A pair of recent studies highlighted two potential new uses for metformin, a Type 2 diabetes drug. One points to the drug possibly helping people living with HIV, and another shows the drug could benefit adults who have long COVID-19. 

A new study suggests that some recently marketed migraine medications may not be more effective than standard painkillers for treating acute migraine episodes.  

The FDA approved Kisqali for patients with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer and who are at high risk of recurrence. 

On Sept. 24, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen testified at a Senate committee hearing about the costs for Wegovy and Ozempic.

BioAge Labs, a clinical-stage biotech firm focused on obesity and metabolic disease therapies, aims to raise up to $157.5 million through its initial public offering and private placement, Bloomberg reported Sept. 18. 

Starting Oct. 1, a Louisiana law will classify drugs used for abortion — mifepristone and misoprostol — as controlled substances, requiring hospitals to store them in locked cabinets, The Washington Post reported Sept. 17. 

Johnson & Johnson has decided to terminate implementation of its 340B rebate plan, according to an internal email 340B Health shared with Becker's.

GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have become blockbuster drugs, but the need for weekly injections has limited their use. This may soon change, as several oral versions are nearing FDA approval, CNN reported Sept. 17.

Type 2 diabetes drug metformin could help reduce the viral reservoir — or clear it completely — in people living with HIV who are using antiretrovirals, according to a study published in September in the journal iScience. 

Once Ozempic's exclusivity ends, drug manufacturers could sell generic versions for less than $100 per month, Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sept. 17. Before insurance, the brand-name drug costs $969 per month in the U.S.

Sens. Dick Durbin and Mike Braun proposed a new bill, the Protecting Patients from Deceptive Drugs Online Act, in an effort to regulate online promotion of prescription drugs by telehealth firms and influencers. 

The FDA has cleared Senseonics and Ascensia Diabetes Care's Eversense 365 Glucose Monitoring System.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will soon decide whether to enact new regulations on pharmacy benefit managers in an attempt to address rising prescription drug costs, the Los Angeles Times reported Sept. 16. 

Sanofi received FDA approval for a new manufacturing line to expand production of Beyfortus, a preventive therapy for respiratory syncytial virus in infants. 

The FDA is shutting down a pain management program that has helped supply fentanyl to cancer patients suffering from severe pain, according to a notice from the agency. 

A phase 2 trial of ponsegromab has shown promising results in treating cancer cachexia, a condition that leads to severe weight and muscle loss, according to a study published Sept. 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

A new study found that technology-related errors (TREs) were a significant issue in the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system of one pediatric hospital, with 1 in 3 prescribing errors being linked to technology.

Walgreens has agreed to pay $106.8 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing government healthcare programs for prescriptions never dispensed, the Department of Justice said in a Sept. 13  news release. 

Sens. Dick Durbin and Mike Braun have introduced legislation to crack down on deceptive online promotions of prescription drugs by telehealth firms and social media influencers. 

University of Illinois Chicago's pharmacy school was gifted a $36 million endowment gift from the estate of late Chicago pharmacy owners Herbert and Carol Retzky, the Chicago Tribune reported Sept. 13.