As part of cost-cutting efforts, Alector is letting go of about 25 people as it focuses on advancing its preclinical and research pipeline. Alector is also continuing clinical-stage work on programs for frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The British pharmaceutical giant is working with the U.K. Dementia Research Institute to exploit a “natural randomization” experiment to determine whether 65- and 66-year-olds who received GSK’s shingles vaccine Shingrix have reduced dementia risk.
Led by alums from Takeda and Boston Pharmaceuticals, Hillstar Bio is working on treatments that remove harmful immune cells to relieve disease.
Merck joins a growing list of companies targeting lipoprotein(a), high levels of which are associated with an elevated risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on pharmaceuticals “to come at some point,” per CNBC, as companies promise to build infrastructure in the U.S.
The Eylea franchise was in need of a win after an appellate court last week denied the pharma’s bid to block Amgen’s biosimilar from the U.S.
FEATURED STORIES
A complex state vs. federal regulatory scheme allows drug compounders to advertise drugs without disclosing risks like a pharma company must do. Experts say it’s time for the FDA to crack down.
From a small team of researchers and skipped salaries, CEO Michelle Xia has steered Akeso to become one of the most exciting companies in the industry today.
A depleter of pathogenic T cells, rosnilimab’s novel MOA generated a differentiated efficacy, tolerability and safety profile in recent Phase 2b study
While the FDA is trumpeting this new initiative as “sweeping reforms” to the way drug companies can advertise, experts say the regulator is going after a problem that doesn’t exist.
The FDA has vowed to fix a pharma ad loophole—but they’re targeting the wrong one.
A decade-long journey is coming to an end for Stealth BioTherapeutics and the Barth syndrome community. Will it result in the first-ever treatment for this ultra-rare mitochondrial disease, or possibly the end of the road for the Massachusetts-based biotech?
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
Listen now for a high-level discussion on overcoming pharmaceutical supply chain challenges through end-to-end integration.
LATEST PODCASTS
In this episode of Denatured, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis and Colin Zick, partner at Foley Hoag LLP, spend time discussing some of the points brought up in the Bioprocessing Summit last month. They explore the connections between hammers, AI, The Planet of the Apes and monoliths.
The White House is clamping down on pharma’s ability to buy new molecules from Chinese biotechs; Sanofi, Merck and others abandon the U.K. after the introduction of a sizeable levy; Novo CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar lays off 9,000 while the company presents new data at EASD; Capsida loses a patient in a gene therapy trial; and CDER Director George Tidmarsh walks back comments on FDA adcomms.
This week’s release of the Make America Health Again report revealed continued emphasis on vaccine safety; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s faceoff with senators last week amounted to political theater; the FDA promises complete response letters in real time and shares details on a new rare disease framework; and Summit disappoints at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona.
Job Trends
Omega Therapeutics, Inc. announced new preclinical data supporting the potential of OTX-2101, a c-MYC-targeting epigenomic controller being developed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors or EGFR inhibitors at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics which took place in Boston, Mass., October 11 – 15, 2023.
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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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It is offering 17.7 million shares with an expected price between $16 and $18 per share. It will trade on the Nasdaq under the ADGI ticker symbol. -
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has halted registrations of U.S. initial public offerings (IPOs) by Chinese companies. -
Nuvalent, Rallybio and Icosavax all began selling on the Nasdaq Exchange today. -
Deerfield Management and ARCH Venture Partners have partnered with venture capital firm Section 32 to sponsor DA32 Life Science Tech Acquisition Corp, a blank check company that is today priced for $200 million in an initial public offering (IPO). -
The company’s pipeline was strengthened in the second quarter with three strategic collaborations in immuno-oncology, immuno-neurology, and HIV.
WEIGHT LOSS
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In letters to Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the FDA accused the companies of downplaying the risks of their GLP-1 weight loss drugs during a prime time special with Oprah Winfrey. -
The White House is clamping down on pharma’s ability to buy new molecules from Chinese biotechs; Sanofi, Merck and others abandon the U.K. after the introduction of a sizeable levy; Novo CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar lays off 9,000 while the company presents new data at EASD; Capsida loses a patient in a gene therapy trial; and CDER Director George Tidmarsh walks back comments on FDA adcomms. -
The over-representation of males and Hispanic patients in Eli Lilly’s Phase III ATTAIN-1 study could explain why orforglipron “underperformed” expectations in a previous readout, according to analysts at BMO Capital Markets. -
The sub-analysis, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes congress, showed improved safety data to counteract past tolerability issues. -
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are eyeing regulatory advancements for their obesity blockbusters as the European Association for the Study of Diabetes’ annual conference continues this week.
POLICY
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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. -
Wednesday’s settlement resolves a legal dispute between Daiichi Sankyo Europe and Esperion Therapeutics regarding milestone payments under their cardiovascular drug collaboration. -
With a PDUFA date in the second quarter of 2024, Pfizer is poised to compete with CSL Behring, whose Hemgenix became the first FDA-approved gene therapy for hemophilia B in November 2022. -
GSK withdrew three patents related to its asthma inhalers while Impax delisted both of its patents for Adrenaclick and Kaléo delisted eight patents covering Auvi-Q—the companies’ respective epinephrine auto-injectors. -
Microgravity offers unique advantages when investigating cells and proteins, but collaboration and a strong ethical framework are needed to fully realize its benefits.
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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Moving forward, Innate will focus on the clinical development of its antibody-drug conjugate IPH4502, the lymphoma candidate lacutamab and the AstraZeneca-partnered monalizumab. -
On the FDA’s docket for the back half of September is Merck’s proposed subcutaneous formulation of its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda. -
Cullinan Therapeutics and Taiho Oncology’s zipalertinib elicited promising response rates in two mid-stage studies of non-small cell lung cancer patients with typical and uncommon EGFR mutations. -
This week’s release of the Make America Health Again report revealed continued emphasis on vaccine safety; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s faceoff with senators last week amounted to political theater; the FDA promises complete response letters in real time and shares details on a new rare disease framework; and Summit disappoints at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona.
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Truist Securities called pumitamig’s data on Monday “very reassuring,” given the consistency between its performance in Chinese and global patient populations.
NEUROSCIENCE
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VectorY Therapeutics will evaluate the use of SHP-DB1, a capsid developed by Shape Therapeutics, to deliver therapies to the brain, including VectorY’s developmental Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease treatments. -
LB Pharma landed on the Nasdaq Thursday, with 3 million additional shares sold than expected. -
Capsida has yet to disclose the exact cause of death. The patient had received the gene therapy CAP-002 for a type of epilepsy. -
Presenting at the World Sleep Congress 2025, the Dublin-based company’s Phase II study bested Takeda drug in both efficacy and safety. -
Shares of Rapport Therapeutics popped Monday morning after Phase IIa data for RAP-219 exceeded analyst and Wall Street expectations, reducing seizures by almost 78% in patients with drug-resistant focal onset seizures.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
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A new analyst survey suggests that doctors are still prescribing Sarepta’s Elevidys, even after a series of deaths in certain populations marred the gene therapy’s record. -
The patient-specific nature of autologous cell therapies presents unique challenges that can best be addressed by a middle path between on-site and centralized manufacturing. -
Ori Biotech’s CEO said the prioritization of review by FDA, coupled to the impact of the technology, could shave up to three years off development timelines. -
As AAV9 and CRISPR programs navigate safety, delivery and scalability hurdles, small molecules offer a deployable, scalable bridge, complementing genetic approaches and accelerating meaningful impact for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. -
It can cure deadly diseases, save long-term healthcare costs and transform lives. But the U.S. insurance system still isn’t ready to pay for it.
