And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is, so far, quite modest. We plan to catch up on our reading, take a few naps, and hang with Mrs. Pharmalot. Perhaps a listening party is in order. And what about you? This is, of course, a delightful time to enjoy the great outdoors — drives in the country, blankets on the beach, or long walks in the park all come to mind. You could also plan a getaway, although it may be faster to bicycle or boat to your destination than fly, if the latest reports are any guide. Or you could be a little Zen and simply map out the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. Enjoy, but be safe. See you soon. …
Things are looking up for GSK and its chief Emma Walmsley as the pharmaceutical company prepares to spin off its consumer health business on Monday amid its most radical shake-up in 20 years, Reuters tells us. Buoyed by a recent clinical trial success for a potential blockbuster vaccine, and the opportunity to supplement its drugs pipeline with cash from the Haleon consumer health spin-off, GSK has also survived a protracted revolt by activist investors. Years of underperformance relative to its peers, missing out on the lucrative market for the first set of Covid-19 vaccines, and concerns about management’s scientific expertise triggered the ire of activist investors last year.
In the coming weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to review a wonky, but exceedingly important, debate over patents that has the pharmaceutical industry on edge, STAT says. At issue is the extent to which a drugmaker must describe how to replicate its newly invented medicines when applying for patents, notably biologics. Drugmakers regularly spar over patents, but over the past decade, a federal appeals court has increasingly ruled in favor of stricter standards for patent filings for monoclonal antibody drugs and CAR-T therapies. The trend has caused controversy, because a variety of patents have been invalidated on numerous big-selling medicines.
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