National

Researchers at Zhejiang University were able to hack voice assistants like Alexa and Siri using frequencies too high for humans to hear that were still picked up by the devices.

Why it's scary: Many "hey Siri" functions may be harmless, but the researchers could also tell an Amazon Echo to "unlock the back door," redirect the navigation system of an Audi Q3, or install malware on an iPhone. The researchers used a smartphone with just $3 worth of extra hardware. With a little technological expertise, this method could easily be replicated.

Why it matters: Security experts worry the the so-called Internet of Things (including connected devices like digital assistants) are highly vulnerable to security breaches and other attacks not anticipated by manufacturers.

Inaudible commands can hack digital assistants

Researchers at Zhejiang University were able to hack voice assistants like Alexa and Siri 

Whole Foods near Axios World HQ in Arlington, Va., on Day 2 of Amazon control

Technology

Researchers at Zhejiang University were able to hack voice assistants like Alexa and Siri using frequencies too high for humans to hear that were still picked up by the devices.Why it&#x27;s scary: Many &quot;hey Siri&quot; functions may be harmless, but the researchers could also tell an Amazon Echo to &quot;unlock the back door,&quot; redirect the navigation system of an Audi Q3, or install malware on an iPhone. The researchers used a smartphone with just $3 worth of extra hardware. With a little technological expertise, this method could easily be replicated.Why it matters: Security experts worry the the so-called Internet of Things (including connected devices like digital assistants) are highly vulnerable to security breaches and other attacks not anticipated by manufacturers.

The cost to develop a cancer drug may be significantly lower than what some companies claim, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The study found the median cost to develop a cancer drug is $648 million  — much lower than the commonly cited $2 billion figure, which originated from a Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development report that used private datasets.

Drug companies justify high prices for new drugs by citing high research and development costs. But in this study of 10 cancer drugs developed by biotech companies and approved between 2006 and 2015, some of the companies made more than 10 times as much as they spent on research and development.

Limitations: Business Insider points out that the study didn't look at larger pharmaceutical companies, which may invest differently in R&D, and exclusively analyzed cancer drugs that may carry different costs — and revenues — compared to other fields.

Go deeper: Putting a price on new cancer treatments

Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim

On average, it costs $648 million to develop a cancer drug, according to a new study.

Science

Health Care

The cost to develop a cancer drug may be significantly lower than what some companies claim, according to a new study published in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="JAMA Internal Medicine" data-vars-click-url="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2653012" data-vars-content-id="30372504-5172-40a3-93de-d7732681e8ef" data-vars-headline="Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2653012" target="_blank">JAMA Internal Medicine</a>.<ul><li>The study found the median cost to develop a cancer drug is $648 million — much lower than the commonly cited $2 billion figure, which originated from a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development report" data-vars-click-url="http://csdd.tufts.edu/news/complete_story/pr_tufts_csdd_2014_cost_study" data-vars-content-id="30372504-5172-40a3-93de-d7732681e8ef" data-vars-headline="Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://csdd.tufts.edu/news/complete_story/pr_tufts_csdd_2014_cost_study" target="_blank">Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development report</a> that used private datasets.</li><li>Drug companies justify high prices for new drugs by citing high research and development costs. But in this study of 10 cancer drugs developed by biotech companies and approved between 2006 and 2015, some of the companies made more than 10 times as much as they spent on research and development.</li><li>Limitations: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Business Insider" data-vars-click-url="http://www.businessinsider.com/drug-costs-to-develop-a-new-cancer-drug-2017-9" data-vars-content-id="30372504-5172-40a3-93de-d7732681e8ef" data-vars-headline="Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/drug-costs-to-develop-a-new-cancer-drug-2017-9" target="_blank">Business Insider</a> points out that the study didn&#x27;t look at larger pharmaceutical companies, which may invest differently in R&amp;D, and exclusively analyzed cancer drugs that may carry different costs — and revenues — compared to other fields.</li></ul>Go deeper: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Putting a price on new cancer treatments" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/putting-a-price-on-new-cancer-treatments-1513305316-8d352b29-924b-49d1-ab5e-45c3e089bbe0.html" data-vars-content-id="30372504-5172-40a3-93de-d7732681e8ef" data-vars-headline="Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/putting-a-price-on-new-cancer-treatments-1513305316-8d352b29-924b-49d1-ab5e-45c3e089bbe0.html" target="_self">Putting a price on new cancer treatments</a>

Apple has its eyes set on television, luring two TV executives away from Sony Corp. in June with $1 billion to spend on original shows over the next year, per AP. The programming would be available with a subscription, likely combined with Apple Music.

Who: Newly hired executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg brought Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan to Sony and helped develop The Crown on Netflix.

What to look for: Breaking into television is something Steve Jobs hoped for, telling his biographer he wanted to make television sets "simple and elegant." Creating its own shows is hardly pioneering television sets, but if Apple succeeds it could branch out to other TV-related products.

Apple branches into video streaming

Business

Apple has its eyes set on television, luring two TV executives away from Sony Corp. in June with $1 billion to spend on original shows over the next year, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per AP" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/08/us/ap-us-apple-emmy-envy.html?mcubz=0" data-vars-content-id="9764c827-f3ab-4fd2-a5e4-c849e74cf7f7" data-vars-headline="Apple branches into video streaming" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/08/us/ap-us-apple-emmy-envy.html?mcubz=0" target="_blank">per AP</a>. The programming would be available with a subscription, likely combined with Apple Music.Who: Newly hired executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg brought Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan to Sony and helped develop The Crown on Netflix.What to look for: Breaking into television is something Steve Jobs hoped for, telling his biographer he wanted to make television sets &quot;simple and elegant.&quot; Creating its own shows is hardly pioneering television sets, but if Apple succeeds it could branch out to other TV-related products.

Industry analysis of the Postal Service found rates will have to rise significantly to make up for "billions in current losses," per AP. Currently, the Postal Service is not allowed to flexibly raise rates. The House bill only allows for a one-cent increase, but Congress could change that.

Data: AP, U.S. Postal Service; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios

Price talk: Rates would have to rise 17.6 percent for letters and packages, or almost 19 percent when including a planned overhaul of the 30-year-old truck fleet, causing prices to rise from 49 cents to nearly 60 cents for a first-class stamp.

Why it matters: Magazines, prescription drugs, election ballots. Industries that rely on bulk-mail rates would be hit hard with a big price increase like this.

Postal stamps could get far more expensive

Industry analysis of the Postal Service found rates will have to rise significantly to make up for "billions in current losses"

Politics

Industry analysis of the Postal Service found rates will have to rise significantly to make up for &quot;billions in current losses,&quot; per AP. Currently, the Postal Service is not allowed to flexibly raise rates. The House bill only allows for a one-cent increase, but Congress could change that.<div><figure><div id="av-2017-09-06-postage-prices" style="max-width:100%" data-vars-category="embed" data-vars-sub-category="axios-visual" data-vars-asset-id="av-2017-09-06-postage-prices" class="gtmView"><img alt="Data: AP, U.S. Postal Service; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios" class="axios-visual-newsletter-fallback-image"/><img alt="Data: AP, U.S. Postal Service; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios" class="axios-visual-apple-fallback-image"/></div><figcaption>Data: AP, U<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=".S. Postal Service;" data-vars-click-url="https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/domestic-letter-rates-since-1863.pdf" data-vars-content-id="b4ee1ce4-e54c-44eb-b0a8-a870ed9e7940" data-vars-headline="Postal stamps could get far more expensive" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/domestic-letter-rates-since-1863.pdf" target="_blank">.S. Postal Service;</a> Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios</figcaption></figure></div>

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has named Kare Schultz chief executive after a month without permanent leadership, per the WSJ. Schultz was president and CEO of the Danish company H. Lundbeck since May 2015.

What he has to work with: Debt and a clashing executive board. As of June 2017, the Israeli company had racked up $35.1 billion in debt, which has increased significantly since it acquired Allergan's generic drug business for $40.5 billion. The executive board has been debating whether its focus should be on generic drugs or specialty medicine investments.

Why it matters: Teva is a major manufacturer of generic drugs and finally has a new CEO to steer the ship as it deals with pressure on generic prices.

Teva has a new CEO

Kare Schultz will have to deal with debt and a clashing executive board

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has named Kare Schultz chief executive after a month without permanent leadership, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the WSJ" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/articles/teva-names-kare-schultz-as-new-chief-executive-1505115189?mg=prod/accounts-wsj" data-vars-content-id="d9ee715c-d92d-4105-8bdd-b9556e269996" data-vars-headline="Teva has a new CEO" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/teva-names-kare-schultz-as-new-chief-executive-1505115189?mg=prod/accounts-wsj" target="_blank">the WSJ</a>. Schultz was president and CEO of the Danish company H. Lundbeck since May 2015.What he has to work with: Debt and a clashing executive board. As of June 2017, the Israeli company had racked up $35.1 billion in debt, which has increased significantly since it acquired Allergan&#x27;s generic drug business for $40.5 billion. The executive board has been debating whether its focus should be on generic drugs or specialty medicine investments.Why it matters: Teva is a major manufacturer of generic drugs and finally has a new CEO to steer the ship as it deals with pressure on generic prices.

Emily Karl

Stories

Drug development costs may be far lower than companies claim

Teva has a new CEO

Apple branches into video streaming

Inaudible commands can hack digital assistants

Postal stamps could get far more expensive