Hello, everyone, and how are you today? We are doing just fine, thank you, especially since the middle of the week is upon us. After all, we have made it this far, so we are determined to hang on for another couple of days. And why not? The alternatives — at least those we can identify — are not so appetizing. And what better way to make the time fly than to keep busy. So grab that cup of stimulation and get started. Our flavor today is glazed doughnut — sweets for the sweet, you know? Now, though, the time has come to get busy. So please grab your own cup and dig in to the items of interest assembled below. We hope you have a wonderful day, and please do keep in touch. …
In an era when huge price hikes for prescription drugs are almost guaranteed to draw criticism, is there any circumstance when a 486% increase for a medicine might appear to be justified? STAT asks. A small company called Harrow argues that it can make the case for an injectable eye treatment that has been used to combat several serious conditions. Company executives maintain the medication, which has been largely out of stock for the past few years, requires substantial investment in order to restore a steady supply and, moreover, was substantially underpriced. But some industry experts say a successful relaunch will largely depend on reactions among eye specialists.
Novartis plans to cut up to 680 jobs in its product development organization, Reuters notes. Around 440 jobs will go in Switzerland and up to 240 in the U.S. over the next two to three years. The job eliminations are separate from a restructuring program that could lead to 8,000 of its 78,000 global workforce being cut. Novartis currently employs around 12,500 in development, which includes handling drug regulations, analytics, and support functions like quality assurance. Meanwhile, the company said it would add roles over the next two to three years, meaning there will be a net reduction overall of 1%-2% at a global level.