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, rather modest. We plan to manicure the Pharmalot grounds, catch up with some folks who have been hiding, and promenade with the official mascots. We also expect to hold another listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? As we have previously noted, this is the time of year when the Great Pumpkin is growing lonely, so perhaps you have time to stop by a patch to say hello. If that fails, you can always visit an orchard or simply hike about. Or if the weather fails to cooperate, a moving picture show may be in order. You could also plan the rest of your life, which may be a good idea before AI does it for you. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …
A large clinical trial testing a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine reduced the risk of disease recurrence in patients with melanoma by 42% compared to a standard treatment, STAT tells us. The results are an important advance because patients lived significantly longer without cancer returning. The vaccine may also usher in a new wave of treatments for other types of cancer, though experts are debating how broadly applicable the technology could be. Merck and Moderna announced its success in August, but details including the magnitude of benefit were being withheld until a scheduled presentation Saturday at the annual meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology. But an oncology news website published some of the data on Thursday, breaking the conference embargo.
A U.S. judge granted a request by the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America and three drug makers to intervene in a lawsuit over a government rebate pilot program, pivoting from a previous decision denying their involvement, Bloomberg Law notes. The order will allow the trade group, AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Boehringer Ingelheim to step into a fresh legal battle over the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program slated to go into effect Jan. 1. Hospitals filed a challenge earlier this month seeking to block the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration from allowing drugmakers to provide rebates instead of upfront discounts for medicines purchased through the 340B Drug Discount Program.