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A Lancet Healthy Longevity study yesterday found that metformin—a common, generic type 2 diabetes medication used to manage blood sugar levels—is associated with significantly lower COVID-19 death risk in women, but not in men. Severe COVID-19 outcomes for people with diabetes have been widely observed, including greater risk of intensive care unit admission, intubation for mechanical ventilation, and death, possibly related to less effective glycemic, or blood sugar, control in these patients. (Kubelbeck Paulsen, 12/4)

Two drug makers — Forma Therapeutics and Agios Pharmaceuticals — are each developing their own oral medicines that aim to benefit patients with sickle cell disease by boosting the energy levels and health of red blood cells. But the competing clinical trials reported Monday have produced divergent results, with Forma’s drug performing better than expected and Agios’ drug falling short. (Feuerstein, 12/7)

Three years ago, the biotech firm Loxo Oncology purchased a promising blood cancer pill for $40 million — part of a transaction that involved a near-bankruptcy, entrepreneurs with a keen eye, and a red-eye flight from Chicago to London. Now the medicine could go down as one of the great deals in biotech history, pending further data. (Herper, 12/7)

In an unusual move, a coalition of cystic fibrosis patients and their families have filed a complaint with the United Nations, arguing that Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) is harming patient rights through prohibitive pricing and distribution policies for its life-saving medicines. Specifically, the group maintained that Vertex is violating UN policies on attaining standards for public health, which were issued in 2000 and maintain that health is a “fundamental human right.” (Silverman, 12/8)

The Food and Drug Administration found problems during a recent inspection of a Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) facility in Bothell, Wash., but a Wall Street analyst believes the findings were not serious enough to complicate approval of a cancer drug the company acquired in its $74 billion buyout of Celgene. (Silverman, 12/7)

A federal appeals court on Monday refused to revive a lawsuit alleging Anthem and Express Scripts overcharged employer plan beneficiaries for prescription drugs. The allegations stem from Anthem's decision to sell three of its pharmaceutical benefit management companies to Express Scripts in 2009, when it also entered a 10-year PBM agreement with the company. Those moves meant their employer-based insurance customers would pay more for prescription drugs, according to the lawsuit that sought class action status. The plaintiffs alleged the companies violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. (12/7)