STAT+: Pharmalittle: Exec nominated to Biogen board is mother of outgoing director’s child; telehealth company pauses Wegovy ads amid shortages
Biogen said that its longtime and polarizing director Alex Denner would step down from its board, sending a signal to investors that the company’s fractious recent history might be coming…
Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. Sunny skies and cool breezes are enveloping the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are snoozing in their respective corners and the short person is sleeping in. As for us, we are going about the usual routine at this time of day — brewing cups of stimulation. Our choice is, once again, roasted coconut. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, we are also busy foraging for items of interest. The outcome appears below. On this note, we will wish you a meaningful and productive day as you attempt to conquer the world. And of course, do keep in touch …
Biogen, a biotech giant plagued by years of boardroom strife, said that its longtime and polarizing director Alex Denner would step down from its board, sending a signal to investors that the company’s fractious recent history might be coming to a close, STAT reports. What Biogen did not disclose is that its nominee to replace him on the board, Susan Langer, is his live-in romantic partner and the mother of his child, born in November, according to court records obtained by STAT. Denner is in the middle of a protracted divorce from his wife of nearly 25 years, with whom he has two teenage sons — a bitter legal fight in which his extramarital relationship with Langer is a contentious issue.
Telehealth company Ro has paused advertising of the Wegovy obesity drug due to shortages, a reversal in aggressive promotional efforts by the provider that involved splashy ads in subway stations, STAT writes. Novo Nordisk, which makes the drug, said last month it would limit its starting doses for new patients and pause advertising to avoid stimulating further demand. Ro said it was not asked by Novo to pause advertising, but rather it chose to do this independently. The moves Ro is now taking show the ripple effects Wegovy’s shortages are having on telehealth companies that have raced into the obesity market.
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