Recon: Drugmakers boost lobbying amid pandemic rush; Biogen to study Spinraza in patients treated with Zolgensma

• Pharma Firms Boost Lobbying in Race for Virus Treatment, Vaccine (Bloomberg) (STAT)
• US Accuses Two Hackers of Stealing Secrets From US Firms for China (WSJ)
• White House to resurrect rebate rule (Politico)
• Biogen to study Spinraza in combination with $2 million Novartis drug (Reuters) (Press)
• Gilead lines up a $1.55B biotech buyout deal as CEO Dan O’Day invests in his latest cancer blockbuster dream (Endpoints)
• Acadia fails in attempt to expand use of antipsychotic to treat patients with depression (STAT) (Endpoints)
• ‘Surprise’ billing fix likely out of next Covid-19 package as fight over tests plays out (Politico)

• Double-Shot Covid Vaccines Multiply Immunization Challenges (Bloomberg)
• EU Agrees to $857B Coronavirus Stimulus Deal (NYTimes) (NPR)
• Novartis stumbles in Q2 as COVID-19 impacts sales (PMLive) (Press)
• GSK shown up by AstraZeneca yet again (Financial Times)
• AstraZeneca confirms Russia vaccine deal days after COVID-19 hacking accusations surface (Fierce)
• Biocon annouces digital diabetes tie-up with Voluntis (PharmaPhorum)
• Amplitude raises $50M to fuel ‘emerging’ Canadian biotech field (Endpoints)
• EFPIA Rejects EU Calls To Relax IP Protections (Pink Sheet)
• How The European Medicines Agency Inspected Thermo Fisher’s Florida Plant Without Leaving Europe (Pink Sheet)

• Vaccine trials show early promising results — but major challenges are ahead (NBC)
• Growing Body Of Evidence Suggests Masks Protect Those Wearing Them, Too (NPR)
• China Uses WHO Inquiry to Tout Coronavirus Response (NYTimes)
• Public health group calls for standardized data collection to more clearly track Covid-19 (STAT)
• HHS unveils new coronavirus hospitalization database, says it’s more complete than CDC’s (CNBC)
• Actual Covid-19 case count could be 6 to 24 times higher than official estimates, CDC study shows (STAT)
• Chronic fatigue syndrome may hold keys to understanding post-Covid syndrome (STAT)
• AstraZeneca Aims to Deliver100 Million Doses of Coronavirus Vaccine to Japan: CEO (PharmaJapan)
• Connecticut discovers at least 90 false positive coronavirus tests (The Hill)
• Mesoblast, Athersys Take Lead In Race To Develop Stem Cell Therapies For COVID-19 (Pink Sheet)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup July 20, 2020 (FDA)

• Cancer startup aims precision medicine at rare genetic driver (STAT)
• Researchers Hope Experimental Gene Therapy Is An Answer To A Fatal Genetic Disorder (NPR)
• UK Allows Early Access To Alnylam’s Lumasiran For Ultra-Rare Disorder (Pink Sheet)
• Japan Approves MSD’s 9-Valent HPV Vaccine 5 Years after Filing (PharmaJapan)
• September Drug Price Survey Likely as MHLW to Keep Its Proposal Unchanged (PharmaJapan)
• AbbVie's Rinvoq backs up eczema case with 2nd pivotal trial win (Fierce) (Press)
• Daiichi Sankyo Announces Phase 3 Study Results for Prasugrel Antiplatelet Agent in Thrombotic Stroke Patients (Press)
• Bayer plays the long game with plans to double workforce at Berkeley biologics site (Fierce)
• PBM-Owned Specialty Pharmacies Expand Their Role In—and Profits From—the 340B Program (Drug Channels)
• The Importance of Countering Biosimilar Disparagement and Misinformation (BioDrugs)
• Elevation Oncology launches with $32.5 million Series A, gives new life to former Merrimack program (Endpoints)
• Novartis quietly buries another failed eczema drug, with a $485M hit embedded in the footnotes (Endpoints)
• Leo Pharma offloads a psoriasis asset as their Dupixent rival heads to the FDA (Endpoints)
• Pieris slammed with FDA hold; Biogen adds PhIV for Spinraza (Endpoints)
• Roche partners on a slate of Jnana's immunology, neurology targets, rewarding its faith in the SLC transporter class (Endpoints)
• Juno/WuXi's cell therapy venture buys out solid tumor player in China, gaining a discovery engine and portending more M&A to come (Endpoints)
• Chris Garabedian's incubator leads Series A funding for gene therapy manufacturer/developer combo (Endpoints)

• Commission To Submit Yet Another European Standards Request – In Early 2021 (MedtechInsight)
• NuVasive surprises analysts with sooner-than-expected spine surgery sales rebound (MedtechDive)
• India may start exporting ventilators: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal (Economic Times)
• Quidel says its COVID-19 antigen test is now on par with PCR accuracy (MedtechDive)
• LifeSignals wireless biosensor wins FDA clearance (MassDevice)
• Paige pathology viewer lands FDA clearance (MassDevice)

• Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2019 to 2020 (MHRA)
• One Country, Two Regulatory Systems: Another Brexit Headache (Pink Sheet)
• Elizabeth Holmes trial likely delayed until 2021 because of Covid-19 (CNBC)
• FDA’s Continued Commitment to the Safety and Security of Our Laboratories (FDA)
• New Funding Opportunity: FDA Standard Core Clinical Outcome Assessments (COAs) and Endpoints Pilot Grant Program (FDA)
• Roerig Division of Pfizer Inc., et.al.; Withdrawal of Approval of 10 Abbreviated New Drug Applications (FDA)
• Submissions received: Products used for and by people with disabilities (TGA)
• UK Reopens Pharma Probes After COVID-19 Delays (Law360)
• CVS, Walgreens Want Out Of Blood Pressure Drug MDL (Law360)
• Opioid Judge 'Concerned' About Amerisource Hiding Docs (Law360)
• Blood Testing Device Co. Notches Win In Rival's False Ad Suit (Law360)