Although U.S. regulators approved several new antibiotics for combating hard-to-treat bacteria during a recent five-year period, hospital doctors instead gave older, generic remedies to more than 40% of patients battling those stubborn pathogens, according to a new analysis. Moreover, 80% of the time these older antibiotics were already known to be highly toxic or ineffective, according to the analysis. And one-third of the hospitals where data were collected never used any of the new antibiotics. Notably, those hospitals tended to be smaller institutions located in rural areas or in urban set ..read more

Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. Sadly, gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus again, but our spirits remain sunny, nonetheless. Why? We recall a bit of insight from the Morning Mayor, who taught us that “Every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.” To celebrate the notion, we are brewing still more cups of stimulation and inviting you to join us. Our choice today is pistachio creme. Remember, a prescription is not required. So no need to mess with rebates. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. Hope you have a meaningful and productive day ..read more

A leading animal rights group has asked securities regulators to investigate Charles River Laboratories for allegedly misleading investors about its sales and purchases of long-tailed macaques, which are widely used in clinical research by pharmaceutical companies and universities, among others. The company, one of the largest clinical research organizations, was accused of failing to disclose purchases of thousands of non-human primates that should not have been imported into the U.S. and obtaining some from companies identified as coconspirators in an international smuggling operation. And C ..read more

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far, and remember there are only a few more days until the weekend arrives. So keep plugging away. After all, what are the alternatives? While you ponder the possibilities, we invite you to join us for a delightful cup of stimulation. Our choice today is maple bourbon. Remember that no prescription is required. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits to help you on your way. Have a wonderful day, and please do stay in touch… Eli Lilly reported positive results for its obesity drug Zepbound in ..read more

Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. Clear blue skies and cool breezes are currently enveloping the placid Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are snoozing cozily in their respective corners and the usual din of motor cars is nowhere to be heard. So this calls for a celebratory cup of stimulation. Our choice today is the oh-so tasty hazelnut mocha. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest to start you on your journey, which we hope is productive and meaningful. Have a grand day, and do keep in touch. … The number of new prescriptions written ..read more

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was invigorating and refreshing, because that oh-so familiar routine of phone calls, online meetings, and rushing about has predictably returned. But what can you do? The world, such as it is, continues to spin. So time to give it a nudge in a better direction with a cup or three of stimulation. Our choice today is buttery pecan. A delightful treat. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here is the latest selection of items of interest, which we hope will prove educational. And so, onward. We hope you ha ..read more

In response to controversy, a group of Colorado lawmakers is abandoning a bill that would have required a new state board — which is chartered with setting caps for the cost of medicines — to create exemptions for rare disease drugs. Instead, the lawmakers introduced a watered-down version to require the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to consider different uses of any medicine with a so-called orphan designation, which refers to treatments for rare diseases. The new legislation would also allow another state entity, the Rare Disease Advisory Council, to review such drugs in hopes of giv ..read more

Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going. And here is our regular feature in which we highlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that ADARx Pharmaceuticals hired Chris Storgard as chief medical officer. Previously, he worked at Heron Therapeutics, where he was also chief medical officer. But all work and no play can ..read more

Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Hello, everyone. Damian here with what is my final edition of The Readout on my last day at STAT. I’ve had a wonderful time covering biotech here these last eight years, and that’s in no small part a testament to the clever and engaged readers of this very newsletter. Meghana Keshavan isn’t going anywhere, and starting soon you’ll be reading a new voice in your inbox. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend. Read the rest ..read more

And so, another working week will soon draw 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 on the drawing board, but we do plan to catch up on our reading and napping, promenade with the official mascots and hold another listening party with Mrs. Pharmalot, and the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this, and this. And what about you? As the temperatures warm, this is a fine time to enjoy the great outdoors. Perhaps a drive in the hills or a stroll along a cityscape is in order. You could ta ..read more