingles vaccine Shingrix set a new quarterly sales record while its closely watched asthma launch Exdensur showed “early signals” of commercial progress despite a recent trial flop.
US drugmaker’s reputations shift quickly amid political pressures, job cuts: survey
Patient groups’ perceptions of drugmakers with large U.S. footprints have shifted in the past year as the businesses have contended with political pressures, PatientView said.
New report shows some health equity wins. Experts fear they will be short-lived
A report released Wednesday highlights successes in reducing health disparities in U.S. states between 2022 and 2024.
In first meeting, federal autism committee focuses on ‘profound autism’
The committee met for the first time since Kennedy fired most of the committee’s scientific experts and replaced them with activists and advocates.
A forgotten drug is giving new hope to kids with a rare disease
A decades-old drug once used to treat sleeping sickness is now showing surprising promise against an ultra-rare and life-threatening genetic disorder called Bachmann-Bupp syndrome (BABS). Early patient treatments suggest the drug, DFMO, may ease severe symptoms by targeting the underlying genetic malfunction. Researchers have already treated a handful of patients with encouraging results, but prog
MIT study finds children more vulnerable to cancer-causing chemical in water
A troubling new study from MIT reveals that a common environmental contaminant, NDMA—found in polluted water, certain medications, and even processed foods—may pose a far greater cancer risk to children than adults. In experiments with mice, young animals exposed to the chemical developed significantly more DNA damage and cancer, despite experiencing the same initial exposure as adults. The key di
STAT+: Health system CEOs get off easy at Congressional hearing on affordability
Committee members largely blamed the other party’s health care policies for driving U.S. health care prices to levels inaccessible to many Americans.
STAT+: FDA launches effort to speed up clinical trials, using AI
Monitoring trials in real time may help shorten the time interval between trial phases.
Opinion: Healthcare or health care? Help STAT decide
Should STAT use “healthcare” or “health care”? We want to hear from you.
Opinion: FDA commissioner: ‘Smarter,’ real-time clinical trials could transform drug development
“For the first time, FDA regulators will be able to see what’s happening in a clinical trial, looking at endpoints in the cloud as they occur,” writes FDA commissioner.
Novartis CEO calls for 'complete rethink' of Europe's drug pricing policies
Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan says that Europe needs a “complete rethink” on how it prices its drugs, warning that the entrance of new pharmaceuticals into its markets could be delayed.
Pfizer’s victory in delaying Vyndamax generics is mixed bag for BridgeBio: analysts
Pfizer now anticipates its Vyndamax sales to remain “relatively stable” from 2028 through mid-2031, it said.
FDA flags concerns for AstraZeneca's camizestrant, Truqap ahead of advisory committee meeting
The FDA has released briefing documents detailing its concerns for AstraZeneca’s cancer drugs camizestrant and Truqap ahead of an upcoming advisory committee meeting, the first such gathering in about nine months.
FDA turns up heat on Amgen, proposing to rescind approval of Tavneos
The FDA has told Amgen that it is proposing to withdraw the approval of the rare disease drug Tavneos. The FDA cited new information that indicates that data was "manipulated" to facilitate the approval of Tavneos. In addition, the FDA is “increasingly concerned about the safety of Tavneos,” pointing to cases of serious drug-induced liver injury.
Rocket sells priority review voucher for $180M after Kresladi gene therapy approval
Rocket Pharmaceuticals has offloaded its lucrative FDA rare pediatric disease priority review voucher, striking a $180 million sale that reflects the high market demand for a speedy FDA review.
MIT scientists turn chaotic laser light into powerful brain imaging tool
Scientists at MIT discovered that chaotic laser light can spontaneously form a highly focused beam instead of scattering—if the conditions are just right. This “pencil beam” enabled them to image the blood-brain barrier in 3D at speeds 25 times faster than existing techniques. The method also lets researchers watch how drugs move into brain cells in real time. It could dramatically accelerate the