Pharma Pulse: Pediatric Vaccine Revisions, COPD Mortality Trends, and Eli Lilly’s $1.3B Obesity Deal

Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I’m your host, and let’s get into today’s headlines.

• We begin with a major revision to the US childhood immunization schedule. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC have announced a reduction in the number of recommended routine vaccines for children, dropping the count from 17 to 11. While these vaccines will remain covered by insurance and Medicaid, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups have expressed deep alarm, calling the decision a "disturbing step backward" that ignores decades of evidence-based safety data.
• In clinical news, a new report published in Respiratory Research provides a powerful reminder of the importance of vaccination for vulnerable populations. New data shows that COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces mortality and severe illness in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD.
• Lastly, the race for the next blockbuster obesity drug is heating up. Eli Lilly has entered into a $1.3 billion licensing and research collaboration with Nimbus Therapeutics. The duo will focus on developing oral therapies that activate a specific isoform of AMPK—a key metabolic regulator. Nimbus receives $55 million in upfront and near-term payments, with over a billion dollars in milestones on the table.

That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit pharmaceuticalcommerce.com.

Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.

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