And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather modest. We plan to promenade with the official mascot and catch up on our reading. There is also paperwork to be done and the annual hunt for a trusty shovel hiding in the tool shed. And what about you? This is a fine time to cozy up with a good book or in front of the telly. You could go shopping before prices rise again. Or you could convince someone to get vaccinated. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you Tuesday, since there is an extended break on this side of the pond. …
Desperate to reverse the turmoil surrounding its controversial Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm, Biogen (BIIB) has a shopping list of potential acquisitions, STAT reports. And the company’s risk-averse board, which has repeatedly rejected potential deals, could be increasingly receptive. The company, whose stock price is down nearly 50% since Aduhelm’s June approval, is working with Goldman Sachs to find potential buyout targets The investment bank has provided Biogen with a list of smaller biotech companies that might fit with the company’s focus on neuroscience, although Biogen has not approached any of the companies about a deal.
The Medicare proposal to restrict access to the controversial Biogen Alzheimer’s drug has quickly reignited a long-simmering debate over how best to address ongoing, systemic inequities in Alzheimer’s care experienced by Black and Hispanic patients, STAT tells us. The Medicare plan would only cover patients enrolled in a randomized clinical trial for studying the drug, called Aduhelm. Biogen and major Alzheimer’s patient groups all panned the proposal, saying it would make it harder for vulnerable populations to access the medicine. But academics said advocacy organizations’ efforts would be better spent addressing more systemic issues, like overcoming the obstacles that keep Black and brown people out of Alzheimer’s clinical trials or from receiving a proper Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
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