• Maryland: FDA has approved the drug dupilumab to treat chronic spontaneous urticaria or hives in patients ages 12 and older. Dupilumab, which is manufactured by Regeneron and Sanofi, is the first drug approved to treat chronic hives in over a decade. "People with chronic spontaneous urticaria experience sudden, unpredictable hives and severe itch that cause a significant, and often overwhelming, burden on their everyday lives," said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. "The approval of this treatment offers patients more options and the chance to control their disease." Aside from chronic hives, dupilumab is also approved to treat atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and prurigo nodularis. (Ingram, MedPage Today, 4/18)
• North Carolina: Cone Health has purchased Novant Health's minority stake of HealthTeam Advantage, making Cone the sole owner of the Medicare Advantage (MA) payer. Currently, HealthTeam Advantage has 22,000 members across six MA plans in North Carolina. According to Brendan Hodges, HealthTeam's CEO, the change in ownership should not impact the company's coverage or provider networks. "HealthTeam Advantage members are always our first priority," Hodges said. "They will continue to have access to health care from the same Novant Health providers they use today." (Pifer, Healthcare Dive, 4/16; Cone Health press release, 4/15)
• Ohio: A new network called the Ohio High Value Network (OHVN), which consists of 26 rural hospitals, aims to coordinate care, share operational best practices, and reduce contracting costs across the state. The new clinically integrated network will serve over 2.5 million patients. According to Fierce Healthcare, the advisory group Cibolo Health will manage the network. Previously, Cibolo helped set up similar rural hospital networks in Minnesota and North Dakota. "We already know that working together not only provides benefits for our hospitals, but also for our patients, our employees and our communities," said Jeff Graham, president and CEO of member organization Adena Health. "It's been a goal of mine for more than seven years to form this level of collaboration among our independent hospital systems. With the size and scope of the Ohio High Value Network, we can collaborate on even more impactful areas to enhance our ability to deliver advanced, high-quality care and do so efficiently." (Muoio, Fierce Healthcare, 4/17)

In a rapidly changing pharmaceutical landscape, three foundational forces are set to shape the industry's future: artificial intelligence and machine learning in drug development, the urgent need for health equity, and the role of patient-reported outcomes. Discover why these forces are critical for manufacturers to consider in their strategic planning for 2025 and beyond.