Nicholas Saraceno, Editor

This episode of Pharma Pulse covers a new collaboration to expand access to GLP-1 therapies via LillyDirect, Pfizer’s Phase III miss in sickle cell disease, and how patient portals are improving access to care while creating new workload challenges for providers.

In the eighth part of this roundtable discussion, supply chain experts emphasize that effective manufacturing strategies depend on product type, market location, and regulatory complexity, requiring a careful balance between outsourcing, internal production, regional distribution, and patient-centric priorities.

The integration aims to simplify access to Zepbound for eligible members while providing comprehensive, whole-person care to support safe use, adherence, and management of related chronic health needs.

As over half of Americans now receive prescriptions through Medicare or Medicaid, pharma companies must shift from a commercial-first approach to a statutory-first model, making GTN governance a C-suite priority for long-term brand survival.

This episode of Pharma Pulse discusses a new executive order to build a domestic API stockpile, Eli Lilly’s 170% price increase for Mounjaro in the UK, and long-term research confirming the safety of aluminum in childhood vaccines.

Amid the topsy-turvy developments in global trade, one message appears certain for pharma manufacturers: the escalating need to stockpile inventory in the US.

In the second part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Dave Malenfant, a healthcare supply chain expert, outlines how the impact of a steep pharmaceutical import tariff varies across raw materials, components, and finished products, along with why such a policy could incentivize companies to shift production to the US.

Two Labs’ Michael Rowe assesses the industry’s level of preparation, including challenges stakeholders have encountered along the way.

The directive calls for building a six-month Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Reserve, updating the essential medicines list, and prioritizing US-made APIs.

This episode of Pharma Pulse explores AbbVie’s $195 million investment to expand US API production, new survey results showing mail-order and supermarket pharmacies outpacing traditional chains in customer satisfaction, and rising affordability pressures as insurers restrict GLP-1 coverage.

In the first part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Mark Lee, MarqVision’s founder and CEO, warns that counterfeiters are using generative AI to clone pharmaceutical packaging, build convincing fake websites, and manipulate search results. rapidly outpacing enforcement efforts and putting patients at serious risk.

The new North Chicago facility, slated to open in 2027, will boost domestic production of key drug ingredients for immunology, neuroscience, and oncology therapies, reinforcing US pharmaceutical capacity amid industry reshoring and tariff concerns.

This episode of Pharma Pulse dives into Cardinal Health’s acquisition of Solaris Health to strengthen specialty services, how hospital networks are investing in centralized pharmacy hubs to improve efficiency and supply chain resilience, and new research linking GLP-1 drugs to potential optic nerve disorders.

In the first part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Dave Malenfant, a healthcare supply chain expert, explains how steep pharmaceutical import tariffs might affect costs at different points in the supply chain, why component pricing poses a bigger risk than active ingredients, and how insurers, distributors, and manufacturers may negotiate to shield patients from price increases.

Health systems across the United States are opening large-scale pharmacy service centers to streamline operations, improve inventory control, and ensure timely medication delivery amid drug shortages and rising costs.

This episode of Pharma Pulse covers Vinay Prasad’s return to lead the FDA’s biologics center after a brief resignation, new research on severe COVID-19 risks for childhood cancer survivors, and the strategies pharma companies are adopting to stay competitive amid escalating healthcare costs.

In the final part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Philip Sclafani, PwC's pharmaceutical and life sciences lead, discusses operational and pricing strategies pharma executives can adopt to navigate sustained cost inflation, including supply chain optimization, payer collaboration, and value-based approaches to ensure patient access and affordability.

This episode of Pharma Pulse explores the FDA’s new proactive quality review initiative for drug manufacturing, GSK’s $370 million mRNA patent settlement with CureVac, and upcoming discussions between industry leaders and policymakers on strengthening US pharmaceutical innovation and supply chains.

In the seventh part of this roundtable discussion, key opinion leaders uncover how pharma companies can mitigate tariff impact through duty drawback programs and smart technology investments, without overreacting or overhauling manufacturing footprints unnecessarily.

A new two-phase initiative aims to streamline facility approvals, reduce reliance on foreign pharmaceutical production, and bolster domestic supply chain resilience amid rising tariffs and reshoring investments.

This episode of Pharma Pulse covers Bayer’s $2.3 billion cost-cutting overhaul, promising Phase III results for Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1 therapy orforglipron, and a pivotal court decision clearing the way for intensified competition in the high-growth obesity and diabetes treatment market.

In the third part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Philip Sclafani, PwC's pharmaceutical and life sciences lead, explains how pharma companies can strategically evaluate AI investments across functions like R&D, pharmacovigilance, and supply chain, ensuring early automation gains and long-term value without intensifying short-term financial strain.

Meanwhile, drugmakers ramp up US manufacturing investments to navigate policy shifts and protect supply chain resilience, as the Trump administration enacted tariff rates between 10% to 50% on various trading partners early this morning.

This episode of Pharma Pulse examines how in-store pharmacies are evolving beyond prescriptions to deliver clinical services, nutrition support, and real-time education, bridging care gaps in pharmacy deserts across the United States.

In the final part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Heather Zenk, Cencora’s president of US supply chain, outlines practical, cost-conscious strategies for reducing Scope 3 emissions in pharma supply chains, from smarter warehouse lighting and returnable cold chain packaging, to order consolidation and AI-enabled delivery optimization.

With 14 new lawsuits filed and 132 total complaints across 40 states, Novo Nordisk is intensifying efforts to protect patients from unapproved compounded semaglutide products by targeting pharmacies, telehealth providers, and deceptive marketing practices that compromise safety, mislead consumers, and violate FDA regulations.

In the second part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Philip Sclafani, PwC's pharmaceutical and life sciences lead, discusses how the pharmaceutical industry is balancing high-cost innovation, especially in obesity and metabolic disease, with payer demands for cost containment, highlighting the growing role of biosimilars and future generics in offsetting spend.

In the fifth part of her Pharma Commerce video interview, Heather Zenk, Cencora’s president of US supply chain, explores how public-private collaboration, smarter sourcing strategies, and long-term manufacturer support are helping to fortify pharmaceutical supply chains against future crises.

The online weight loss company launches a $119 starter plan using low-dose semaglutide and behavioral coaching to improve access, reduce side effects, and support sustainable weight loss.

In the first part of his Pharma Commerce video interview, Philip Sclafani, PwC's pharmaceutical and life sciences lead, shares how he foresees the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reshaping prescription drug spending, and what strategies pharmaceutical companies adopt to mitigate its potential impact on innovation, R&D investment, and M&A activity.