Weekly roundup: This week’s best biopharma beach read
This week hasn’t been the busiest (mid-August rarely is), but Eli Lilly dropped a minor bombshell on Thursday by saying it would hike the UK prices of its popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro by up to 170% (that’s nearly threefold in old money). But the increases – which came after the US administration reiterated calls for European countries to pay more for branded drugs, and the US less – will only apply to those purchasing the jab privately. The prices the NHS pays will not change, according to the FT.
Closer to home, and in a completely different medical arena, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has called for more research into the vaginal microbiome, saying this is “a largely overlooked area of medicine that could dramatically improve outcomes for millions of women”. Optimum’s client Freya Biosciences, a clinical-stage Danish biotech developing microbial immunotherapies targeting dysbiotic vaginal microbiota, was featured in an article on the issue by Nuala Moran in BioWorld.
Speaking of another overlooked area, the impact of cancer on erectile dysfunction (ED) was examined in an article in Pharmaphorum by Dr Søren Sheikh, CEO of Blue Cell Therapeutics, which is developing an allogeneic stem cell treatment for severe ED. While the impact of prostate cancer surgery on erectile function is well known, Dr Sheikh highlighted research showing many other types of cancer – particularly those needing surgery to the lower abdomen – can be detrimental too.
📺Optimum TV
Dr Sheikh also appeared on Optimum TV to discuss Blue Cell’s allogeneic approach, which allows one donor’s cells to be used for tens of thousands of patients, creating wider availability and better consistency.
Watch as he explains how the Copenhagen-based firm is developing treatments for ED and the fatal lung disease pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) – the two actually share a similar underlying pathology in terms of damage to nerve cells and blood vessels.
🔥Hot topic
August marks National Immunization Awareness Month in the U.S. but few national institutions across the pond are shouting about it. In this week’s Hot Topic, Stephen Adams explores why and asks, “Has supporting immunization become a political act?”
👥Industry events
The Optimum Team attended One Nucleus’ BioWednesday Pub Social on Wednesday at Euston; it was a great night connecting with industry peers.
Optimum’s 17th Annual Healthcare Conference
Returning to The King’s Fund this autumn, this prestigious invitation-only event brings together investors and executives from across the life sciences sector. Register your interest in attending today.
📍Thursday 9th October, London
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