In the Know: Pharma, Biotech, and Healthcare Updates

Good morning from Pharma and Biotech Daily: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in Pharma and Biotech world.CDRH Director Jeff Shuren is set to step down after 15 years, with Michelle Tarver serving as acting director of the FDA's medical devices unit. Boston Scientific predicts strong growth for Farapulse following a successful launch. The top 5 medtech deals in the first half of 2024 include Johnson & Johnson's $13.1 billion takeover of Shockwave Medical. ICU Medical is closing a Minnesota facility and cutting 83 jobs, while Cook Medical plans to sell its reproductive health business to a private equity firm. Medline is exploring an IPO in 2025, Magenta securing $105 million for trials of the world's smallest heart pump, and robotic aid improving balance and gait in children with cerebral palsy.Transitioning to healthcare news, HCA reported $17.5 billion in revenue in the second quarter and raised its full-year guidance. Humana's Centerwell plans to open 23 primary care clinics at Walmart stores. Maternal health quality varies by state, with states with more restrictive abortion bans having fewer maternal health providers and higher maternal death rates. Pharmacy benefit managers, including CVS Caremark, Optum Rx, and Express Scripts, faced scrutiny from Congress over drug pricing policies. AI is being used to transform unstructured patient data into structured reports in healthcare systems.Moving on to updates in pharmaceuticals, Pfizer's hemophilia gene therapy met its late-stage study goal, but questions remain about the long-term potential of hemophilia treatments. Biogen's tremor drug, Sage-324, failed a key trial, and the FDA's medical device chief, Shuren, is stepping down after 15 years. Novartis is investing in bispecifics for cancer, while Autobahn raised $100 million for neuropsych drugs. Bob Langer steps down from Moderna's board, and PBMs are facing bipartisan scrutiny over drug pricing policies.In the biopharma sector, Biogen and Sage Therapeutics have discontinued a phase II trial for an investigational neuroactive steroid for essential tremor after it failed to significantly improve upper limb tremors. Pfizer's gene therapy for hemophilia A has shown positive results in a phase III trial. The FDA has raised concerns about potential overtreatment with AstraZeneca's Imfinzi for resectable non-small cell lung cancer. There is speculation about whether Merck should buy out Moderna to strengthen their partnership on Keytruda-cancer vaccine.Lastly, in marketing news, Google's ad revenue remains strong despite transitions in technology, with AI implementations and cookie changes. Albertsons' retail media business is incorporating AI and in-store technology to improve operations. Coca-Cola and Delta are 'olympicizing' their campaigns with NBCUniversal, as advertisers spend over $1.2 billion for the Olympics. Google has become the official search AI partner of Team USA, leveraging its products for NBCUniversal's Olympics coverage.The marketing landscape is evolving with a focus on technology, data-driven strategies, and partnerships between brands and media companies like NBCUniversal and Google.