Pharma Pulse: A Call for U.K. Pricing Reform and the Latest FDA-Approved Biosimilar for Bone Health
Eli Lilly is urging the United Kingdom to overhaul its drug‑pricing framework, warning that persistently low prices could deter future investment and calling for outcomes‑based reimbursement models, especially for obesity therapies. At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Ponlimsi, a denosumab‑adet biosimilar to Amgen’s Prolia, for all osteoporosis indications. Ponlimsi matches the reference product’s efficacy and safety but carries a boxed warning for severe hypocalcemia in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. The two developments highlight divergent regulatory and market pressures shaping pharmaceutical access in major economies.
Overcoming Barriers to Specialty Medication Adherence With CareTria
CareTria’s CEO Willis Chandler told Pharmaceutical Commerce that 50% of patients abandon specialty drugs due to fragmented support and lengthy benefit verification. The company’s automated platform unifies provider, pharmacy, and payer workflows, slashing the time from prescription to therapy from...
Brightseed Launches Enterprise AI Solution to Streamline Formulation and Manufacturing Success
Brightseed unveiled the world’s first clinically validated enterprise AI platform, designed to unite discovery, development, and commercialization for health‑science products. The system targets the industry’s 75% early‑stage failure rate by eliminating fragmented workflows and late‑stage risk discovery. Powered by the...
Nordic Cold Chain Solutions Launches Lab to Meet GLP-1 Demand
Nordic Cold Chain Solutions (NCCS) has opened a GLP‑1 & Small‑Format Packaging Innovation Lab to help pharmaceutical manufacturers, specialty pharmacies and e‑commerce players manage temperature‑sensitive drugs. The lab provides end‑to‑end services from early‑stage design and pilot testing to high‑volume production,...
Pharma Pulse: Commercial Risks of the NDC-12 Transition and FDA Approval of Avlayah for Hunter Syndrome
The pharmaceutical industry faces commercial risk as it prepares for the 2033 transition to a uniform 12‑digit NDC format, with experts warning that thousands of zero‑prefix collisions could trigger PBM claim rejections, disrupt patient‑hub enrollments, and corrupt market‑intelligence data. Simultaneously,...
How to Build Trust and Retention in Patient Support Programs
Patient support programs (PSPs) are growing alongside specialty drugs, but manufacturers often miss early warning signs of disengagement. Tina Valbh highlights patient abandonment—unanswered calls and missed follow‑ups—as a primary indicator that a program isn’t meeting needs. She argues that many...
The Metrics That Matter in Direct-to-Patient Strategies
Jordan Armstrong, VP of Business Development at AssistRx, highlighted that speed and data are the core metrics for evaluating direct‑to‑patient (DTP) programs. He explained that rapid therapy initiation, combined with insights on patient coverage and affordability, can differentiate DTP from...
How Policy Changes Are Shaping Patient Support Programs
Pharmaceutical firms are pivoting from healthcare providers to patients as the primary focus of their support programs, a shift accelerated by recent policy changes. The expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies and the One Big Beautiful Bill are reducing insurance enrollment, leaving millions uninsured...
How Pharma Supply Chains Can Brace for FDA’s 12-Digit NDC Standard
The FDA issued a final rule on March 5, 2026 establishing a uniform 12‑digit National Drug Code (NDC) that will replace the current variable 10‑digit format, with an effective date of March 7, 2033 and a seven‑year preparation window followed by a three‑year transition...
Pharma Pulse: A Rare Disease Drug Approval and the Evolving Scope of Pharmacy Practice
The FDA has broadened approval for Imcivree (setmelanotide), creating the first targeted therapy for acquired hypothalamic obesity and reporting an 18.4% placebo‑adjusted BMI reduction in Phase III trials. Parallel research shows that deploying pharmacy technicians as vaccine injectors dramatically improves uptake...
The Competitive Edge in Pharma Logistics: Sustainability, Safety, and Precision Delivery
Marken UPS Healthcare Precision Logistics argues that sustainability, safety, and precision delivery are the new competitive differentiators in pharmaceutical logistics. The company is rolling out carbon‑neutral transport, renewable‑energy‑powered warehouses, and AI‑driven routing to cut emissions and improve speed. Real‑time IoT...
How to Fix the Handoffs Where Prior Authorization Workflows Break Down
The interview with Tina Valbh highlights how prior‑authorization workflows crumble at every handoff, from clinicians to multiple vendors, creating delays and patient confusion. She points out that patients rarely receive real‑time updates, leaving them unaware of denials or required actions....
Cold Chain Logistics In a Warming World
Rising global temperatures and volatile weather are threatening the pharmaceutical cold‑chain, jeopardizing vaccines and biologics that require strict temperature control. Industry leaders argue that AI‑driven analytics, real‑time IoT monitoring, and blockchain‑enabled transparency can predict disruptions and optimize routing. Packaging providers...
Why Pharma Is Exploring Direct-to-Employer Benefit Models
Pharmaceutical manufacturers are re‑examining traditional PBM‑centric distribution by offering direct‑to‑employer drug purchasing models. Companies like Andel charge a per‑prescription transaction fee and eliminate administrative or per‑member fees, aiming to lower drug spend for employers. Their platform centralizes prescription intake, routes...
How to Get Specialty Drug Launches Right From Pre-Launch to Patient Access
ConnectiveRx VP Kristine McGaughey emphasizes that an 18‑to‑24‑month pre‑launch window is critical for specialty drug rollouts. Early alignment of market access, patient services, pricing, and hub teams prevents day‑one friction and enables rapid patient access. She contrasts emerging biopharma, which...
Pharma Pulse: FDA Greenlights Higher-Dose Wegovy with Pricing Commitments, and the State of the US Generics Market
The FDA granted a 54‑day fast‑track approval for Wegovy HD, a 7.2 mg semaglutide injection that delivered a 20.7% average weight loss in trials, under the National Priority Voucher program. In return, the maker committed to specific Medicare and Medicaid pricing...
Aligning Hub Services and Field Reimbursement Teams for Better Patient Support
CoverMyMeds senior manager Kimberly Howard explains that aligning hub services with field reimbursement teams creates a seamless patient‑support workflow. Hubs handle benefit investigations while field reimbursement managers guide providers through prior‑authorizations, and shared data bridges the two functions. When manufacturers...
Looking Beyond Launch: Rethinking Long-Term Patient Support
Manufacturers concentrate patient support on the launch window, emphasizing financial aid and onboarding within the first 30‑60 days. Tina Valbh highlights that this front‑loaded model neglects the evolving barriers patients face throughout long‑term therapy. Without a holistic, multi‑phase strategy, programs...
Pharma Pulse: FDA Approval of Icotyde for Plaque Psoriasis and CCT’s MedAssure Debut
The FDA has approved Icotyde, the first targeted oral peptide therapy for moderate‑to‑severe plaque psoriasis, offering a once‑daily pill that blocks the IL‑23 receptor. In pivotal trials, roughly 70% of patients achieved clear or almost clear skin by week 16,...
How Policy Pressures Are Driving DTP Adoption
Policy pressures such as Medicare price negotiations, Most Favored Nation rules, and new transparency mandates are reshaping how life‑science companies sell medicines. These forces are accelerating adoption of direct‑to‑patient (DTP) models that bypass traditional intermediaries to deliver drugs more affordably....
CCT to Debut MedAssure Platform at LogiPharma 2026 Amid Growing Global Logistics Challenges
Cold Chain Technologies (CCT) will unveil MedAssure, a cold‑chain orchestration platform, at LogiPharma 2026. Targeted at life‑science manufacturers, the solution promises data‑driven intelligence to anticipate risks, lower total logistics costs, and shrink environmental footprints. The launch comes as the pharmaceutical cold‑chain...
Qualified Temperature-Controlled Corridors: The Future Is Here
Qualified Temperature‑Controlled Corridors (TCCs) are emerging as a new global standard for pharmaceutical logistics, offering fully validated, end‑to‑end temperature management. The model combines regulatory compliance, digital telemetry, predictive analytics, and harmonized quality frameworks to cut handoffs and prevent excursions for...
Pharma Pulse: SteinCares Partners to Expand Biosimilar Access in Latin America and Eli Lilly Issues Warning Over Compounded Tirzepatide Safety
SteinCares and Shilpa Biologicals have signed a licensing deal to commercialize biosimilars across Latin America, with SteinCares handling regional registration and distribution while Shilpa oversees product development and long‑term manufacturing. The partnership targets broader patient access to cost‑effective biologics in...
Pharma Pulse: FDA Launches AEMS and the Rise of Direct-to-Employer Drug Purchasing
The FDA unveiled the Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS), a unified platform that shifts drug safety surveillance from quarterly updates to real‑time reporting and is expected to save roughly $120 million over five years. Simultaneously, a direct‑to‑employer drug‑purchasing model is gaining...
Direct-to-Employer Drug Purchasing Emerges as Companies Navigate High Prescription Costs
Jay Bregman, CEO of Andel, unveiled a direct‑to‑employer medication platform that lets companies purchase drugs straight from manufacturers, starting with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen. The model bypasses PBMs and insurers, aiming to lower out‑of‑pocket costs and curb rising spend on high‑priced...
Pharma Pulse: FDA Approval of Leucovorin Calcium for CFD and Persistent Inequities in OTC Naloxone Access
The FDA granted its first approval for a therapy targeting cerebral folate transport deficiency, an ultra‑rare neurological disorder, with Wellcovorin (leucovorin calcium) showing meaningful neurological improvements in 89% of patients. Meanwhile, over‑the‑counter naloxone prices have slipped by roughly $0.49 each...
Intelligent Pharma Supply Chains: Powered by AI, Guided by Decisions
The article outlines how decision intelligence—an AI‑driven, automated decision‑making platform—can unify the fragmented supply‑chain systems that support both small‑molecule (SM) drugs and cell‑and‑gene therapies (CGT). By aggregating data from ERP, CRM, quality, and contract‑manufacturer sources, the technology delivers real‑time visibility...
Pharma Pulse: Ipsen’s Global Tazemetostat Withdrawal and FDA Approval of Deucravacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis
French biotech Ipsen announced an immediate, global voluntary withdrawal of its oncology drug tazemetostat (Tazverik) after safety signals in the SYMPHONY‑1 confirmatory trial indicated a rise in secondary hematologic malignancies. The company is coordinating with the FDA to manage the...
Pharma Pulse: NCPA’s Medicare Negotiation Overhaul Advocacy and Norgine’s $67M UK Supply Investment
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) warns that independent pharmacies are facing a cash‑flow crisis as 67% report Medicare drug‑price negotiation refunds delayed 22 days or more, forcing 60% to dip into personal savings. NCPA is urging the Centers for...
Pharma Pulse: Eli Lilly’s Employer Connect Platform and Tandem Mobi Android Integration
Eli Lilly has introduced Employer Connect, a new platform that partners with more than fifteen independent administrators to provide cost‑transparent access to its obesity drug Zepbound for U.S. employees. The service is designed to close the insurance coverage gap affecting roughly...
Eton Pharmaceuticals Expands Rare Disease Portfolio with Acquisition of US Hemangeol Rights
Eton Pharmaceuticals has in‑licensed the U.S. commercialization rights to Hemangeol®, the sole FDA‑approved oral propranolol solution for infantile hemangioma, marking its tenth rare‑disease product. The hand‑off from Pierre Fabre is slated for May 1 2026, after which Eton will drive sales through its...
SpotSee-Controlant Collaboration Addresses Shipment Monitoring Gaps in Temperature-Sensitive Supply Chains
SpotSee and Controlant have launched a strategic partnership that combines SpotSee’s WarmMark QR temperature indicators with Controlant’s real‑time IoT monitoring devices and cloud analytics. The joint solution creates a layered, end‑to‑end visibility platform that captures environmental data during transit and...
Pharma Pulse: FDA Grants Priority Review to Rusfertide and Expands Approval for Novo Nordisk’s Sogroya
The FDA granted priority review to Takeda’s rusfertide, a first‑in‑class hepcidin mimetic for polycythemia vera, after Phase III trials more than doubled response rates. A regulatory decision is expected in Q3 2026. The agency also expanded Novo Nordisk’s once‑weekly Sogroya to treat children...
Pharma Pulse: Regulatory Speed Records
Boehringer Ingelheim’s oral kinase inhibitor Hernexeos received FDA accelerated approval for first‑line HER2‑mutant lung cancer in a record‑fast 44 days, thanks to the National Priority Voucher program. The drug demonstrated a 76 % response rate, positioning it as a breakthrough in personalized...
What’s Your Cold Chain Testing Telling You?
Altor is hosting a free webinar on March 12, 2026 to teach cold‑chain professionals best practices in thermal testing. The session will cover how nuanced variables affect test outcomes and which questions to ask to validate designs. Speakers include Altor’s Director of...
Fresh Formats, a Debut Event Director, and a New Viennese Venue for LogiPharma 2026
LogiPharma 2026 will debut in Vienna’s Austria Center, moving from France after four years. Under new event director Ben Sharples, the conference introduces interactive panels, Oxford‑style debates and hands‑on training through the LogiPharma Academy. The program splits into two interconnected...
Cybersecurity and AI in the Era of Home-Based Care Logistics
Kenco’s vice‑president of life sciences, Tim McClatchy, detailed how the firm is hardening cybersecurity across its manufacturer‑to‑home delivery network while deploying AI to streamline labor planning and route optimization. He explained the specific encryption and verification steps used at each...
FAQ: Inflation Reduction Act and Medicare Drug Pricing
The Inflation Reduction Act reshapes Medicare Part D by granting CMS authority to negotiate prices for high‑cost drugs and instituting a $2,100 annual out‑of‑pocket cap for beneficiaries starting this year. The first ten drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, will have negotiated...
Pharma M&A in 2026: Can the Industry Keep Up the Momentum?
Dan Chancellor of Norstella explains that the looming patent cliff and persistent growth gaps are forcing pharma companies to rely heavily on mergers and acquisitions. 2025 saw a record $220 billion in deal value, driven by several mega‑transactions and numerous bolt‑on...
Pharma Pulse: The Oral GLP-1 Battle and GSK’s Billion-Dollar Breath of Fresh Air
Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 small‑molecule orforglipron demonstrated greater A1C reduction and weight loss than oral semaglutide, while offering flexible dosing without fasting. GSK announced a $950 million acquisition of 35Pharma, securing HS235, an activin‑signaling inhibitor aimed at pulmonary hypertension. The deal taps...
Pharma Pulse: MRNA Legal Wars and the Community Pharmacy Shield
BioNTech has filed a Delaware patent‑infringement lawsuit against Moderna, accusing the latter’s next‑generation COVID vaccine mNEXSPIKE of using BioNTech’s streamlined mRNA design. The disputed shot is projected to generate about 55 % of Moderna’s COVID revenue this season, making the case...
Supreme Court Rejection of Trump Tariffs Has Nuanced Implications for Pharma Importers
The Supreme Court struck down the broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, but left Section 232 duties untouched. Because most pharma tariffs were issued under Section 232, the ruling does not eliminate the targeted tariffs on drug imports....
Pharma Pulse: J&J’s $1B Cell Therapy Hub and Hims & Hers’ Global Expansion
Johnson & Johnson announced a $1 billion investment to build a next‑generation cell‑therapy manufacturing facility in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, slated to support 500 skilled jobs. The hub is a key element of J&J’s $55 billion U.S. manufacturing, R&D, and technology strategy. Meanwhile,...
From Launch to Loss of Exclusivity- Reducing Access and Affordability Barriers Across the Brand Lifecycle
CoverMyMeds outlines how access and affordability challenges evolve across a biopharma brand’s lifecycle, from launch through loss of exclusivity, and offers actionable, data‑driven strategies to mitigate them. The firm emphasizes real‑time analytics, provider‑focused tools, and tailored patient assistance to reduce...
CMS Broadens Drug Price Negotiations to Part B Therapies
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a third round of drug price negotiations that for the first time includes Part B physician‑administered therapies. By extending the Inflation Reduction Act’s pricing provisions to infused medicines, the move pulls doctors into...
Pharma Pulse: FDA’s Moderna Reversal and Eli Lilly’s $100 Million IL-6 Bet
The FDA has reversed its earlier refusal-to-file and will review Moderna’s seasonal mRNA influenza vaccine, with a decision slated for August 5, 2026. Moderna now seeks full approval for adults aged 50‑64 and accelerated approval for those 65 and older. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly...
Patent Cliff Pressures to Drive Big Pharma M&A
The looming patent cliff, projected to strip up to $300 billion in annual drug sales by 2032, is keeping large pharma firms focused on strategic acquisitions rather than triggering a sudden surge in deal volume. Dan Chancellor of Norstella notes that...