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Under Pressure: Can Merck Show Cubist Is Worth $9.5 Billion Without Cubicin?

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Hours after Merck revealed a merger agreement with Cubist, a court ruled that generic versions of Cubist’s big seller Cubicin can launch in 2016, two years earlier than expected, putting the pressure on Merck to justify the pricey acquisition.

Merck & Co. Inc. has put a long-term strategy in play – building a specialty in acute care – with the acquisition of Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. Investors, however, may need some more convincing before they agree that the deal, valued at $9.5 billion, is worth the cost, especially if the remaining patent life for Cubist’s top seller, Cubicin (daptomycin), is short-lived.

The timing of the merger announcement couldn’t have been worse for Merck. Just hours after Merck revealed plans to buy Cubist Dec. 8 [See Deal], a Delaware district...

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Japan Price Cuts For Epkinly and Lunsumio Following CEA

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Japan is cutting more drug reimbursement prices following cost effectiveness analysis and is applying the methodology to a new group of products including Wegovy and Leqembi.

Could EU Collective Procurement Counter US Most Favored Nation Policy?

 
• By Francesca Bruce

Joint procurement, if used by member states to respond to potential pricing and access challenges caused by a US most favored nations pricing policy, would cause more uncertainty for pharmaceutical companies, warn industry representatives.

US FDA’s Familiar Drug Pricing To-Do List

 
• By Michael McCaughan

President Trump’s new Executive Order on drug pricing reprises several policy themes from his first administration, including giving the FDA many tasks intended to increase competition in the marketplace.

US Most Favored Nations Policy: Higher Drug Spending In Germany Is ‘Difficult To Imagine’

 
• By Francesca Bruce

Germany’s federal health care decision-making body, the G-BA, tells the Pink Sheet that German drug prices are fair and speculation of price rises in the market due to the US MFN policy is fear mongering.

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Why Hympavzi Secured English Funding For Hemophilia B But Not Hemophilia A

 
• By Neena Brizmohun

Pfizer told the Pink Sheet it would work with the health technology assessment institute, NICE, with the hope of making Hympavzi available to patients with hemophilia A via the National Health Service.

US Most Favored Nations Policy: Higher Drug Spending In Germany Is ‘Difficult To Imagine’

 
• By Francesca Bruce

Germany’s federal health care decision-making body, the G-BA, tells the Pink Sheet that German drug prices are fair and speculation of price rises in the market due to the US MFN policy is fear mongering.

Japan Reimburses 11 New Drugs But Slashes Price Of Others By Up To 20%

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Japan's NHI program continues to give and take as 11 new drugs are granted reimbursement, while the prices of others - including three ophthalmic therapies - are cut by up to 20% under a Market Expansion Repricing scheme.