Is herpes the missing link between concussions and Alzheimer’s?WIkimedia CommonsIt’s long been understood that traumatic brain injury — especially when severe or repeated — increases a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. But why? Researchers published evidence for a new theory yesterday, based on experiments with brain tissue models made with neural stem cells (also known as “organoids,” like the one seen above). As with real human brains, some of these models carried DNA of dormant herpes virus. Researchers jolted the models to simulate a concussion and found that the virus was reactivated. The same models then began showing classic markers of Alzheimer’s. “It’s super exciting work” that has “a whole bunch of implications,” one outside expert told STAT’s Megan Molteni. Read more from Megan on the science and what it means.

• They were going to be doctors. Instead, they had to dodge bombs and flee war, NPR
• Biden administration bars medical debt from credit scores, KFF Health News
• Generic GLP-1 drugs could help Medicare drive a harder bargain for Ozempic and Wegovy, STAT
• Drug company to share revenues with indigenous people who donated their genes, New York Times
• How one foundation changed its approach to diversify grant recipient institutions, STAT

pharma

A looming patent cliff could fuel JPM deal-making

The annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is prime time for companies to court potential M&A and licensing deals. And at this year’s gathering, there will be even greater pressure to find a good match, as the pharmaceutical industry faces one of the largest patent cliffs in recent history.

Between now and 2033, the patents on dozens of brand-name medications including Keytruda, Eliquis, and Jardiance will expire, with drug companies standing to lose more than $400 billion in revenue. (By comparison, the last major patent cliff that hit the industry, in 2011, jeopardized around $250 billion in drug revenue.)

One of the primary ways companies navigate a patent cliff is to acquire startups and new drugs. As a result, many experts anticipate pharma ramping up M&A activity in 2025, starting at the J.P. Morgan conference next week.

“I think people need to buckle up, because it’s already twice as frothy and could get even more,” said an attorney who specializes in M&A.

Read more from STAT’s Allison DeAngelis and Adam Feuerstein.

Medicare gains advantage in negotiating on Ozempic

The FDA approved generic versions of older GLP-1 drugs exenatide and liraglutide in November and December. While those treatments don’t work as well as semaglutide (the scientific name of Ozempic and Wegovy), their much lower costs could give Medicare leverage to push for lower prices for semaglutide, experts said.

Experts expect that semaglutide will to be among the next 15 drugs up for price negotiation. Medicare will announce that list by Feb. 1, and the negotiated prices will take effect in 2027.

The law doesn’t stop Medicare from using inferior drugs as comparators for negotiating prices; the program used inferior drugs as therapeutic comparators during the first round of negotiations.

Read more from STAT’s John Wilkerson.