Stéphane Bancel also gave conflicting answers for how the company set the cost of its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine as Democratic lawmakers tried to berate Moderna for its coming price hikes. Republicans lawmakers argue against retroactive shaming, saying that if the government wanted to set the eventual commercial price, it should have done that early in negotiations.

The company aims to deliver DNA via lipid nanoparticles as well as delivering LNPs systemically to tissues beyond the liver and spleen, which the CEO called a “frontier” in an interview.

There was bipartisan agreement that Moderna needs to ensure that its patient assistance program will be easily accessible for under- and uninsured patients once the US switches to a commercial market for COVID vaccines – a sign of broader frustration with industry copay support initiatives.

Market availability of Xtandi, not its cost, is the issue, NIH says in denying petition for government to invoke march-in rights to patents on the prostate cancer drug. But Biden administration makes two other same-day moves that could leave march-in advocates with some hope.