Here are the editors' top picks for the week ended Dec. 1.
Long road ahead for shift to online drug sales in China
China has in recent years made attempts to decouple drug sales from the hospital business and move that market to an online platform, but significant hurdles remain, according to analysts that spoke to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Supreme Court weighs constitutionality of government reviews of granted patents
The U.S. Supreme Court is grappling with whether to declare a patent review system established under a 2011 law unconstitutional in a case that has pitted brand-name drugmakers against their generic competitors and the high-tech industry.
ViiV's 2-drug HIV pill beats Gilead to market, but may not win on long-term use
The approval of a daily HIV treatment that combines two medicines in one pill makes ViiV Healthcare Ltd., majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline plc, first to market with a reduced-drug regimen — yet safety concerns could give an opening to an incoming competitor.
US health chief candidate Azar fends off rebukes over drug prices, health law
Former Eli Lilly and Co. executive Alex Azar, President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Health and Human Services, said he would not be an agent for the drug industry, but would be in the job to "serve all Americans to improve their health and well being."
FDA chief aims to spur generic drug-device competition by targeting barriers
The Food and Drug Administration wants to make it easier for makers of generic copies of complex therapies, particularly those that use devices to deploy the active ingredient, to bring their products to the U.S. market.
Merck & Co., Qiagen to hire scientists as post-Brexit strategy unveiled
The hiring plans bolster the government's life sciences strategy for post-Brexit Britain a week after the European Medicines Agency announced its move to Amsterdam in 2019.
Pharma's crowded field and price pressures could stall 2018 growth, Fitch says
While the healthcare sector is stable for now, Fitch Ratings projects slow growth through 2020 as scrutiny on drug pricing and fierce competitiveness continues.
Capitol Checkup: Renewal of biodefense funds urged; HHS nominee to face senators
One of the critical areas needing lawmakers' attention in the coming year will be the reauthorization of the law that funds the U.S. biodefense enterprise; and HHS nominee Azar faces a Senate hearing this week.
