News Briefs
✦ This month, the federal government’s supply of remdesivir will run out, CNN reported. The antiviral drug is a palliative treatment for COVID-19 with documented clinical effectiveness, and is so far the only treatment that is widely available. Gilead Sciences Inc., the maker of the drug, has ramped up supply in recent months but can’t say when new doses will be available. “Right now, we’re waiting to hear from Gilead what is their expected delivery availability of the drug as we go from June to July. We’re kind of not in negotiations, but in discussions with Gilead as they project what the availability of their product will be,” HHS Assistant Secretary Robert Kadlec, M.D., told CNN. Read more at https://cnn.it/2YhpPj5.
✦ The PBM industry is likely to grow at a 7% compound annual rate from 2019 to 2025, according to a report by market research firm Arizton. A higher rate of FDA approvals for orphan and specialty drugs and a growing trend of value-based contracting are among the factors that will drive growth in the industry, per the US Pharmacy Benefit Management Market Report. Read more at https://bit.ly/2XIGGwa.