Recon: Merck’s combination therapy for lung cancer falters in phase 3 trial; Medicare to cover Wegovy for heart disease

• Wegovy to be covered by US Medicare for heart disease patients (Reuters)
• Medicare expected to negotiate obesity drug prices soon, new analysis predicts (STAT)
• FDA sends 3 warning letters in probe of plastic syringes made in China (MedTech Dive)
• Becton Dickinson ramps up syringe production in US amid China quality concerns (Reuters)
• Merck combination treatment for lung cancer fails late-stage study (Reuters) (Fierce Pharma)
• Gene-edited pig kidney transplanted into a living patient for the first time (STAT)
• J&J sues former employee for allegedly taking thousands of documents to a new job at Pfizer (STAT)
• Senate opens probe into how high-risk research poses national security threats (Endpoints)
• FDA approves Idorsia’s high blood pressure drug for patients who need other options (Endpoints)

• Novo Nordisk's once-weekly basal insulin icodec recommended for marketing approval in Europe (Reuters)
• U.K. health officials and researchers try to carve a path for more individualized genetic treatments (STAT)
• Galderma targets one of this year's biggest European IPOs with top-of-the-range share price (Endpoints)
• German health ministry says Ozempic exports not a concern (Reuters)
• EU merger powers may be curbed after court adviser backs Illumina fight (Reuters)

• BioNTech is having its Pfizer moment (STAT)
• As focus shifts to oncology, BioNTech nabs Novartis exec as chief commercial officer (Endpoints)
• Prometheus team launches new startup with $400 million to tackle immune-driven disorders (STAT)
• A preview of Intra-Cellular Therapies’ depression drug, and sizing up the MASH opportunity (STAT)
• Catalent cuts 130 workers in Indiana; Merck KGaA to build in South Korea; Schott expands US footprint (Endpoints)
• Innate ends Ph1b in peripheral T cell lymphoma; Layoffs at NextCure (Endpoints)
• Exclusive: ‘If you could hallucinate a protein’: Profluent snags $35M for generative AI models (Endpoints)
• Boundless Bio seeks $88M in IPO as it runs two Ph1 cancer trials (Endpoints)
• Bayer says 2024 sales of prostate cancer drug above $1 bln (Reuters)
• Bayer's restructuring hits pharma leadership, shifting about half of execs off top team (Endpoints)

• Where Google thinks generative AI is headed in healthcare (Endpoints)
• Musk's Neuralink shows first brain-chip patient playing online chess (Reuters)
• Thermo Fisher, Bayer partner to develop companion diagnostics (MedTech Dive)
• US FDA classifies recall of Abiomed's blood pumps as most serious (Reuters)
• Insulet names Ana Maria Chadwick CFO (MedTech Dive)
• Johnson Matthey to sell medical device components unit for $700M (MedTech Dive)
• Intuitive aims to keep challengers at bay with new surgical robot (MedTech Dive)

• Ex-Aegerion drug salesman avoids further prison during 2nd sentencing (Reuters)
• Pharma companies and their allies seek to exempt orphan drugs from state pricing limits (STAT)