Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Car-T Cells Might Hold The Secret To The Fountain Of Youth
Scientists are still trying to get CAR-T cells to work as well in solid tumors as they do in blood cancers, but the genetically engineered immune cells just might have a superpower beyond oncology. In mice, researchers reported on Wednesday in Nature, CAR-T cells can eliminate the senescent cells partly responsible for many diseases of aging. (Begley, 6/17)
BioMarin鈥檚 experimental hemophilia gene therapy, which is expected to be approved by U.S. regulators in August, has continued to prevent bleeding in patients treated four years ago. However, levels of the key clotting protein the treatment helps produce, Factor VIII, continued to slowly decline, potentially leading to questions as to how long-lasting the benefits might be. (Herper and Garde, 6/17)
Arguing that the Federal Trade Commission did not follow 鈥渂est practices鈥 in approving AbbVie鈥檚 recent acquisition of Allergan, the California Attorney General is urging the agency to study the extent to which product divestitures relieve anti-competitive concerns in pharmaceutical mergers. In arguing for a study, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra contended the FTC disregarded its own rules and principles for approving the $63 billion merger, which prompted concerns from some lawmakers and consumer groups that such large deals contribute to rising drug prices. In doing so, he picked up on objections voiced by one FTC commissioner who dissented when the deal was approved in May. (Silverman, 6/17)
