Recon: Pfizer looks to cut $1.5B in spending by 2027; Drugmakers prevail in first Zantac cancer trial

• In light of H5N1 outbreak, US in talks with mRNA vaccine makers on bird flu (STAT)
• Biotechs turn to gene silencing for obesity drugs that can last longer than Wegovy (STAT)
• Merck KGaA avoids prosecution after cooperating with DOJ to uncover China export scheme (Endpoints)
• Pfizer rolls out another cost-cutting program, sets $1.5 billion target by 2027 (Reuters) (Endpoints)
• Zantac not a cause of woman’s cancer, jury says in first trial over drug (Reuters)
• Woodcock Nostalgia: GOP Rep. Bilirakis Wants CDER To Recapture Her Flexible Approach (Pink Sheet)
• US FDA staff flags risk of low blood sugar for Novo Nordisk's weekly insulin (Reuters)
• Medtronic's weaker-than-expected outlook clouds quarterly results beat (Reuters)
• In sleep apnea device litigation, who's getting the $1.1 billion settlement? (Reuters)

• EU reports no bird flu cases in humans or cows as virus spreads in US (Reuters)
• EMA Answers More Questions For Manufacturers of Drug-Device Combos (Pink Sheet)
• Industry Applauds AUD18.8m Funding For Australia’s ‘One Stop Shop’ For Clinical Trials (Pink Sheet)
• Deadline Nears For Comments On WHO’s Proposed Requirements For MAbs Targeting RSV (Pink Sheet)
• Novel Antimicrobials: Firms Urged To Draw Up Access & Stewardship Plans For Lower-Income Countries (Pink Sheet)

• Cytokinetics CEO Robert Blum is on my Worst CEO shortlist again, and other thoughts (STAT)
• Cytokinetics sells Royalty Pharma a share of its heart drug for up to $575 million, lowering hopes of a buyout (STAT)
• ReNAgade is acquired by RNA rival a year after megaround-backed launch (Endpoints)
• Bicycle’s $555M placement; Tango Therapeutics scraps cancer program (Endpoints)
• Exclusive: SR One raises $200M+ for third fund, still with GSK support (Endpoints)
• Chinese CDMO takes over Pfizer’s UK facility; Serum Institute ships malaria vaccine to Africa (Endpoints)
• Atropos Health raises $33M to arm doctors and pharma companies with evidence (Endpoints)
• Exclusive: Senior primary care startup Gather Health has raised $16M in a new round (Endpoints)
• Startup launches with ‘RNA sensor’ technology from Stanford and MIT to better control mRNA therapies (Endpoints)
• AstraZeneca taps more China-derived tech with $19M cancer deal for Nona antibodies (Endpoints)

• Hologic recalls more than 53,000 radiographic markers linked to 71 injuries (MedTech Dive) (Reuters)
• Cue Health, Covid-19 testing company, is shutting down (STAT)
• Medtronic touts demand for PFA, adding to hype for the new ablation tech (MedTech Dive)
• Medicare adviser sets recommendations for diabetes device evidence (MedTech Dive)

• Wastewater testing specifically for bird flu virus will scale up nationally in coming weeks (STAT)
• Fresh scrutiny of post-Covid spending reignites yearslong tension over emergency stockpiles (STAT)
• Making the case for fair compensation in clinical trials (STAT)
• UnitedHealth argues algorithm lawsuit should be dismissed because patients didn’t spend years appealing denials (STAT)
• Tobacco industry aims to hook new generation on vapes, WHO says (Reuters)