Moderna RSV shot works | HIV vaccine fails | FTC targets Shkreli

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE Fri, Jan 20, 2023 EDITOR'S NOTE Think a friend or colleague should be getting this newsletter? Share this link with them to sign up.   Moderna's vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus is about 84% effective at preventing disease in older adults, according to clinical trial results released by the company this week.    Moderna's results along with positive data from Pfizer last summer raises hope that the FDA will approve an RSV shot sometime this year.    There currently is no approved vaccine for RSV. The virus kills up to 10,000 seniors a year and hospitalizes tens of thousands more.    Moderna plans to file its application for approval in the first half of the year. The FDA is expected to make a decision on Pfizer's shot this spring.    In disappointing news, the only late-stage vaccine candidate for HIV is a failure. The National Institutes of Health and Johnson & Johnson said the shot was not effective at preventing infections, though it was safe.    On the regulatory front, the FTC has asked a judge to hold pharma bro and fraudster Martin Shkreli in contempt for forming a new drug company.  Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to me at spencer.kimball@nbcuni.com. Spencer Kimball | Health Reporter @spencekimball Spencer Kimball | Health Reporter @spencekimball   Moderna says RSV vaccine is 84% effective at preventing disease in older adults   Moderna on Tuesday said its vaccine that targets respiratory syncytial virus is effective at preventing disease in older adults.   The vaccine was 83.7% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease, defined as two or more symptoms, in people ages 60 and older   No safety concerns have been identified during the clinical trial of the vaccine, according to Moderna.  - Spencer Kimball   Another major HIV vaccine trial fails   The only HIV vaccine in a late-stage trial has failed, researchers announced Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to the effort to control the global HIV epidemic and adding to a decadeslong roster of failed attempts. Known as Mosaico, the trial was the product of a public-private partnership including the U.S. government and the pharmaceutical giant Janssen.    The leaders of the study decided to discontinue the mammoth research effort after an independent data and safety monitoring board reviewed the trial's findings and saw no evidence the vaccine lowered participants' rate of HIV acquisition. - Benjamin Ryan and Matt Lavietes with NBC News FTC asks judge to hold 'pharma bro' Martin Shkreli in contempt The Federal Trade Commission on Friday asked that notorious "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli be held in contempt of court for forming a new drug company in violation of a judge's ban on the convicted fraudster from working in the pharmaceuticals industry.   Shkreli, who was released from prison last year, in February was banned "for life from directly or indirectly participating in any manner in the pharmaceutical industry" as a result of the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against him and a prior drug company that he founded. - Dan Mangan Record high share in U.S. report delaying medical treatments due to costs  More people in the U.S. are deciding to hold off on medical care for financial reasons.   The share of Americans who say they or a family member delayed medical treatment due to cost rose to 38% in 2022 from 26% in 2021, according to the results of a Gallup poll released Jan. 17.   That percentage is the highest since the polling organization began taking the measurement in 2001, at which point 19% of people answered they'd postponed health care because of money. - Annie Nova JOIN US REGISTER CONTRIBUTORS Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs Meg Tirrell @megtirrell Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs Meg Tirrell @megtirrell Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel   Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy CNBC Events   © 2022 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS