Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cigna Will Sell Humira Biosimilar Via Its Specialty Pharmacy For $0 Copay
Cigna plans to make close copies of AbbVie's blockbuster arthritis drug Humira available with no out-of-pocket payment to eligible patients in the U.S. using its specialty pharmacy beginning in June, the health insurer said on Thursday. Cigna said it will stock high- and low-concentration biosimilar versions of Humira from drugmakers including Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva and Alvotech at its Accredo pharmacy. (Wingrove and Niasse, 4/26)
Mallinckrodt's bankruptcy permitted the drug company to end a perpetual royalty agreement with Sanofi-Aventis involving the best-selling medication Acthar, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday. Affirming a lower court decision, the 3rd Circuit found that Mallinckrodt's termination of royalty payments after it filed for bankruptcy in 2020 created, at best, a claim by Sanofi-Aventis for damages under the sales contract. (Knauth, 4/25)
The maker of Tylenol, Listerine, Neutrogena, Band-Aids and Benadryl plans a global headquarters in New Jersey with over 3,000 scientists and other employees over the next few years. Kenvue — a Johnson & Johnson spinoff — is moving its employees to Summit in 2025. It will occupy a sprawling 290,000-square-foot headquarters and research and development facility on a 46-acre campus formerly occupied by pharmaceutical company Celgene. (Munoz, 4/24)
After months of sustained criticism, Vertex Pharmaceuticals reached an agreement to provide a pricey cystic fibrosis treatment in South Africa, but the move prompted a mixed reaction from consumer groups, some of which complained the deal is geared toward people with expensive health coverage. (Silverman, 4/25)
University of Washington professor David Baker has made a name for himself by borrowing computer science concepts like machine learning and artificial intelligence to solve problems in biology. A few years ago, his lab surprised scientists by constructing an AI-powered protein-folding prediction system rivaling Google’s DeepMind AlphaFold. Now Baker is pushing forward in a different area of drug discovery research. (Trang, 4/25)
