Each week we highlight five things affecting the life sciences industry. Here’s the latest.
NICE backs once-weekly insulin for type 2 diabetes
- The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently recommended a new, once-weekly insulin treatment that could reduce injections from 365 a year to 52 for people with type 2 diabetes.
- Clinical evidence reviewed by NICE found the treatment delivers blood glucose control comparable to widely used long-acting daily insulins, with potential benefits for patients requiring support with injections.
Pop star launches skin longevity biotech company
- A skin longevity biotech firm, co-founded by Lady Gaga and her fiancé, recently announced it has raised $23 million to develop skin health products using a human-skin research platform, according to BioXconomy.
- The company will surface new skincare and dermatology treatments via the advancement of six programs, partnerships with pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies, and the use of artificial intelligence and human tissue data.
Cyberattack highlights ongoing risks to healthcare technology companies
- A global medtech company disclosed a cyberattack that disrupted key information technology systems, impairing its ability to process and ship customer orders globally. The company has not yet determined the full operational or financial impact and has not provided a timeline for full recovery.
- Medtech Dive reports the incident adds to a growing wave of cyberattacks affecting medtech companies.
U.S. administration broadens most-favored-nation drug pricing strategy
- Bloomberg reports that the Trump administration plans to announce drug-pricing agreements with several midsized biotech companies, which would more closely link Medicaid drug prices to prices charged in foreign markets. Participating companies would receive exemptions from select Medicare pricing pilots, with tariff relief also reportedly a potential benefit.
- The initiative expands the administration’s broader “most-favored-nation” drug pricing strategy aimed at lowering U.S. drug costs. While the actual savings are uncertain, a recent analysis estimated that applying similar pricing to certain high-cost drugs could save states more than $8 billion annually.
FDA approves breakthrough RAS-targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a RAS (renin-angiotensin system) inhibitor for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer after clinical trials showed the drug doubled overall survival and progression-free survival.
- According to Fierce Pharma, the approval marks a major milestone in targeting the historically “undruggable” RAS pathway and positions the therapy as a potential blockbuster.
For more insights in life sciences, check out RSM’s industry outlook.
