The week in pharma: action, reaction and insight – week to September 1, 2023

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

Last week saw US biotech major Amgen reach a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding competition issues with its $27.8 billon proposed acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics, with particular issues concerning the potential bundling of the latter’s Krystexxa and Tepezza products. BridgeBio Pharma released new Phase III data on its acoramidis in ATTR cardiomyopathy at the European Society of Cardiology. On the deal-making front, ImmunoGen out-licensed its cancer treatment Elahere to Takeda for commercialization in Japan. The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) last Tuesday released the names of the first 10 drugs for price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Also of note, US biotech BioMarin Pharmaceuticals revealed it has treated a first patient with its gene therapy Roctavian for severe hemophilia A in Germany, marking the first commercial use in Europe.

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