August 4, 2026

The need-to-know this morning

Earnings: Vertex, Pfizer, and Merck.

obesity

Lilly will review applications for special access to experimental drug

Over a month ago, STAT reported that Eli Lilly had granted a single 79-year-old patient special access to its next-gen obesity drug retatrutide. Now, the pharma company says it will allow other patients to apply for early access to the therapy as well.

The decision, which came after STAT reached out to Lilly about requests from a few doctors who also made inquiries about expanded access for their own patients but had received no reply, marks a striking change in the public posture of the company.

Of course, it's not yet clear if Lilly will approve access for anyone else. A source familiar with Lilly's program said qualifying patients will need to meet certain criteria, some of which may be subjective.

R&D

Gilead wins case that scrutinized pace of drug development

The California Supreme Court yesteday sided with Gilead in a closely watched case brought by thousands of patients who argued the company was negligent for slow-walking development of an HIV medicine that was safer than another drug it was already selling.

It's a win for Gilead and for the broader drug industry, which feared that an opposite ruling would lead to fears of legal liability shaping development decisions, STAT's Ed Silverman writes.

In this case, patients alleged they unnecessarily suffered kidney injury and bone loss from Gilead's older HIV drug, called TDF. They claimed Gilead stalled the development of a new, safer treatment until shortly before the patents for TDF expired, so the company could switch patients to the new medicine and crowd out generic rivals.

One professor said this was “a pretty terrible decision. What I fear is that this will become a typical life cycle management strategy” used by pharmaceutical companies to extend the ability of their medicines to generate profits.

drug pricing

Sandoz settles price-fixing allegations with states

Sandoz, a generic drugmaker, agreed to pay $478.5 million to settle allegations by dozens of states that the company engaged in a widespread conspiracy to artificially inflate and prices of generic drugs and harmed consumers by reducing competition.

It's the latest development in a long-running battle between states and large players in the generic drug industry accused of fixing prices, STAT's Ed Silverman writes.

In building their cases, federal and state authorities amassed tens of millions of documents containing detailed records in which companies allegedly colluded at industry dinners, “girls nights out,” lunches, cocktail parties, and golf outings.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

elaine.chen@statnews.com