With the impending European launch of Humira biosimilar adalimumab in October, Scrip talks to some of those in the region that have experience in launching commercially successful biosimilars about uptake, discounts and payer attitudes.

Sarepta licenses gene therapy candidate from Lacerta, also makes equity investment. Neuren licenses North American rights to rare disease drug trofinetide to Acadia.

Stephen Gough has kept his connections with Oxford University and will see collaborations between the two expand next month with the opening of the Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford. The executive spoke to Scrip.

Prescribers are reviewing patient benefits information nearly 280,000 times per week while patients are using an online Check Drug Cost tool 250,000 times per month – and the numbers are growing.

Three years after the first biosimilar launched in the US, the market has failed to deliver notable return on investments. Some players like Mylan are going public with frustrations over market barriers, while others, like Amgen, say they are encouraged by steady progress. Teva, however, is limiting its investment in biosimilars.

The summer slowdown finally seems to have hit the US biopharma IPO market; after a hot July with nine offerings, there were just two during the first half of August. Also, Zogenix leads recent follow-ons with a $312m offering; venture capital planted in UK biotechs – Orchard and Blueberry.

The US biotech is aghast that the cost-effectiveness committee for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is minded to reject its effective but pricey SMA therapy which has gained blockbuster status already on strong sales elsewhere in Europe and the US.

FDA panel's recommendation that liposome inhalation suspension be labeled only for refractory nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and not first-line use aligns with analyst expectations; panel cites lack of clinical studies in treatment-naive patients and adverse event profile as reasons for limiting drug to patients with limited or no treatment options.

The companies reported positive Phase III data testing the nerve growth factor inhibitor in patients with chronic pain, but the efficacy appears modest and safety will remain a question until long-term Phase III data read out. The companies are focused on a lower 1 mg dose.

A dual regimen consisting of long-acting injectable formulations of the integrase inhibitor cabotegravir and the nnRTI rilpivirine was as effective as the oral standard-of-care regimen of three drugs daily, in interim results from the ATLAS study.