Beam Therapeutics and Verve Therapeutics have each built their lead candidates on a technique billed as a safer alternative to conventional CRISPR. Clinical results have so far been promising.
In this episode of Denatured, presented by IQVIA, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses how AI transformation can help organizations navigate a rapidly evolving regulatory environment with senior director of regulatory innovation and technology, Michelle Gyzen.
The Platform Technology Designation, which predates the current FDA leadership, is designed to streamline the drug development and review process, particularly for rare diseases.
The lawsuit alleges that HHS leadership knew the records they used to guide their layoff decisions were inaccurate and contained errors.
Genrix’s velinotamig complements Cullinan’s own pipeline, according to William Blair, which added that the deal will put Cullinan in a better position to target autoimmune diseases.
Massachusetts’ life sciences jobs grew by just 0.03% in 2024, according to a new MassBioEd report. Still, the report found encouraging signs for the industry, noting it’s expected to grow by 11.6% by 2029, adding an estimated 16,633 net new positions.
Disappointing results for iluzanebart come shortly after Vigil Neuroscience struck a buy-out deal with Sanofi, but analysts say the outcome is unsurprising and shouldn’t affect the deal.
FEATURED STORIES
Crackdowns on drug pricing have forced one major insulin out of the market. Are more to come?
While these technologies are now a therapeutic reality, the ASGCT 2024 annual meeting this week was a reminder of just how far we are from widespread use.
At a Thursday ASGCT 2024 session, CBER Director Peter Marks made the case for a better, “more convergent” global framework on cell and gene therapies, especially for rare diseases.
Launched in 2021, the public-private consortium on Wednesday updated ASGCT attendees on its efforts to bring adeno-associated virus gene therapies to more rare disease patients.
A new BioSpace report finds that life science professionals are prioritizing diversity less when job hunting. Still, DEIB programs don’t appear to be going anywhere.
Amylyx’s recent decision to withdraw its ALS drug Relyvrio from the market highlights an important business decision for companies: when to continue marketing or investigating a drug that has failed a pivotal or confirmatory study.
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
Establishing trust through thought leadership is no longer optional in today’s cautious biopharma market. This webinar will show leaders how strategic insights and targeted outreach can turn awareness into high-converting leads. Watch now.
LATEST PODCASTS
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.
In this episode presented by Taconic Biosciences, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses how preclinical research companies are helping drug developers navigate the current challenging funding environment with Mike Garrett, CEO.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday, ahead of a vaccine advisory committee meeting later in September. Meanwhile, deal-making appetite appears healthy, and the weight loss space continues generating clinical data and other news.
Job Trends
FDA
Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Xolair® for the reduction of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods in adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older with IgE-mediated food allergy.
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SPECIAL EDITIONS
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.
BioSpace did a deep dive into executive pay, examining the highest compensation packages, pay ratios and golden parachutes—what a CEO would get paid to leave.
DEALS
  1. Under the merger announced Thursday, Tourmaline shareholders will own nearly 80% of the new company, which will retain its name and continue to focus on developing its anti-IL 6 antibody.
  2. Eli Lilly stands to gain access to DICE Therapeutics’ DELSCAPE platform, which enables the design of orally available molecules for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
  3. The stock deal aims to strengthen Coherus Biosciences’ position in the field of cancer therapeutics and expand its product portfolio.
  4. The initial public offering on the Nasdaq is a last-ditch effort by the biotech as there is “substantial doubt” as to the company’s “ability to continue as a going concern” without the IPO, according to its SEC filing.
  5. The company is paying $3.2 billion upfront in cash for Chinook’s two immunoglobulin A nephropathy candidates, atrasentan and zigakibart, which will complement its own IgAN hopeful iptacopan.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. The agency nevertheless said that it could not definitively rule out a small risk of suicidal ideation associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, and that it will continue evaluating the evidence.
  2. Eli Lilly on Thursday announced the rollout of a new digital healthcare platform to streamline consumer access to its weight-loss drug Zepbound and other medications.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
POLICY
  1. The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Teva Pharmaceuticals after the company allegedly ignored directives to withdraw or amend contentious patent listings on the FDA’s Orange Book.
  2. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the long-standing Chevron doctrine, which required courts to defer to federal agencies and their interpretation of statutes, putting potential limits on the FDA’s regulatory decisions.
  3. Daiichi Sankyo has secured a victory in its patent arbitration with Seagen, nabbing a $47 million award for attorneys’ fees and other costs, plus interest. However, a larger patent battle with Pfizer remains.
  4. In a potential challenge to Pfizer’s Prevnar 20, Merck’s Capvaxive has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection for use in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease in adults.
  5. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the long-standing Chevron doctrine, which required courts to defer to federal agencies and their interpretation of statutes, putting potential limits on the FDA’s regulatory decisions.
Here are three reasons why you need to boast a little, and ways to do just that.
The following tips from a seasoned recruiter can reduce serious ATS-related errors and help increase the value of the time investment.
For new graduates with limited experience, as well as career-changers whose experience is outside the area they now wish to pursue, fighting the underqualified label is tough
To find out more about career transitions within the life sciences, we interviewed Modu Feyisitan, MPH. Modu provided insight regarding her move from a role as an Epidemiologist within county government into private healthcare. She shares what motivated her to make a job change.
Not only can we humanize with storytelling; we can use stories to connect.
Your amazing résumé in which you creatively maximized available space or ensured perfectly aligned lists by using advanced formatting can confuse an applicant tracking system.
HOTBEDS
Where are the Best Places to Work in life sciences? BioSpace’s annual Best Places to Work list demonstrates a company’s desirability in the recruitment marketplace - find out who made the list this year.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The primary focus in scaling up production should first be the adoption of lean manufacturing principles used in virtually every other industry.
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
  1. The race is on to develop therapeutic cancer vaccines that could give immunotherapies an edge, and late-stage trials could soon provide more-robust data about candidates’ efficacy and safety.
  2. The new company, BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics, is looking to advance two KRAS inhibitors and a blocker of the interaction between the RAS and PI3K pathways.
  3. FDA
    Based on strong overall and progression-free survival data in its Phase III confirmatory study, Pfizer and Genmab’s antibody-drug conjugate Tivdak on Monday secured the FDA’s full approval for recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer that had progressed on or after chemotherapy.
  4. AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s antibody-drug conjugate Enhertu significantly improved progression-free survival in metastatic breast patients with low and ultralow HER2 expression levels who had received at least one line of systemic treatment.
  5. FDA
    The FDA on Tuesday approved Day One Biopharmaceuticals’ type II RAF inhibitor Ojemda, which is designed to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory pediatric low-grade glioma.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. With new Alzheimer’s drugs receiving—and expected to receive—FDA approval, the market for diagnostic biomarker tests is set to expand.
  2. The companies partnered to develop the antibody transport vehicle in late 2021, but will continue their 2018 agreement to pursue other drugs in preclinical development.
  3. Amid a re-energized Alzheimer’s disease space, Quest Diagnostics offers what the company contends is the first direct-to-consumer blood-based biomarker test to assess disease risk.
  4. Biogen’s $7.3 billion Reata acquisition and layoffs dominated this week’s news, while BMS and Roche reported second-quarter earnings and BioSpace looked at 12 late-stage neuro companies.
  5. The Federal Trade Commission released new draft guidelines for assessing mergers, while an Alzheimer’s conference yielded promising data and J&J kicked off Q2 earnings season with a sound beat.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. Capsida has yet to disclose the exact cause of death. The patient had received the gene therapy CAP-002 for a type of epilepsy.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Vertex Pharmaceuticals commits $45 million upfront to leverage Enlaza Therapeutics’ War-Lock platform to create drug conjugates and T cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and gentler conditioning for sickle cell/beta thalassemia gene-editing therapy Casgevy.