Recon: Inovio to lay off 18% of its staff; EU signs COVID-19 procurement deal with Gilead

• The politics of passing a major FDA funding bill just got complicated (STAT)
• FDA approves first at-home therapy for skin repigmentation in vitiligo patients (STAT)
• Biotech employees cash in health care’s largest salaries, while people working at providers sit near the bottom (STAT)
• Dozens of lawmakers urge HHS to fine drugmakers for curtailing discounts to a federal program (STAT)
• J&J's cancer drug sales help weather hit from stronger dollar (Reuters)
• Inovio to cut 18% full-time jobs to conserve cash (Reuters)
• In another Lynparza flop, AstraZeneca, Merck pull the plug on a colorectal cancer trial (Fierce)

• EU signs COVID drug procurement deal with Gilead (Reuters)
• AstraZeneca's Enhertu gets broader EU approval for breast cancer (Reuters)
• Novartis expects improved earnings at generics unit Sandoz (Reuters)
• Japan's Shionogi starts COVID-19 vaccine trial among children (Reuters)
• Australia provisionally approves Moderna's COVID shot for children under 5 (Reuters)
• As COVID patent war rages on, pharma group seeks fairer future access (Reuters)
• India’s patent office refuses BMS’ application for hepatitis C drug (Pharmabiz)

• Contract research organization to transfer 4,000 beagles from facility cited for inhumane care (STAT)
• Spain's Oryzon shares soar after US Cancer Institute agrees to test new drug (Reuters)
• Personalized cancer therapy biotech PACT Pharma lets go of nearly 100 staffers (Fierce)
• EU Rejects Calls To Extend Clinical Trial Regulation Transition Period (Pink Sheet)
• Delfi Diagnostics scoops up $225M from Lilly, Illumina and more for its cancer blood tests (Fierce)
• Covid-19 vaccines: shape-shifting virus puts agile manufacturers at an advantage (FT)
• Sanofi/Sobi’s Next-Gen Factor VIII Therapy BLA Heats Up Biotech-Driven Hemophilia Arms Race (Pink Sheet)
• Local Generics Win Big In China's Latest National Tender (Scrip)

• US FDA Requests Input For New Report On Non-Device Software Functions (MedtechInsight)
• Thumbs Up: FDA Authorizes Weight Loss Suturing Systems From Apollo Endosurgery (MedtechInsight)
• Very Few Outstanding Items On European Commission’s Shrinking Rolling Plan (MedtechInsight)
• Diagnostic sector faces a ‘challenging set-up’ amid economic slowdown: analysts (MedtechDive)
• Roche's Alzheimer's blood test earns breakthrough label from FDA (Fierce)
• Sci-fi no more: Synchron implants mind-reading device in first U.S. patient in paralysis trial (Fierce)

• Federal patent initiatives could cause ‘headwinds’ for drugmakers and their broad filings (STAT)
• Justices Warned That Biogen's Loss Will End Drug Patents (Law360)
• Drug Cos., Researchers Back Juno's 'Possession' Petition (Law360)