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Biogen ditches Aduhelm, an Alzheimer's drug that was approved amid controversy

Biotechnology company Biogen announced yesterday that it will cease the sale of the contentious Alzheimer's drug Aducanumab and discontinue its development. The drug, approved in 2021 under the brand name Aduhelm, faced criticism for the lack of substantial evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes.

Aduhelm was developed to target and break down amyloid proteins in the brain, which are believed to contribute to neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease progression. This approach, based on the amyloid hypothesis, has recently been subject to debate. During clinical trials, the drug showed inconsistent results; one trial suggested a potential 20% reduction in cognitive decline over 18 months at higher doses, whereas another trial failed to demonstrate any significant benefit.

The drug's approval was controversial, especially since approximately 40% of patients receiving high doses experienced brain swelling, and 6% withdrew from the study due to adverse effects. Additionally, an independent federal panel advised the FDA against approving Aduhelm. A subsequent congressional investigation criticized the expedited approval process, leading to the resignation of three federal officials involved.

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Universal Music Group to remove songs from TikTok after failing to reach a deal

Universal Music Group, the leading music corporation globally with a roster that includes Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, and BTS, has declared its decision to cease music licensing to the social video platform TikTok.

This development follows the inability of TikTok and UMG, which holds a third of the worldwide music market share, to agree on the terms for a new music licensing deal after their prior agreement expired yesterday. Key issues that hindered a new agreement included equitable payment for UMG's artists and songwriters, safeguards against AI-generated content, and apprehensions regarding copyright violations and safety concerns. UMG argued that TikTok's proposed deal was less favorable than the preceding one and did not meet fair market value expectations. Moreover, UMG expressed concerns that TikTok's use of AI-generated music could undermine the royalties owed to human artists and songwriters.

Music plays a vital role in about 60% of TikTok's content, significantly contributing to song discoverability and occasionally propelling tracks to chart-topping success. In the absence of a renewed agreement, TikTok faces the removal of approximately 4 million songs linked to UMG from its platform, preventing users from accessing these tracks for their content.

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Cal Ripken Jr. and Grant Hill are among the groups agreeing to buy the Orioles

Cal Ripken Jr. and Grant Hill, along with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, are joining the investment group set to purchase the Baltimore Orioles. The consortium is led by David Rubenstein, a Baltimore native and co-founder of the Carlyle Group. This was disclosed in a press release on Wednesday, which announced the deal between Rubenstein and the Angelos family.

In a statement, Ripken expressed his enthusiasm about rejoining the Orioles organization, stating, "I am excited to once again be a part of the Orioles organization and I thank David for including me in the ownership group. The Orioles have been a part of my life since I was a child, and this is a special day."

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