Five things for pharma marketers to know: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 – Roundup – MM&M

Biogen is planning to buy Pfizer’s early-stage Alzheimer’s treatment. Pfizer will receive $75 million upfront with a potential $635 million in later payments. Biogen plans to test the medicine to treat sundowning in Alzheimer’s patients. (Reuters)

Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit against three drug distributors over the opioid crisis. The state has sued McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen, claiming they sent millions of painkillers to the state and did not investigate suspicious orders. (Wall Street Journal)

The Department of Health and Human Service has defended the TV list price disclosure rule in court. HHS attorneys appeared before an appeals court to argue that its disclosure rule should not have been overturned last year. (MM&M)

A judge has blocked New York’s ban on flavored vape products. The judge ruled that the state Public Health and Health Planning Council overstepped its authority with the ban, saying the regulation should come from the state legislature, not executive order. (Associated Press)

AstraZeneca’s krill-oil pill has failed a late stage trial. The trial will be discontinued after data found no significant benefit for patients using the drug. Epanova was being tested to treat cardiovascular disease. (MarketWatch)