• Indiana: Eli Lilly has created a formal expanded access program for its experimental obesity drug retatrutide. Previously, early access was granted only to a single patient, but Lilly expanded the program after weeks of physician inquiries. "For a limited number of patients who meet specific medical criteria and cannot enroll in a clinical trial, we believe it is medically appropriate to make authentic retatrutide available before FDA approval, consistent with FDA's guidance," a Lilly spokesperson said. "We've built an expanded access program that does that and are actively reviewing requests from healthcare providers." So far, Lilly has not submitted retatrutide for FDA approval, but the company plans to do so in early 2027. In clinical trials, participants who took retatrutide lost up to 30.3% of their body weight at two years, results that rival bariatric surgery. (Jeffries, Becker's Hospital Review, 8/4)
• Maryland: FDA has approved a new blood test for Alzheimer's disease, making it the fourth such test approved in less than two years. The Elecsys Phospho-Tau blood test was developed by Roche in collaboration with Eli Lilly and is intended for use in people ages 55 and older with "signs, symptoms, or complaints of cognitive decline." According to Roche, the test could help physicians identify patients who should be considered for further evaluation sooner. "FDA clearance of Elecsys pTau217 marks an important milestone in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and underscores Roche’s continued leadership in advancing innovative solutions that can help patients get answers sooner," said Dan Malarek, president and CEO of Roche Diagnostics North America. The Alzheimer's Association also celebrated the new approval, saying that these tests can be incorporated into other standard evaluation methods. "Each FDA clearance gives clinicians another validated option to work with when evaluating patients showing signs of cognitive impairment," said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer's Association. "That's real progress for a field that, for decades, had far too few tools to offer." (Choi, The Hill, 8/24)
• Rhode Island: CVS Health has added Teresa Heitsenrether to its board of directors, effective Nov. 18. Heitsenrether is currently the chief data and analytics officer at JPMorgan Chase, which she has been with her entire 40-year career in financial services. Heitsenrether's experience will be "invaluable as CVS Health continues to innovate on its path to become a consumer focused, health technology company," said CVS CEO David Joyner. "We look forward to benefiting from her deep knowledge in data, analytics, artificial intelligence, operational transformation and decades of financial expertise." Another change to CVS' board is the departure of Larry Robbins, the CEO of Glenview Capital Management, after two years. Robbins joined CVS' board in 2024 after Glenview pushed for more control amid flagging stock and continual earnings shortfalls. (Parduhn, Healthcare Dive, 8/18)

Discover four key drivers shaping the delivery of care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.