• Navigating the New Normal: The Industry Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

    On behalf of everyone at Innovation Partners, a Happy Passover Holiday and Happy Easter to all! We’re all struggling to navigate the “new normal” during this time of uncertainty, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Drug companies have delayed or stopped many new drug launches since clinical trials have been stopped, approvals delayed, and ...

  • How Coronavirus Is Shaping the Healthcare Industry

    As the world continues to battle the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), drug companies, healthcare providers, and others are facing unprecedented challenges, too. Bristol-Myers-Squibb joins the list of companies halting introductions and clinical trials during the pandemic. Humana and Cigna waive out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 treatment. And cancer patients face worries about continuing or discontinuing chemotherapy treatments ...

  • Advances in the Fight Against Genitourinary Cancers; FDA Warns Against Supply Chain Disruption

    The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium provides several top stories this week including a promising combination therapy from Bristol-Myers Squibb and an announcement from Mustang Bio. The FDA announced they are halting inspections of Chinese plants due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and also warned against potential medical supply chain disruptions as ...

  • New Cancer Treatments on the Horizon, Medicare Coverage of NGS Tests

    In this edition of the Innovation Partners BioBlog, several promising cancer treatments are in the spotlight. CMS approves Medicare coverage of NGS tests for inherited ovarian and breast cancer. A new team supported by $3 million in grants seeks earlier detection methods for gastric cancer. Blue Cross Blue Shield and Civica RX announced the launch ...

  • The Conversation about Rising Drug Prices

    In this week’s Innovation Partners BioBlog, we look at many of the top stories highlighting the conversation about drug prices. Canada’s acting ambassador nixes the Trump Administration’s suggestion that Canadian drug imports will lower prices. Neulasta has another competitor as a third biosimilar enters the market. And a top regulator of Medicare and Medicaid decries ...

  • FDA Generic Approvals Hit New Record, Humana Files Suit

    This week in the Innovation Partners BioBlog, we look at several top stories including the record-breaking FDA approval rate for generic drugs. Human leveled serious charges against several pharmaceutical firms including Teva for price fixing, alleging up to 1,000% overcharge on some drugs including those treating asthma and breast cancer. These and more are our ...

  • States Consider Value-Based Drug Pricing, Committee Investigates Role of Equity Firms in Surprise Billing Problems

    In this week’s Innovation Partners’ BioBlog, states consider several models for value-based drug pricing but face significant challenges to move forward with any of them. A House panel is investigating the role that private equity firms may play in surprise patient billing; many of these firms own physician staffing companies, who are out of a ...

  • New CPT Codes Account for Changing Technology, Cigna Launches New Benefit Solution, More

    In this week’s Innovation Partners BioBlog, we feature several stories on the continuing healthcare debate. The President promises a new healthcare plan, but any plan promises to be contentious to some on either side of the aisle. New CPT codes were announced for 2020 that include e-visits and remote monitoring. Cigna launched a new befit ...

  • Tufts Health Plan/Harvard Pilgrim Merger, Utah Medicaid Expansion Denied, More

    Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim announced a planned merger, which would make the new as-yet-to-be-named organization a rising competitor to the Partners Health Group, a dominant player in the area. CMS will display the 5-star rating next to plans on the Affordable Care website, a move to make the data more visible to potential ...

  • Pfizer and Mylan Strike a Deal on Upjohn Merger, Merck Takes Another Step in Immunotherapy Treatments, More

    This week in the Innovation Partners BioBlog, Pfizer and Mylan are rumored to be closing a deal that would merge Upjohn with Myland to focus on low-priced drugs. Merck takes another step on the road to immunotherapy treatment for breast cancer. The Trump administration continues its quest for hospital pricing transparency to empower consumers, and ...