Look back at pharma news in week to April 5

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

Merger and acquisition was in the news last week, with Novartis making its first M&A deal this year, buying IFM Tre along with its immunology pipeline for up to $1.575 billion. Also on the company front, a dispute has broken out between Amgen and Novartis regarding their migraine prevention drug Aimovig. Research news included ViiV Healthcare’s presentation of new data on its two-drug combination HIV drug Juluca. Meantime, with a Food and Drug Administration decision expected soon on Novartis’ gene therapy Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the latest ICER report on pricing for such drugs could be important.

Novartis bets $1.6 billion on a biotech’s anti-inflammatory drugs