The new formulation of Keytruda, currently under FDA review, is sparking conflict with Halozyme, which makes enzymes that convert intravenous drugs into injectable versions.
Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare will now provide uninsured or underinsured patients access to Wegovy for just $499 per month—less than half of its list price.
At the heart of the deal is the drug candidate dordaviprone, which is months away from a regulatory verdict for its use in H3 K27M-mutated diffuse glioma.
The vaccine space has been battered by strong headwinds in recent weeks, including high-level disruptions to FDA and CDC advisory committee meetings.
Acelyrin and Alumis plan to close their merger in the second quarter of 2025, pending clearances and shareholder approval.
The last few years have been tough for the insulin market, with recent policies and high-level pressure forcing companies to lower drug prices.
FEATURED STORIES
With climbing biotech M&A and IPO activity following the post-pandemic slump, experts offer insights on maximizing value and otherwise capitalizing on exit opportunities.
In a tough fundraising space, cell therapy biotechs pursuing autoimmune indications review staffing to ensure the right expertise is in place to tackle the new disease area.
A suit against Novartis and Vitaris by Henrietta Lacks’ estate hinges on questions about the morality and legality of using the line for biopharmaceutical research.
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
In a year when eradicated diseases are on the uptick in America, how will American children survive RFK Jr.’s vaccine scrutiny and inconsistency? Two experts call on pharma and regulatory bodies to rebuild trust.
LATEST PODCASTS
In this episode presented by IQVIA, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses the importance of target product profiles, particularly when navigating funding challenges, with Ian Fisher, head of development analytics.
China continues to be a source of innovation as Pfizer strikes biggest pact yet; HHS provides more info on Trump’s Most Favored Nation executive order; FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and CBER director Vinay Prasad reveal new COVID-19 vaccine strategy following Novavax approval; ODAC underway after chaotic planning; more.
President Donald Trump unwrapped a massive drug pricing policy as CMS prepares for the next round of Medicare drug price negotiations; Vinay Prasad to take the helm at the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Bayer cuts 2,000 more employees; Eli Lilly’s Zepbound scores again; and the Galapagos story turns again.
Job Trends
Gilead and Merus Announce Collaboration to Discover Novel Antibody-Based Trispecific T-Cell Engagers
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) and Merus N.V. (Nasdaq:MRUS) today announced a research collaboration, option and license agreement to discover novel dual tumor-associated antigens (TAA) targeting trispecific antibodies.
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SPECIAL EDITIONS
A new generation of checkpoint inhibitors is emerging, with some showing more promise than others. From recent TIGIT failures to high-potential targets like VEGF, BioSpace explores what’s on the horizon in immuno-oncology.
Peter Marks, the venerable head of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, has been forced out. In this special edition of BioPharm Executive, BioSpace takes a deep dive into the instability of the HHS.
Year-over-year BioSpace data show biopharma professionals faced increased competition for fewer employment opportunities during the first quarter of 2025.
DEALS
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A handful of biotechs and pharma companies have posted sizable IPOs in 2023, despite a tight economy. Still, the numbers are way down from last year. -
The companies have filed their own suit against the Federal Trade Commission, claiming the FTC’s attempt to legally block their $28 billion merger is unconstitutional. -
In its third acquisition this month, Eli Lilly is buying antibody-drug conjugates startup Emergence Therapeutics to bolster its cancer business. -
Eli Lilly announced Thursday it will acquire former collaborative partner Sigilon Therapeutics to deepen its diabetic foothold with a potentially functional cure for Type 1. -
Despite a challenging economic climate and gloomy forecast, 2023 has still notched some mega-deals for biopharmas. BioSpace highlights the biggest deals in the industry this year.
WEIGHT LOSS
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The regulator is launching an investigation of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and other GLP-1 receptor agonists following patient reports of suicidal ideation, alopecia and aspiration. -
Novo Nordisk’s partnerships with Flagship Pioneering-backed Omega and Cellarity, each worth up to $532 million, will explore novel treatment approaches to obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. -
While GLP-1 drugs have exploded in popularity, they don’t work for everyone, and experts say phenotyping based on a greater understanding of the disease is the future of obesity treatment. -
Over the past year, obesity treatments have become the focus of intense media attention and discussion in healthcare — with increased focus on Wegovy and Zepbound. This attention has highlighted the need to address the global obesity epidemic. -
Eli Lilly has signed a multi-year contract with animal genomics biotech Fauna Bio to use its artificial intelligence platform to discover drug targets for obesity in a deal worth nearly half a billion dollars.
POLICY
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Pfizer’s Wyeth unit notched a legal victory over AstraZeneca on Friday as a federal jury found the British-Swedish company violated two key patents in developing and marketing its lung cancer drug Tagrisso. -
Life science companies can protect intellectual property in multiple ways, including leveraging IP rights. -
A European Medicines Agency panel on Friday cited a possible but unconfirmed risk of cancer and recommended that hydroxyprogesterone caproate drugs be suspended from the European Union market. -
Bolstered by promising response data from its Phase II study, Amgen announced Thursday it got the FDA’s green light for its first-in-class bi-specific T-cell engager Imdelltra for extensive-stage small lung cancer. -
A Senate health committee report published Wednesday forecasts spending on prescription drugs to hit $1 trillion a year in 2031, unless the prices of GLP-1 medicines such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy are cut.
Behavioral interviewing is probably the most popular interviewing style utilized today. Keeping this in mind we have listed some behavioral interview questions for you.
Here are some of the key areas to research when preparing for an interview. You can use the tips mentioned here to carry out interview background research.
Behavioral interviewing is touted as providing a more objective set of facts to make employment decisions than other interviewing methods. Read to learn more.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a job for longer than you’d like, you might need to change your method. Here are tips, tricks and common mistakes to avoid to make your job search more productive.
Many hiring managers agree on candidate interview behaviors that annoy them – sometimes to the extent of sinking the interviewee’s chances.
Job interviewing can be an unnerving experience, but if you know how to handle some of the stickiest situations encountered in interviewing, you can be that much more confident.
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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Novocure’s stock spiked more than 15% Wednesday morning after the company announced its Tumor Treating Fields therapy met the primary endpoint in a late-stage trial. -
Regeneron’s bispecific antibody odronextamab was hit with Complete Response Letters from the FDA noting issues with the enrollment status of its confirmatory trials. -
AbbVie’s antibody-drug conjugate Elahere on Friday won the FDA’s full approval for the treatment of FRα-positive, platinum-resistant ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers. -
At Thursday’s Pharma Media Day, Bayer touted Nubeqa as the fastest growing androgen receptor inhibitor in the U.S., which will achieve blockbuster status this year. -
Drugmakers are testing a variety of biologics and small molecules in conjunction with therapies aimed at modulating the immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.
NEUROSCIENCE
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After a series of milestone approvals in the first half of 2023, the FDA is slated to decide on four more firsts before the year’s end. -
After an FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended Leqembi’s full approval, questions linger around amyloid-related imaging abnormalities and a potentially cumbersome patient registry. -
Neurologist David Weisman, with financial ties to the companies, was removed from the FDA’s upcoming advisory committee meeting slated to consider Leqembi’s traditional approval.
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The FDA has three high-profile events this week, including one target action date and two advisory committee meetings—one to discuss potential traditional approval for Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi. -
While donanemab showed impressive results in Phase III TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2, concerns regarding its safety remain compared with Biogen’s and Eisai’s Leqembi.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
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Taking center stage at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy meeting was the first-ever reported case of a personalized in vivo CRISPR editing therapy, which substantially eased the symptom burden in an infant. -
Since Elevidys’ accelerated approval in 2023, experts have been clamoring for more data, particularly in older and non-ambulatory children. New results, presented Friday, show mobility improvements in 8- to 9-year-old patients after one year of follow-up. -
Lilly will use Rznomics’ proprietary ribozyme technology to develop RNA editing therapies for congenital hearing loss. -
After warnings that the dragged-out process was putting the cell therapy company at risk of bankruptcy, bluebird bio now has a new deal to offer shareholders. -
It’s another wild twist in the story of Galapagos, a company that has been around for more than 25 years but has yet to get a therapy approved.
