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Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Boston announced Tuesday that it had developed an experimental drug that relieves moderate to severe pain, blocking pain signals before they can get to the brain. It works only on peripheral nerves — those outside the brain and the spinal cord — making it unlike opioids. Vertex says its new drug is expected to avoid opioids’ potential to lead to addiction. The company reported that it had completed two randomized studies, the first in 1,118 people who had abdominoplasties and the other in 1,073 people who had bunion surgery. The two procedures are commonly used in studies of people with acute pain, the temporary kind that is brought on by something like a surgical procedure and is likely to ease with time. (Kolata, 1/30)

Late-stage trial results for a pain medication developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals reinforced experts’ sense that the drug was both safe and offered modest pain relief. But the findings also prompted fresh debate on Tuesday about how widely used the therapy would be should it win regulatory approval. (Wosen, 1/30)

As Walgreens Boots Alliance continues to cut costs, the Deerfield, Illinois-based company is laying off more workers, marking its third round of corporate layoffs in less than a year. The pharmacy, retail and healthcare giant cut 145 workers across the company, primarily from its corporate workforce, according to an internal memo written by Chief Customer Officer Tracey Brown and obtained by Crain’s. (Davis, 1/30)

Novo Nordisk said Wednesday that it had started to increase the availability of its blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy for new patients in the United States, after massive demand and a supply crunch had led it to limit such doses last May. (Joseph, 1/31)

After a drug enters the market, it’s up to Food and Drug Administration regulators to ensure its continued safety and efficacy. A recent New York Times story suggests that, in the case of the popular asthma drug Singulair, the FDA fell short — both because the agency delayed action for years on reports from patient advocates and independent groups that the drug could cause suicidal thoughts, and because when it did add a warning label about its potential side effects in 2020, clinicians and patients still weren’t always aware of the risks. (Gaffney, 1/31)

Â鶹ŮÓÅ Health News: The FTC Is Attacking Drugmakers’ ‘Patent Thickets’

The Federal Trade Commission has challenged the validity of over 100 drug product patents, focusing on devices used to deliver medicines, like inhalers and autoinjectors, in an effort to increase competition and potentially lower some prices. The FTC says drugmakers illegitimately use the patents to prevent competitors from offering cheaper generic alternatives. It’s the first time the FTC has tried the tactic, said Hannah Garden-Monheit, director of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning. (Rosenthal, 1/31)