{
  "id": 17807273,
  "title": "STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about payments to Russian middlemen, a possible Dupixent rival, and more",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/stat-pharmalittle-were-reading-about-payments-to-russian-middlemen-a",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-02T14:22:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "STAT News",
    "slug": "stat-news",
    "url": "https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2026/11/02/drugmaker-payments-to-russian-middlemen-possible-dupixent-rival/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Good morning, and welcome back from the weekend. It seems we've returned to our usual routine of work and responsibilities. To kickstart the day, we've opted for a cinnamon mocha to sip on while delving into the latest news. Today's roundup includes several significant stories that deserve attention. According to a report by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, four major pharmaceutical companies – Merck, Eli Lilly, Novartis, and AstraZeneca – paid substantial sums to intermediaries in Russia between 2020 and 2023. These payments were reportedly made to a company called R-Pharm and others, despite the middlemen engaging in questionable practices, such as bid rigging or facing scrutiny for potential anticompetitive behavior. The aim was to secure the supply of essential medications to Russian government entities, which indirectly affected the accessibility and affordability of treatments for patients battling serious conditions like cancer. Separately, Kymera Therapeutics is set to reveal data from a mid-stage clinical trial of its promising eczema treatment, KT-621, before the end of the year. Analysts from Jefferies consider this upcoming result to be one of the most consequential for the immunology and inflammation sectors in recent times. The outcome could impact Kymera, its competitors, and the numerous individuals in the United States who suffer from eczema. For the complete story, continue with STAT+.",
  "summary": "Four big drugmakers allegedly paid tens of millions of dollars to middlemen to supply lifesaving drugs to Russian government entities",
  "key_points": [
    "Merck, Eli Lilly, Novartis, AstraZeneca paid intermediaries in Russia 2020-2023",
    "Payments aimed to secure medication supply for Russian government entities",
    "Kymera Therapeutics to reveal KT-621 eczema trial data before year-end"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}