STAT News – Biotech
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Trump drug pricing flaw, a Gilead deal, and more
Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. And it is getting off to a good start here on the blustery Pharmalot campus, where clear blue skies and chilly temperatures are greeting us. Who could ask for anything more? Actually, we could — it is time to reheat the kettle for another cuppa stimulation. Our choice today is super shroom. And here is a tip — a teaspoon of honey enhances the flavors splendidly. Of course, you are invited to join us. For the full experience, we are now hawking replicas — take a look. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits to help you along. We hope your day is productive and peaceful. As always, do keep in touch and do feel free to send along secret dossiers and internal memos. …
Comments from a top Trump administration health official add to signs of a major flaw in the president’s most-favored nation drug pricing plans, STAT explains. The official, Chris Klomp, the Medicare director, said last week that the most-favored nation deals aim to increase the prices of new drugs in peer countries, not lower U.S. prices. But by the time companies launch those drugs abroad, the deals might be over and Trump might be out of office. His remarks point to a potential loophole in the president’s plan. Drugmakers could delay product launches in other countries, making it impossible to determine whether they are selling treatments at the most-favored nation prices in the U.S. until after their deals expire, according to Rachel Sachs, a professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis.
Gilead Sciences plans to acquire Ouro Medicines, a developer of autoimmune-disease therapies, for up to about $2.18 billion and develop the assets from the deal in a collaboration with Galapagos, The Wall Street Journal writes. Gilead said it is in talks with Galapagos for a potential research-and-development collaboration for the assets. Under the partnership, Galapagos would pay half of the upfront consideration and half of any contingent milestone payments for Ouro, and would absorb substantially all of Ouro’s operating assets and employees. Gilead owns a roughly 25% stake in Galapagos, and has an agreement with the company that grants access to its drug-discovery platform. Gilead said the deal with Ouro would bolster its growing inflammation portfolio.
WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration officials briefed senators on the agency’s plans for food policy for 2026, according to a person familiar with the meeting.
The agency plans to focus on infant formula safety, updating food labels, defining ultra-processed foods, expanding inspections of food processing plants, and bolstering seafood safety programs, according to a document shared with lawmakers, obtained by STAT.
The meeting comes amid a shift in the administration’s health agenda toward food issues and away from vaccine policy. In recent polls, food reforms have been more popular than the vaccine agenda, catching the attention of administration officials looking to sharpen their message for the midterms.
STAT News – Biotech
STAT+: In private meetings, White House works to win pharma companies’ support for drug pricing bill
WASHINGTON — The White House has drafted legislative text for its drug pricing policy, and officials are in the process of sharing it with more than a dozen major pharmaceutical companies, according to people familiar with the meetings.
The legislative text, according to a White House official, closely follows the outlines of the voluntary deals the administration made with pharma companies. The draft includes a policy that would allow drugs purchased in cash to count toward a patient’s deductible.
The Trump administration’s push for drug price legislation is part of a larger effort to get health reforms signed into law. The president’s focus on his affordability agenda in an election year has heightened the profile of the effort.
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The NIH’s foreign subaward crackdown is scrambling global collaborations, while China’s rapid ascent is reshaping drug development. Meanwhile, Wave Life Sciences sheds half its value on underwhelming obesity results.
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