Recon: Novo Nordisk to buy Dicerna for $3.3B; US signs deal for $5.3B worth of Pfizer's COVID antiviral drug

• FDA approves Merck's Keytruda as first immunotherapy for early kidney cancer (BioPharmaDive) (FDA)
• Pfizer signs $5.3 billion U.S. deal to supply COVID-19 antiviral pills (Reuters)
• J&J sees potential for 14 new multibillion-dollar drugs by 2025 (Reuters)
• White House Plans Major Expansion of Covid Vaccine Production (NYTimes)
• Gilead pays up to retain rights to Arcus cancer drugs (BioPharmaDive) (STAT)
• By selling bonds tied to drug access and climate goals, Teva takes pharma in a new direction (STAT)
• SEC Investigating Cassava Sciences, Developer of Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug (WSJ)

• AstraZeneca's preventative COVID-19 shot shown to work longer-term (Reuters)
• AstraZeneca says to seek commercial price for preventive antibody cocktail (Reuters)
• EU assesses GSK-Vir COVID-19 antibody therapy for authorisation (Reuters) (EMA)
• European Antibiotic Awareness Day: Fighting the silent pandemic (EMA)
• Monkey-brain study with link to China's military roils top European university (Reuters)
• Novartis Has a Big Pile of Cash and Investors Are Demanding Action (Bloomberg) (Fierce)
• Denmark's Novo Nordisk to buy Dicerna Pharma for $3.3 billion (Reuters) (Fierce)
• ‘Can’t get much worse’: What a European rejection of an Alzheimer’s drug would mean for Biogen (STAT)

• Phasing Out of the COVID MyStudies Application (App) (FDA)
• Germany recommends booster shots for all adult population (Reuters)
• Covid : Children told to delay jab for 12 weeks after infection (BBC)

• Misuse of antibiotics in pandemic building resistant bacteria, health agency warns (Reuters)
• Companies make progress tackling drug-resistant infections, foundation says (Reuters)
• Flagship's machine learning startup Generate bags $370M in latest round with plans for a big hiring spree (Endpoints) (STAT)
• Public Opinion Is Unified on Lowering Drug Prices. Why Are Leaders Settling for Less? (KHN)
• Eli Lilly, under pressure from Biohaven, launches head-to-head migraine trial between Emgality and Nurtec (Fierce)
• Endo partners up with US government on $120M infusion into the national stockpile (Endpoints)
• Sanofi ‘Strongly Disagrees’ With EMA Rejection Of NAS Status For Nexviadyme (Pink Sheet)
• FDA+ roundup: ALS bill would provide $100m annually to access potential drugs; FDA needs to better enforce ClinicalTrials.gov reporting, researchers say (Endpoints)
• Sanofi inks major AI deal to improve clinical development odds with $270M cash investment (Endpoints)
• BridgeBio borrows $750M ahead of key PhIII readout, as it looks to wrap up buzzy 2021 (Endpoints)

• TAVR uptake in US cities tied to race, ethnicity and income: JAMA study (MedtechDive)
• After High-Risk Recall And Scathing Inspection Report, Is FDA Warning Letter Next For Philips? (MedtechInsight)
• Blackrock Neurotech nabs FDA breakthrough nod for system that uses thoughts to control devices (Fierce)

• Former Theranos patient testifies that a blood test at Walgreens came back with false positive for HIV (CNBC)
• Teva, Cooper Cos. Must Face All Claims In Paragard IUD MDL (Law360)
• Teva Says Dr. Reddy's Broke Deal Over Birth Control Device (Law360)
• Pfizer's $2.3B Trillium Deal Closes Without FTC Challenge (Law360)