The Platform Technology Designation, which predates the current FDA leadership, is designed to streamline the drug development and review process, particularly for rare diseases.
While it trails Johnson & Johnson’s Tecvayli, Regeneron still hopes Lynozyfic can differentiate in terms of dosing convenience and efficacy.
An open letter signed by more than 50 industry executives blasts a “fundamentally, fatally flawed” report that urges greater restrictions on the abortion pill.
The women’s health focused company acquired the drug for up to $954 million in 2021 through the acquisition of Forendo Pharma.
As an office of the executive branch, the Department of Health and Human Services “does not have the authority” to implement sweeping changes to the structure of the agency as created by Congress, a judge wrote.
Kennedy wants to expand the injury compensation program to include COVID-19 vaccines, while also stretching the “statute of limitations” to more than three years.
The safety update for Vyvgart rattled argenx’s shares on Monday, a reaction that analysts at William Blair said was “overdone.”
FEATURED STORIES
IRA
The new Medicare prices for the first 10 drugs negotiated under the Inflation Reduction Act are expected soon. Analysts and researchers are divided on the long-term effects of the law.
M&A activity surges and IPOs return as the biotech industry navigates a changing business landscape marked by strategic consolidation and renewed investor focus on innovation.
While some biopharma companies beat expectations, others fell short for various reasons, with some deciding to return or axe assets.
Hundreds of companies are currently running clinical trials in the increasingly lucrative obesity space. BioSpace looks at five candidates with data expected before the end of the year.
Clinical trial concerns and a negative advisory committee vote ultimately sunk the treatment.
This week, Q2 earnings from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly revealed that the competition between the pharma giants’ weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound is getting closer.
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
Building and scaling biopharma workforces can go beyond recruiting permanent employees to include fractional workers and consultants. A Slone Partners executive discusses how these blended workforces operate, highlighting the strategic benefits.
UPCOMING EVENTS
LATEST PODCASTS
In this episode presented by PII, BioSpace’s head of insights discusses with guests Oliver Eden and Travis Webb how autoinjectors offer opportunities to improve delivery systems, patient compliance and clinical trial processes.
M&A headlined for a second straight week as Genmab acquired Merus for $8 billion; Pfizer strikes most-favored-nation deal with White House; CDER Director George Tidmarsh caused a stir with a now-deleted LinkedIn post; GSK CEO Emma Walmsley will step down from her role; and uniQure’s gene therapy offers new hope for patients with Huntington’s disease.
The FDA is hoping to repurpose GSK’s Wellcovorin for cerebral folate deficiency; Pfizer acquired fast-moving weight-loss startup Metsera for nearly $5 billion after suffering a hat trick of R&D failures; psychedelics are primed for M&A action and Eli Lilly may be next in line; RFK Jr.’s revamped CDC advisory committee met last week with confounding results; and Stealth secured its Barth approval.
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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
  1. AbbVie, Amgen, Gilead, Merck and Novartis are among the 31 members that have formed the Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem to push back against federal antitrust reforms.
  2. Here’s how some biopharmas have managed to gain funding despite a falloff in investment in the sector. Hint: Positive late-stage data is a key factor.
  3. Eli Lilly on Tuesday continued its buying spree with a $1.4 billion acquisition of the radiopharma company’s pipeline of clinical and preclinical radioligand therapies.
  4. Despite a sharp downturn in initial public offering activity, New York-based gene therapy company Lexeo Therapeutics and French biotech Abivax are seeking funding for their lead candidate programs.
  5. The Italian pharma company is acquiring what was once one of the hottest stocks in the biotech sector, just months after the FDA rejected Intercept’s non-alcoholic steatohepatitis candidate.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. A new Scandinavian study published Wednesday found no conclusive evidence to support the link between GLP-1 receptor agonists and an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
  2. As part of its ongoing review, the European Medicines Agency this week is slated to examine the potential risks of suicidal ideation and self-harm associated with diabetes and weight-loss treatments.
  3. The FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division will have another 30 days to examine Novo Nordisk Foundation’s acquisition of contract manufacturer Catalent, according to an SEC filing.
  4. The four highest doses of Eli Lilly’s blockbuster diabetes treatment Mounjaro will be in short supply through the rest of the month due to strong demand, according to the regulator.
  5. Fresh from its IPO, Fractyl Health got an Investigational Device Exemption from the FDA, clearing a pivotal study of its Revita system to help maintain weight loss following the discontinuation of GLP-1 drugs.
POLICY
  1. As Congress considers a bill that aims to distance U.S. biopharma from five Chinese companies, the industry must emphasize the importance of prioritizing patient care over power plays.
  2. Eli Lilly this week announced plans to sell single-dose vials of its weight loss drug Zepbound directly to consumers. Novo Nordisk could adopt a similar strategy for Wegovy as its CEO is set to testify Sept. 24 before the Senate health committee.
  3. In agreeing with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, Pennsylvania judge Karen Spencer Marston said the court should first settle questions of gastroparesis diagnosis and sufficient warnings for side effects.
  4. The chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wants the CEOs of CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx to fix statements they made in a hearing last month that contradicted the committee’s and Federal Trade Commission’s findings.
  5. Congress, the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are all targeting Big Pharma’s practice of filing multiple, overlapping patents that stifle generic and biosimilar competition.
CAREER HUB
There are five broad categories of life science jobs: academic, government, industrial, non-profit and miscellaneous. Here’s a look at 166 job titles in the life sciences industry.
In the last article on our series of common biopharma careers, we take a close look at what it takes to become a successful computer and information research scientist.
“Why should we hire you?” is a question frequently asked in job interviews, but what’s really behind the question, and how should you respond to it?
Medical and health service managers work hard to improve the quality and efficiency required to deliver first rate healthcare services.
Understanding which direction to take can be challenging for many professionals, whether they are in an early career stage, or later in their career.
There are several ways to assess if a biotech company has plans in place to diversify their workplace or if they have already achieved this milestone.
Regardless of if your motivation is to increase your salary or find a job that is more interesting to you, preparing for a career change can take a lot of time and energy.
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 American Academy of Pediatrics called the decision to limit children’s access to COVID-19 vaccines “deeply troubling.”
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 FDA has four big events in the coming two weeks, including an advisory panel meeting for an ultra-rare disease.
  2. The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee on Thursday strongly supported changing clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer drugs given in the perioperative setting, pointing out the need for a more nuanced approached to treatments before and after surgery.
  3. Novartis continues its dealmaking spree with a bet on Dren Bio’s Targeted Myeloid Engager and Phagocytosis platform to develop bispecific antibodies in oncology.
  4. A longtime biopharma exec and Moderna shareholder argues in an anonymous email to the companies’ CFOs that they have a fiduciary responsibility to close the deal. Analysts say the proposal is interesting but “too simplistic.”
  5. AstraZeneca is proposing to use Imfinzi for resectable non-small cell lung cancer in the perioperative setting—both before and after surgical resection of the tumor. However, ahead of Thursday’s advisory committee meeting, FDA staffers have expressed concerns.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. Engrail Therapeutics’ latest financing round will give it enough funds to advance its candidates for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders through clinical development.
  2. Contineum Therapeutics joined the 2024 initial public offering class on Friday with an SEC filing. The biotech will use the IPO proceeds to complete a Phase II trial for its most mature candidate targeting multiple sclerosis.
  3. 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.
  4. The FDA plans to convene an advisory committee meeting to discuss the safety profile and efficacy of Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s candidate, the company announced Friday.
  5. The regulator’s new draft guidance, released on Monday, provides additional details regarding the use of surrogate and biomarker endpoints to support accelerated approvals.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. As industry leaders gather at the annual event in Phoenix, the cell and gene therapy space remains in a state of flux, with M&A activity and regulatory support signaling momentum while commercialization challenges continue to hinder broader investor interest.
  2. Smarter design through targeted delivery and human-relevant testing can save the industry from costly safety failures.
  3. Following up on previous, dimly received issuances, a new set of ideas published by the FDA to streamline regulatory pathways for cell and gene therapies ‘for small populations’ is receiving a warmer welcome—but experts warn it will take more to turn the tide for the fraught therapeutic space.
  4. Takeda is looking to offload its cell therapy platform and preclinical assets to a yet-unidentified external partner. 137 employees will be let go as part of the move.
  5. M&A headlined for a second straight week as Genmab acquired Merus for $8 billion; Pfizer strikes most-favored-nation deal with White House; CDER Director George Tidmarsh caused a stir with a now-deleted LinkedIn post; GSK CEO Emma Walmsley will step down from her role; and uniQure’s gene therapy offers new hope for patients with Huntington’s disease.