Small-to-medium-sized companies launching their first or one of their only commercial products faced a particular difficult time during the pandemic. In the second quarter earnings calls, some of these SMEs are seeing momentum as the most serious COVID headwinds resolve but others are contending with ongoing challenges. [Check back tomorrow for Part 2 on companies experiencing continuing challenges.]

Public Company Edition: This year is just six initial public offerings away from matching 2020’s record-breaking total of 86 biopharma IPOs in the US. Also, Idorsia raised $662.5m through the sale of convertible bonds and Cytokinetics closed a $316.3m follow-on offering. 

Sandra Retzky worked at AstraZeneca and in Delaware's Medicaid fraud unit before joining the US FDA in 2016.

ICER discussion on the health benefit of several upcoming drugs for atopic dermatitis, including several JAK inhibitors, touches on safety concerns and the likelihood that increased competition will open the door to higher list prices and rebating in the class.