378: Merck's heart disease win and the FDA's new drug regulator

This episode of The Readout Loud features a discussion on biotech news, including Pfizer's acquisition of Metsera, AbbVie ending its partnership with Calico Life Sciences, and Cochin Biosciences' drug trial results. The FDA's appointment of Richard Pazder as the head of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is also discussed, along with President Trump's deal with Novo and Eli Lilly to cut the prices of GLP-1 obesity drugs. The episode includes an interview with Merck R&D Chief Dean Li about Merck's development of a cholesterol-lowering pill targeting PCSK9, highlighting positive late-stage data and its potential impact on cardiovascular medicine. The conversation also covers Merck's strategy in the cardiometabolic space and its approach to addressing revenue pressures with the upcoming Keytruda patent expiration.