Weekend ICYMI: July 22 to July 26

Drug Expenditures Must Be Addressed for State Spending Targets to Be Useful

While state spending targets for prescription drugs are well-intended plans of action for saving patients money for out-of-pocket-costs, the targets do not address rising drug costs for high-value medications. If US drug expenditures continue rising throughout the country, spending targets will be unattainable, especially with opaque pricing practices that will make budgeting and planning for the next year unrealistic. Amidst hopeful state spending targets that may be difficult to execute, experts believe rising drug expenditures need to be addressed and decreased before targets can be useful for respective states.

Slideshow: Managing The Peak of Asthma Season

Every year in September—known as asthma peak month—health care providers see an uptick in asthma-related issues among children. Whether due to the change in weather or their return to the classroom, September almost always sees an increase in asthma attacks and hospitalizations. This past week, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology released tips for parents to keep their children safe and treated against asthma in September.

Lenacapavir for PrEP Shows 100% Efficacy in Preventing HIV

Full data from a phase 3 trial that’s evaluating the safety and efficacy of twice-yearly lenacapavir injections for PrEP to prevent HIV infection in women were presented recently at the AIDS 2024 conference, Gilead Sciences announced in a release. Results from the study showed that the therapy met its key efficacy endpoints of superiority of twice-yearly lenacapavir to background HIV incidence and once-daily oral emtricitabine 200 mg and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg (Truvada).

Nemolizumab for Atopic Dermatitis Shows Positive Results in Phase 3 Trials

Positive results from 2 phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of nemolizumab in adolescent and adult patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis have recently been announced, according to a press release from pharmaceutical company Galderma. Results from the ARCADIA 1 (NCT03985943) and ARCADIA 2 (NCT03989349) trials showed that the therapy met the co-primary endpoints of an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) success score of 0 or 1 with a 2 or more point improvement from baseline at 16 weeks and at least 75% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index score.

Dovato Offers Similar Efficacy, Less Weight Gain to Biktarvy in Head-to-Head Trial

ViiV Healthcare announced positive data demonstrating 2-drug regimen dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC [Dovato]) can be used as an effective switch regimen for the 3-drug regimen bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (BIC/FTC/TAF [Biktarvy]) for the treatment of HIV-1 in individuals who are virologically suppressed and who could benefit from treatment optimization, the company announced in a release. Additionally, DTG/3TC was shown to cause significantly less weight gain than BIC/FTC/TAF.

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