Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. However, this is shaping up as a beautiful day as well, despite forecasts suggesting a cloud or two will later hover about. Right now, the skies are tranquil, birds are chirping, and the official mascots are hunting for snacks on the Pharmalot campus. This calls for celebration with a cup of stimulation, and we are reaching for maple bourbon, a reliable stand-by. Meanwhile, the time has come to turn to our ever-growing to-do list. Sound familiar? So here are some items of interest. Have a great day, everyone. …
A U.S. House committee passed a bill to renew a program aimed at aiding development of drugs for rare diseases in children, putting it in a better position to be added to government funding legislation, STAT reports. The pediatric rare disease priority review voucher program is set to end on Sept. 30. The legislation would extend the program until Sept. 30, 2029. The priority review voucher bill would almost certainly need to ride with a larger package, such as appropriations legislation, and the unanimous vote by the House Energy and Commerce Committee increases the chances of the voucher program being renewed, at least temporarily, in a government stop-gap funding bill. Under the priority review voucher program, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration awards vouchers to those who earn approval of drugs for rare pediatric diseases.
Hims & Hers Health plans to sell compounded versions of Novo Nordisk’s popular weight loss drug Wegovy to patients in certain professions for $99 a month, Reuters says. The company said the pricing would be available to eligible U.S. military members, teachers, nurses, and first responders, including police and firefighters, as well as veterans. For patients on a 12-month plan, Hims offers a semaglutide injection for $199 a month. Ozempic and Wegovy carry high list prices of $935.77 and $1,349.02, respectively, for a month’s supply, according to the company’s website. Most U.S. patients are covered by health insurance and would likely pay less for the drugs. Novo and rival Eli Lilly, which makes the weight loss drug Zepbound, have filed a flurry of lawsuits against medical spas, wellness clinics, and compounding pharmacies for allegedly selling products claiming to contain the active ingredients in their drugs. Compounded GLP-1 injections are fulfilled and shipped from Hims & Hers affiliated pharmacies and are regulated by the FDA.
