Recon: Global spending on COVID vaccines to exceed $150B through 2025; BMS misses in Q1 as cancer drugs underperform

• Moderna boosting COVID-19 vaccine capacity, targets up to 3 billion shots in 2022 (Reuters)
• BMS Q1 earnings miss expectations as cancer drugs underperform (Reuters) (Press) (Endpoints)
• US trade negotiator discusses COVID-19 IP waiver with Moderna CEO (Reuters)
• With Amy Abernethy out, Vid Desai takes over as FDA’s acting CIO (Endpoints)
• Gene therapy deaths push back Astellas-Audentes' approval by at least two years (Endpoints)
• Gene therapy trial is derailed after getting hit by the latest serious adverse event in the field — shares crash (Endpoints)
• Americans paid two to four times as much for some drugs as in three other countries (STAT) (GAO)
• In biggest speech yet, Biden pitches a new health agency to help ‘end cancer as we know it’ (STAT)
• Biden called for drug pricing reform this year. But it’s an empty call (STAT)

• EMA starts evaluating use of Olumiant in hospitalised COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen (EMA)
• BioNTech expects vaccine trial results for babies by September (Reuters)
• British regulator cites 41 more blood clot reports following AstraZeneca shots (Reuters)
• World to spend $157 billion on COVID-19 vaccines through 2025 -report (Reuters)
• Germany says new EU COVID vaccine contracts have clear rules on delivery shortfalls (Reuters)
• Spain's Reig Jofre new plant to produce J&J vaccine by end-Q2 (Reuters)
• Spain's Rovi will double its capacity to bottle Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines (Reuters)
• Takeda Accused of Favoring Japanese Patients for Cancer Drug (Bloomberg)
• Illumina sues Brussels over probe into $8bn cancer deal for Grail (FT)
• India urges China to clear bottlenecks on key pharma raw-material (Economic Times)

• Russia, China sow disinformation to undermine trust in Western vaccines: EU (Reuters)
• Australia says two deaths not likely to be linked to COVID-19 vaccine (Reuters)
• Moderna says COVID-19 vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures for 3 months (The Hill)
• Help wanted: Lonza seeks workers to lift Moderna vaccine output (Reuters)

• Top Drugs Losing Patent Exclusivity in 2021 (Patent Docs)
• FDA pandemic delays strike again with Israeli microcap the latest to receive a CRL based on inspection setbacks (Endpoints)
• Triple combo cystic fibrosis therapy Kaftrio scores EU label expansion (PharmaTimes)
• GSK’s revenue drops by 18% in Q1 as performance pressures mount (PMLive)
• Regulators Are Exploring with Industry How to Strengthen Quality Risk Management Practices, with a Revision of ICH Q9 Among the Focal Points (IPQ)
• Pfizer weighs sale of Philly-area campus—where 2,000 once worked—as company mulls when and how to bring employees back (Fierce)
• Sanofi is expanding at light speed abroad, but it's leaving behind a Pennsylvania plant and its 75 employees (Endpoints)
• The biotech craze hits the Nordics, driving a record-high $62M Series A for a Copenhagen-based ADC player (Endpoints)
• Galera claims positive update in pancreatic cancer but doesn't report p-values; Amgen launches Canadian fund in tandem with CCRM (Endpoints)
• Forge Biologics bags $120M round as it looks to scale AAV manufacturing for Krabbe disease treatment (Endpoints)
• Cara touts subgroup in failed atopic dermatitis trial, but stock craters (Endpoints)
• Lonza adds on small molecule facility at Visp site, adding new weight to its expansion plans on the back of a big year (Endpoints)
• A new gene therapy player debuts in LA with 2 startup VCs at its back, AbbVie on board with a $90M cash upfront and big plans to upend the field (Endpoints)
• BeiGene's late stage trial shows promising numbers; Amgen to study sotorasib dosage after FDA recommendation (Endpoints)
• How computational analysis of a 3D mucociliary clearance model can help predict drug uptake and lead to more generic nasal drug products (FDA)

• EU Must Have Courage To Take The Sensible Decision On IVDR Deadline, Says German Industry (MedtechInsight)
• EU MDR Guidances: Can Stakeholders Be Punished For Not Applying Them? (MedtechInsight)
• Smith & Nephew returns to growth as US hip sales surge (MedtechDive)
• CMS pitches extra year of add-on payments for Boston Scientific, Stryker, other devices (MedtechDive)
• LabCorp, still riding the COVID-19 testing wave, exceeds its own expectations with $4.2B Q1 revenue (Fierce)
• Baxter Reports First-Quarter 2021 Results (Press)

• FDA says it will ban menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars within a year (Politico)
• House Introduces Bill, BIOSIM Act, Designed To Lower Drug Costs (Big Molecule Watch)
• Law Firms Representing Purdue Pharma Agree to Relinquish $1 Million in Settlement with U.S. Trustee Program (DOJ)
• Justices' Restitution Order May Allow FTC-Surescripts Deal (Law360)
• Opioid Ad Blitz Targeted Not Just Docs But Insurers: J&J Rep (Law360)
• GSK Says Amgen Patent Decision Will 'Devastate' Innovation (Law360)
• Dr. Reddy's Says Amarin Delaying Heart Drug Competition (Law360)
• Pfizer Tells Court Allele Wrong On Hatch-Waxman Safe Harbor (Law360)
• Pharma Cos. Can Expect Harsh Antitrust Scrutiny From Biden (Law360)
• Long-Running MRI Patent Row Settles Days Before Ill. Trial (Law360)
• Baylor, Gensetix Agree To Drop Cancer Patent Fight For Good (Law360)
• J&J, Imerys Beat $117M Talc Verdicts Over Flawed Testimony (Law360)