Recon: Pfizer discussing boosters with US officials; WHO calls for sharing gene editing tools with developing nations

• Pfizer to discuss vaccine booster with US officials Monday (STAT) (Washington Post)
• Pfizer/BioNTech bid for booster doses premature, more data needed -experts (Reuters)
• BioBonds Would Use Wall St. Tools to Fund Medical Research (NYTimes)
• Drug Prices Are One Focus of Biden’s Push to Boost Competition (WSJ) (BioPharmaDive) (Endpoints)
• Astellas and Seagen's Padcev wins full FDA approval, notching expanded label in tough-to-crack urothelial cancer (Endpoints) (FDA)
• Bayer's Farxiga rival Kerendia scores long-awaited kidney and heart disease nod for Type 2 diabetes patients (Fierce) (FDA)
• The Rationing of a Last-Resort Covid Treatment (NYTimes)

• WHO committee calls for sharing of gene editing tools with poorer nations (Reuters) (STAT)
• Sputnik V second dose shortage to delay India's full rollout -Dr Reddy's (Reuters)
• Chinese drugmakers agree to supply more than half a billion vaccines to COVAX (Reuters)
• Novo, in rare deal, buys rights to Prothena amyloidosis treatment (BioPharmaDive) (Endpoints)
• German lab Eluthia says suspends use of BGI prenatal tests for privacy probe (Reuters)

• Few options for Biden as vaccination pace hits a wall (Politico)
• EU reaches 70 percent vaccine delivery goal for adults (The Hill)
• Decision on emergency use listing of Covaxin likely in 4-6 weeks: WHO (Economic Times)
• Unvaccinated Belgian woman contracted two COVID variants simultaneously (Reuters)
• Vaccines will get full FDA approval, Fauci predicts (Politico)
• Experts warn full Covid-19 vaccine approval is no quick fix for hesitancy (STAT)
• Israel offers third shot of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to adults at risk (Reuters)
• Covid-19 vaccine: Moderna offered legal indemnity, but with riders (Economic Times)
• Bipartisan lawmakers press NIH for info on deleted coronavirus data (The Hill)
• Taiwan finally getting BioNTech COVID vaccines in $350 mln deal (Reuters)
• Politics, health collided in Taiwan's tortured BioNTech vaccine talks (Reuters)

• Landmark gene therapy trial points to a wider window to alter course of rare disease (STAT)
• As 5 more biotechs file their IPOs, one Nasdaq official doesn't see momentum slowing down anytime soon (Endpoints)
• Dying patients with rare diseases struggle to get experimental therapies (NBC)
• bluebird bio to restart marketing of Zynteglo in EU after previous suspension (PMLive)
• NICE ‘no’ for Orchard Therapeutics’ gene therapy Libmeldy (PharmaTimes)
• Fierce)
• Union official says Viatris severance package provides former Mylan workers ‘sustainability’ (MetroNews)
• Bayer takes SGLT2 hopefuls head on with FDA approval for new kidney disease drug (Endpoints)
• Poxel pivots to different programs, but questions abound over imeglimin (Fierce)
• Switching focus in the brain, researchers herald a possible gene therapy breakthrough in treating an ultra rare disease (Endpoints)
• Aiming to rebound from blunders years ago, Celldex touts a Phase Ib win with sights set on Xolair (Endpoints)

• Medtech pay to doctors plunged in 2020 as COVID-19 pummeled electives, in-person services fell (MedtechDive)
• Biden order takes aim at high cost of hearing aids, calls for OTC sales (MedtechDive)
• Abbott lays off 400 workers amid drop in demand for COVID-19 tests (MedtechDive)
• Merck KGaA taps Spanish graphene start-up for ultrafine, smart neuromodulation therapies (Fierce)
• In rare double-SPAC deal, Hyperfine picks up brain-sensing tech company as it goes public (Fierce)

•  Plugging Obamacare’s biggest hole poses dilemma for Democrats (Politico)
• Bayer, Janssen Duck Louisiana Blue Cross' Xarelto Claims (Law360)
• Generics, Retailers Escape Zantac MDL With Preemption (Law360)
• Gov't Can't Ditch Akebia's Suit Over Kidney Drug Coverage (Law360)
• 9th Circ. Won't Revive Ex-Merck Worker's Drug Kickback Suit (Law360)