STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about an AstraZeneca trial failure, a ‘monstrous’ conflict of interest, and more

And so, another working week will soon come to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still taking shape, but we plan on promenading with the official mascots, catching up on our reading, escorting Mrs. Pharmalot to a speakeasy and, if time permits, holding another listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? The end of summer is nigh, but there is still opportunity to make your way to a beach, hike some trails and paddle about lakes. You can fuss about the kitchen and make a favorite dish or finish that stack of books taking up space. Or maybe this is a moment to simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you in a week and a half, since we will be on a brief respite. Never fear, though, we have a stable of pinch hitters who will bring you Pharmalittle each day…

AstraZeneca detailed the surprise failure of a closely watched heart disease clinical trial, laying out how its experimental drug offered no additional benefits for patients who were largely already on another type of medicine, the latest twist in a multibillion dollar market, STAT explains. The study indicated that patients with a progressive condition known as ATTR-CM who received AstraZeneca’s drug, what’s called a silencer, saw no improvements if they were already taking another type of drug called a stabilizer, an effect so powerful that it tanked the whole Phase 3 study.

A U.S. appeals court ruled the Food and Drug Administration went through the proper process when it declared Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s diabetes and obesity drugs are no longer in shortage, Bloomberg Law notes. The order is a loss for the Outsourcing Facilities Association, which representing large-scale compounders and challenged FDA decisions in the last two years that shortages ended for Novo’s Ozempic and Wegovy and Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound. That declaration restricted compounders from legally mass-producing versions of the drugs.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…