Massachusetts

Rising Healthcare costs and higher health care prices as increase in medication and prescription medications or unaffordable hospital bills represented by a Doctor stethoscope and upward arrow.

Why the CVS–Mass General Deal Would Likely Increase Spending More Than Access

A Massachusetts regulator is warning that CVS and Mass General Brigham’s proposed MinuteClinic partnership could drive up healthcare spending by at least $40 million annually, largely through steering patients into a higher-priced system. Experts said the deal might improve convenience for some patients but is unlikely to meaningfully expand access — and could ultimately strengthen market power and push costs even higher.

By Katie Adams

Health Tech

This Mom Was Frustrated with the Scarcity of Child Development Specialists — So She Launched a Startup

After experiencing firsthand the shortcomings of existing public and private programs to treat children's developmental delays, Jen Wirt founded a startup called Coral Care. The company, which announced its official launch on Tuesday, brings pediatric developmental specialty care into families’ homes.

By Katie Adams

Health Tech

How Mass General Brigham Is Integrating Behavioral Care Into Its Primary Care Model

Mass General Brigham launched a program this month in collaboration with behavioral health medical group Concert Health. Under the program, more than 400 Mass General primary care providers can refer their patients to Concert. The health system's goal is to increase patients’ access to diagnoses and treatment for mild to moderate behavioral health issues — particularly for Medicaid patients, who are the most underserved.

By Katie Adams

BioPharma, Pharma

Thermo Fisher Adds Proteomics to Its Portfolio Through $3.1B Olink Acquisition

Thermo Fisher Scientific is acquiring Olink, a company that provides proteomics analysis tools and services used in drug discovery research. Olink’s growing revenue will help shore up a Thermo Fisher business segment whose sales have fallen due to declining Covid-19 testing demand.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

FDA Rejection Is a Delay, Not a Detour for Alnylam’s Aim to Treat Heart Disorder

Despite an affirmative FDA advisory committee vote, the agency declined to approve Alnylam Pharmaceuticals’ Onpattro for treating the heart complications caused by a rare, inherited protein disorder. But Alnylam has other drugs candidates for the disease, including one expected to post Phase 3 data in the first half of 2024.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Apellis Lays Off 25% of Staff and Turns Focus to Commercializing New Eye Drug

The Apellis Pharmaceuticals restructuring will save up to $300 million. It comes as the biotech continues its inquiry into the cause of a rare inflammatory complication reported in a small number of patients who received its geographic atrophy drug, Syfovre.

By Frank Vinluan

The Power Behind Enterprise EHR Software for Large Healthcare Systems

Enterprise EHR boosts scalability, interoperability, and governance for large healthcare systems.

By Malvika Tarnekar, Director of Product Strategy, PrognoCIS by Bizmatics Inc

BioPharma, Startups

Alltrna Unveils $109M to Make tRNA a Universal Therapy for Genetic Diseases

Flagship Pioneering-founded Alltrna is developing tRNA therapies to address genetic diseases driven by truncated versions of proteins. By addressing an aberrant genetic instruction underpinning many diseases, the startup is developing what it describes as a potential “universal solution.”

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Sage, Biogen Drug Is Now the First Approved Oral Med for Postpartum Depression

Sage Therapeutics’ Zurzuvae is the biotech’s second FDA approved product for postpartum depression, following the 2019 nod for IV-infused Zulresso. But in a blow to the multi-billion dollar partnership between Sage and Biogen, Zurzuvae did not win an additional approval in major depressive disorder.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Devices & Diagnostics, Artificial Intelligence

Newly Public Allurion Aims to Show How Med Tech Can Complement Obesity Drugs

Allurion Technologies has commercialized a gastric balloon in the form of a pill that patients swallow. But the weight loss platform from the now NYSE-listed company also includes AI-driven software that provides insights about a patient’s progress, technology with the potential for use alongside obesity drugs.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Biogen Bulks Up in Rare Disease With $7.3B Reata Pharmaceuticals Acquisition

Biogen's Reata Pharmaceuticals acquisition brings Skyclarys, the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the rare neuromuscular disease Friedreich’s ataxia. Biogen says Skyclarys complements the other neuromuscular drugs in its portfolio.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Roche Expands Into RNAi Through Alnylam Alliance on Hypertension Drug

Alnylam pioneered RNA interference drugs for rare disease. The biotech aims to bring RNAI to prevalent disorders and its alliance with Roche on the drug zilebesiran for hypertension better positions the company to achieve this goal.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Pfizer, Flagship Team Up in $100M R&D Pact: 10 New Drugs for Unmet Needs

Pfizer and Flagship Pioneering are partnering in a drug research alliance leveraging the capabilities of the more than 40 biotech startups in the venture capital firm’s portfolio. The new partners aim to develop drugs for unmet needs, including those in broad patient populations.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

FDA Lifts Partial Hold on Curis Drug, Clearing Way for Phase 2 Leukemia Study

A partial clinical trial hold has been lifted from cancer drug emavusertib and Curis has selected a dose to use in Phase 2 testing. The small molecule is being developed as a potential treatment for blood cancers.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Thermo Fisher Adds Real-World Evidence to Remit Via $912M CorEvitas Acquisition

CorEvitas brings Thermo Fisher Scientific registries that gather data about how approved therapies are working in the real world. The acquisition will complement PPD, the contract research organization that Thermo Fisher purchased in 2021.

By Frank Vinluan

BioPharma, Pharma

Eli Lilly to Buy Sigilon, Betting the Biotech Can Overcome a Cell Therapy Limitation

Eli Lilly is expanding its diabetes prospects by acquiring cell therapy developer Sigilon Therapeutics. The two companies are already partners in the development of a type 1 diabetes cell therapy currently in preclinical development.

By Frank Vinluan