Behind the Headlines: Sana’s Type 1 Diabetes Breakthrough, Drug Price Negotiations, and More

Behind the Headlines is a bi-weekly panel discussion examining the latest trends, readouts, and other factors that drive pharmaceutical news and innovation. Each episode features consultants, venture capitalists, scientists, patient advocates, and journalists discussing the prior weeks’ top news while seeking to highlight the more enduring lessons that hide behind the headlines.

In episode 10, we’re joined by Brian Feth, CEO and Founder, Xcell Biosciences; Jonathan Grinstein, PhD, North American Editor, Inside Precision Medicine; Beth Willers, Principal and Founder, White Matter Communications; and Laks Pernenkil, Principal, US Life Sciences Product, Supply and Manufacturing Operations Practice Leader, Deloitte Consulting, who discuss recent headlines from the pharmaceutical industry, including major announcements from the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference as well as changes arising from the change of administration in US government.

The group discussed Sana Biotechnology’s early trial results showing that allogeneic treatment without immunosuppression might be possible in type 1 diabetes. “The clinical data are highly promising for patients and provide the first evidence in humans for overcoming allogeneic and autoimmune rejection with pancreatic islet cell transplantation in type 1 diabetes with no immunosuppression,” said Per-Ola Carlsson, MD, principal investigator and senior physician and professor at the Clinic for Endocrinology and Diabetology at Uppsala University Hospital. (1)

Also discussed was the interconnected topic of proteomics, which appear to be having a moment thanks to the UK Biobank choosing the Olink platform for a major set of initiatives going forward. (2)

In addition, the participants weighed in on the latest round of Medicare price negotiations, with the medications listed encompassing a large percentage of overall drug expenditure, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Trelegy, Ellipta, Xtandi, Pomalyst, Ibrance, Ofev, Linzess, Calquence, Austedo, Austedo XR, Breo, Ellipta, Tradjenta, Xifaxan, Vraylar, Janumet, Janumet XR, and Otezla. (3)

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REFERENCES

1. Sana Biotechnology Announces Positive Clinical Results from Type 1 Diabetes Study of Islet Cell Transplantation Without Immunosuppression. , Press release. Sana Biotechnologies. January 7, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/07/3005841/0/en/Sana-Biotechnology-Announces-Positive-Clinical-Results-from-Type-1-Diabetes-Study-of-Islet-Cell-Transplantation-Without-Immunosuppression.html

2. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Olink Platform Selected for World’s Largest Human Proteome Study. Press release. Thermofisher Scientific. January 9, 2025. https://ir.thermofisher.com/investors/news-events/news/news-details/2025/Thermo-Fisher-Scientifics-Olink-Platform-Selected-for-Worlds-Largest-Human-Proteome-Study/default.aspx

3. HHS Announces 15 Additional Drugs Selected for Medicare Drug Price Negotiations in Continued Effort to Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors. Press release. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. January 17, 2025. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/hhs-announces-15-additional-drugs-selected-medicare-drug-price-negotiations-continued-effort-lower