The announced reduction of hundreds of staff came a day ahead of Moderna’s Q2 earnings report.
While Eli Lilly’s diabetes blockbuster was non-inferior to its older incretin therapy Trulicity in a highly anticipated Phase III cardiovascular outcomes trial, analysts had hoped for statistical significance in reducing major events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke.
Employed biopharma professionals are highly likely to look for new jobs in the next 12 months, although not quite as likely as their unemployed counterparts, according to a BioSpace LinkedIn poll. Three recruitment experts discuss the findings and what’s driving job searches.
In this episode presented by IQVIA, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses the concerns and opportunities of patient data driving AI tasks with Louise Molloy, associate director medical information and pharmacovigilance.
Rinvoq’s efficacy in alopecia areata is “impressive,” according to Guggenheim analysts, who said the drug could have a competitive edge over other JAK inhibitors in the space.
Long-term extension data presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference showed amyloid plaque reaccumulation remained slow at up to 2.5 years of follow-up in patients who were taken off of treatment with Eli Lilly’s anti-amyloid antibody.
FEATURED STORIES
Expanding volumes of data point to mechanisms beyond weight loss and blood sugar control that contribute to cardiovascular benefits in the world’s fastest-growing drug class.
Effectively treating and preventing this common form of dementia will require a cocktail of drugs and a combination of approaches, as well as a drive toward early detection.
M&A didn’t return as hoped for in 2024. The biopharma industry is heading into the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference next week in a grim mood.
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, X4 Pharmaceuticals and Day One Biopharmaceuticals secured their maiden approvals this year in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, WHIM syndrome and pediatric low-grade glioma. Geron Corporation and ImmunityBio also notched wins.
This year saw lofty highs and devastating lows for neuroscience drug developers like Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and AbbVie, following the predictable pattern of successes and failures that characterizes this space.
Already established as cornerstone therapies in diabetes and obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists also show potential in several other indications, including cancer, addiction and neurodegenerative diseases.
LATEST PODCASTS
Heather, Greg and Tyler discuss a busy news week including Wegovy’s label expansion, biosimilars, surprise donanemab delays for Eli Lilly and speculate on election impact.
These days you can hardly move without figuratively bumping into antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). This week we discuss Pfizer’s strategic priorities for oncology - focused on ADCs and less on small molecules - and how the market is being influenced by the IRA.
This episode explores the drug pricing gap between consumer experience and industry norms. Join Lori and our KOLs as we explore the drivers of healthcare costs, the CBO, rebates, and overall spend in this new series.
Job Trends
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in cellular metabolism and PK activation pioneering therapies for rare diseases, reported business highlights and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.
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SPECIAL EDITIONS
In this deep dive, BioSpace explores the next big thing in obesity.
BioSpace did a deep dive into biopharma female executives who navigated difficult markets to lead their companies to high-value exits.
BioSpace data show biopharma professionals faced increased competition for fewer employment opportunities during the second quarter of 2025, with increased pressure from further layoffs.
DEALS
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Here’s how to assess whether to develop a new therapy by building a proprietary platform, acquiring another company or asset or partnering with an established entity. -
CEO Hervé Hoppenot said Tuesday on an investor call that Escient Pharmaceuticals’ two lead assets “address large populations with a clear medical need” with a potential multibillion-dollar market opportunity. -
Novartis on Thursday announced that it is making $150 million in upfront payments to protein degradation biotech Arvinas, while separately revealing that its tender offer for MorphoSys has begun. -
Vertex Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday announced it is acquiring clinical-stage immunotherapy company Alpine Immune Sciences for $4.9 billion in cash, the largest acquisition so far this year. -
AbbVie’s $10.1 billion takeover of ImmunoGen paces the cancer sector in early 2024, as ADCs and radiopharmaceuticals remain hot.
WEIGHT LOSS
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When doses were increased rapidly in a Phase I study, patients on Roche’s investigational oral GLP-1 receptor agonist experienced nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, as well as abdominal distension. -
On the heels of Terns’ positive Phase I results that analysts compared with Lilly’s and Pfizer’s weight loss pills in development, Novo Nordisk showcased more details about its own oral candidate. -
A recent study estimated that Wegovy’s label expansion beyond obesity could push Medicare spending to $145 billion annually, but analysts remain dubious of the estimate. -
A study published Tuesday in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that children between the ages of six and 12 who took liraglutide for just over a year experienced a significant reduction in body mass index compared to placebo.
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BioMarin’s new business strategy leaves investors with questions; Lykos CEO steps down; Terns releases compelling data on oral weight loss candidate; and more.
POLICY
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The recommendations were made in a closed session with representatives from CBER, the CDC and Department of Defense. -
As Marty Makary and Jay Bhattacharya sail through the Senate health committee vote, Weldon’s confirmation hearing is canceled. Guggenheim Partners heralded the last-minute move to revoke Dave Weldon’s nomination as “a positive sign for reigning in vaccine criticism.” -
BioSpace remembers COVID-19 five years after the pandemic was declared, Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema again misses expectations as the company joins a lawsuit filed by drug compounders against the FDA, Viking secures ample supply of its investigational obesity medication, J&J strikes out in depression, and Makary and Bhattacharya near confirmation.
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Marty Makary, likely FDA commissioner under President Trump, appeared before Congress this week as the agency he’s set to lead continues to be rocked by sweeping changes and about-faces. -
Days after suffering a rejection in Australia, the Alzheimer’s drug hit another roadblock in the U.K., which found the drug not cost-effective.
Do you know that growing emotional intelligence at workplace can be beneficial for career growth? If not, have a look at the article and learn some tips.
Controlling interruptions when working from home can be challenging, but a little planning and some established rules can help.
Are you an introvert who is worried about your performance? Well, do you know that these unique skills can make you an excellent leader? Let’s find out those skills.
If you’re struggling to find your dream job or unsure of what your next career move should be, career assessments might be the next right step. Here’s how to do it.
Along with the growing trends of working from home and online, freelance careers are becoming a more popular career path. Here’s everything you need to know.
We’ll answer these questions and a few others here in order to help you determine which path best fits your needs for the future of your biotech career.
HOTBEDS
REPORTS
In this Employment Outlook report, BioSpace explores current workforce sentiment, job activity trends and the prospective job and hiring outlook for 2025, particularly as it compares to the previous year.
BioSpace’s third report on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in life sciences examines dramatic shifts in attitude around diversity initiatives.
CANCER
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The FDA’s year-end rush includes nine target action dates, mostly for rare disease and cancer therapies. -
Protara is advancing a cell therapy that triggers both adaptive and innate antitumor immune responses, while CG Oncology’s approach makes use of an oncolytic immunotherapy that preferentially targets cancer cells and proliferates inside them, destroying them from the inside. -
One year after a potential $1.7 billion deal with Hansoh Pharma, GSK goes back to China to forge another alliance with DualityBio for another deal that could be worth up to $1 billion as it continues to build up its ADC portfolio. -
Keros’ elritercept has shown promising efficacy signals in myelofibrosis and myelodysplastic syndromes and could pose a formidable challenge to Bristol Myers Squibb’s Reblozyl. -
The deal with Tubulis will help Gilead regain its footing in the ADC space following the withdrawal of Trodelvy in bladder cancer and its late-stage fail in NSCLC.
NEUROSCIENCE
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BMS’ KarXT targets muscarinic receptors and “is at least 2-3 years ahead of the competition” including AbbVie and Neurocrine Biosciences, Truist Securities wrote in a note to investors. -
Results from TEMPO-1, which showed that tavapadon significantly improved motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease, will help AbbVie as it builds a regulatory case for the D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonist. -
Despite the settlement, the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday sued Cassava Sciences in the Western District Court of Texas, claiming that the company misled investors regarding the Phase IIb performance of its Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate. -
New research has found that MS patients treated with anti-CD20 antibodies, such as Roche’s Ocrevus, do not experience significantly slower progression of disability. -
New revelations from the showdown between Novo Nordisk’s CEO and Bernie Sanders’ Senate health committee Tuesday; PhRMA’s legal victory in IRA case; the federal interest rate cut and anticipated approval for schizophrenia.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
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Vertex has filed a complaint against the Department of Health and Human Services, seeking to make its fertility preservation program available to federally insured patients needing Casgevy treatment.
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Lexeo Therapeutics’ investigational gene therapy reduces left ventricular volume and wall thickness in patients with Friedreich’s ataxia, according to a small study. -
Interius BioTherapeutics has received approval from Australia’s Human Research Ethics Committee to begin the first-in-human trial of an investigational in vivo CAR-T therapy designed to treat B-cell malignancies. -
Following a disappointing readout last year, uniQure on Tuesday posted promising Phase I/II data for its investigational gene therapy AMT-130 and nabbed the first-ever Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation from the FDA in Huntington’s disease. -
The groundwork being done in 2024 is building the foundation for global collaboration in the future.
