Top Story

Morning Read: Your Martin Shkreli aftermath wrapup

Big news well beyond Turing: Human Longevity has dropped exome sequencing prices; AstraZeneca will try crowdsourcing cancer; the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan is out; and Adventist Health System is paying more than $100 million in a whistleblower case.

By Chris Seper on September 22, 2015

TOP STORIES

You know about Hillary Clinton’s original salvo and falling biotech stocks. But what else has gone on related to Martin Shkreli?

  • U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders has sent a letter to Turing Pharmaceuticals about the price changes. – Politico
  • A plan by Clinton would require a certain level of R&D spending. – USA Today
  • Rodelis Therapeutics has rescinded a price increase for a TB drug (from $500 to $10,800) and returned the drug to its previous owner. – The New York Times
  • Not everyone agrees with the popular Shkreli narrative, but it’s ugly out there for any of the critics. Folks, it’s OK to disagree! – Twitter
  • Should Martin Shkreli be allowed to play the Good Samaritan? – FierceBiotech
  • A great look at generic drug increases and its real impact on Medicaid. – Bill of Health
  • Scan these charts to understand why the popular culture is so angry about Daraprim. – The New York Times
  • BIO drops the hammer with this definitive statement:

    As a general policy, BIO does not comment on matters related to individual company products or product pricing decisions, such as today’s news about Turing Pharmaceuticals. That said, the focus of the biotechnology industry is to develop innovative therapies and cures for patients. This means it is imperative not only that we develop these new medicines, but that all patients have access to them, as necessary to meet their healthcare needs. This principle should apply to old medicines as much as to the new.”

    – I am Biotech

  • Martin Shkreli on CNBC: There needs to be a new version of this drug.

LIFE SCIENCE

Human Longevity will offer a full exome sequencing for $250 in South Africa and the United Kingdom. The deal also covers testing for whole genome and cancer genome sequencing services. – Reuters

AstraZeneca is releasing mounds of preclinical data in the hopes of crowdsourcing new cancer cures. – Reuters

presented by

Roche gets a CLIA waiver for its flu tests. – Roche

Here’s how DARPA is looking at biotech. – Scientific American

Regulatory eyes are turning toward Bayer’s Essure sterility device. – Wall Street Journal

Robotic surgical company TransEnterix has acquired Italy’s SOFAR for nearly $100 million. – Xconomy

Zoll Medical has bought Israeli congestive heart failure company Kyma Medical Technologies. – Pittsburgh Business Times

Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer Dirk van den Boom has taken over at Sequenom. – FierceDiagnostics

Holly Smithson has joined the California Life Sciences Association as senior vice president of business strategy and development. – Xconomy

PAYERS-PROVIDERS

Adventist Health System will pay $118.7 million to the federal government and four states to settle a whistleblower lawsuit that claimed Adventist paid doctors excessive compensation for patient referrals. – Tampa Bay Business Journal

Sutter Health is moving its HMO into the Bay area. – Silicon Valley Business Journal

A nurse said when she complained about patient safety at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center she was fired. A jury agreed – and paid her $3 million. – Portland Business Journal

A rare mold at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian has killed three patients. – Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

A promising critique of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan: it “focuses less on the implementation of IT systems and more on patients and their healthcare.” – Modern Healthcare

Great Lakes Neurotech closed a $1.9 million NIH grant to improve wearable sensors for  Parkinson’s disease. –mHealthIntelligence

How analytics is helping make the pharma supply chain more manageable. – CIO

Here’s a closer look at Stitch, a “Slack for healthcare messaging.” – TechCrunch

POLITICS

Hillary Clinton will break with Obama over the Cadillac tax. – The Hill

I predict you won’t read this kind of sentence in two years: “Some Virginia hospitals are eyeing consolidation as they struggle to stay afloat financially in the face of continued Republican opposition to Medicaid expansion and reduced Medicare rates.” – Modern Healthcare

A LITTLE BIT EXTRA

TechCrunch Disrupt is up and running. Here’s the first nice gem.

“I’m embarrassed that a VC would think their job is stressful when starting a company is the most stressful thing ever,” Conway said.

Follow the commentary at #tcdisrupt. – Business Insider