Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54.

What does Rick Pazdur’s new role mean for the Food and Drug Administration? Has Merck solved the PCSK9 access issue? And how much credit can the president take for lowering GLP-1 drug prices?

Dean Li, the head of R&D at Merck, joins us to discuss the long-awaited trial results for the company’s oral medicine targeting PCSK9 to lower cholesterol. These types of treatments have proven effective at addressing heart disease, but making them into more accessible pills has proven tricky.

We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including the resolution of Pfizer and Novo Nordisk’s bidding war over Metsera, Pazdur’s new role at the FDA, and the end of a decade-long longevity venture.

To learn more about Merck’s PCSK9 efforts, go here; for more on Pazdur’s new role, go here; for more on the Calico-AbbVie partnership end, go here; for details on Trump’s GLP-1 drug pricing deal, go here; and for more on what winning Metsera means for Pfizer, go here.

Be sure to sign up for “The Readout LOUD” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.