After decades of limited progress—owing to the difficulty of treating the disease and resultant market risk—glioblastoma research is entering a new phase spurred by smarter trials, targeted funding and renewed interest from companies like Merck and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.
The move comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received pressure from the Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine non-profit that he co-founded, which last month sued him over his failure to run the “statutorily required Task Force on childhood vaccine,” according to the lawsuit.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ mRNA pullback only applies to their use in upper respiratory disease, according to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
As Trump has pressured drugmakers to lower the cost of medicines in the U.S., the pharma industry has coalesced behind a message of rebalancing what nations pay to better reflect the innovation and value of drugmaking.
The Boston-based AI/ML startup focuses on endocrine and cardiometabolic diseases and will use that expertise to generate new small molecule obesity medications for Lilly.
After two patients who received the investigational CDC7 blocker died, pushing forward with SGR-2921’s development would be “difficult,” according to Schrödinger, whose stock dropped 17.5% before the opening bell on Thursday.
The death was linked to acute kidney injury in a patient who had a single kidney remaining and a “complex medical history,” according to CytomX.
FEATURED STORIES
It’s early days for xenotransplantation, but eGenesis, Eledon, United Therapeutics and more are working to develop solutions to make this approach a viable option and help ease the organ shortage crisis.
Biosimilars are essential healthcare equalizers, but their regulation is overly complicated due to lobbying by makers of branded biologics looking to maintain blockbuster revenue.
Since 2016, the FDA has approved three disease-modifying treatments for spinal muscular atrophy, with several companies—including Novartis, Scholar Rock and Biogen—progressing novel candidates through clinical trials.
The FDA approval of Alnylam’s Amvuttra sets up a three-way race with Pfizer and BridgeBio, which both market transthyretin stabilizers for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.
With Keytruda, the best-selling drug in the world, facing the end of exclusivity in 2028, BioSpace looks at five drugs that have taken the leap off the patent cliff.
The explosion of GLP-1 weight loss drugs is reminiscent of the early days of PD-1 inhibitors, but key market differences suggest history may not repeat itself.
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
Infusions of Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy and bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia have begun; Moderna targets 10 approvals through 2027; more oral obesity drug data; the latest from ESMO and more.
In this episode, Lori and guests discuss practical approaches regarding artificial intelligence and investor and industry confidence in its current state.
BioMarin’s new business strategy leaves investors with questions; Lykos CEO steps down; Terns releases compelling data on oral weight loss candidate; and more.
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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. M&A
    After four patient deaths, Kezar’s lupus trial is officially on hold, sparking investor Kevin Tang’s interest for acquisition.
  2. Big Pharma can’t seem to get enough radiopharmaceutical biotechs. With Lilly, Sanofi and BMS chasing Novartis into the complex space, all eyes are on these specialty biotechs.
  3. On the heels of Keytruda’s success in a Phase III perioperative trial for a disease where it had previously failed to improve event-free survival, Merck touts an I&I deal with UK biotech Mestag.
  4. As traditional fundraising methods falter for smaller firms, the rise of royalty deals is reshaping how companies access capital, offering an alternative that bypasses equity dilution and debt.
  5. M&A
    The acquisition was featured Monday in Roche’s Pharma Day presentation, which also included projections of more than $3 billion in annual sales from three early-stage obesity and diabetes drugs.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. The updated guidance, which was largely driven by lower-than-anticipated sales of GLP-1 blockbusters Mounjaro and Zepbound, sent Eli Lilly’s shares cratering by as much as 8% Tuesday, even as the company forecasted robust 2025 revenue.
  2. Biopharma executives were busy Monday, striking high-value deals and providing updates on cancer, obesity and vaccine pipelines.
  3. Obesity continues to grab attention at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, with both Pfizer and Kailera Therapeutics outlining their plans in the space moving forward.
  4. IPO
    Metsera will use its IPO proceeds to fund the Phase III development of its injectable, ultra-long-acting GLP-1 therapy MET-097i, which last week achieved 11.3% weight loss in a Phase IIa study.
  5. The company’s lead asset is a potentially first-in-class oral GLP-1 receptor agonist that has the potential to be dosed weekly, which according to CEO Khurem Farooq can help improve accessibility and affordability.
POLICY
  1. While industry groups decried the Trump administration’s new drug pricing order, analysts say it lacked details and the teeth to make a major impact without an act of Congress.
  2. The package revives President Donald Trump’s much-maligned Most Favored Nation rule but goes further into the private markets and beyond, leveraging the patent system, drug importation and more.
  3. The FDA and CDC have also recommended pausing the use of Ixchiq in seniors 60 years and older while safety investigations are ongoing.
  4. As the Trump administration slashes funding for HIV-related research and infrastructure, Gilead, Immunocore and more are targeting the next goalpost: a cure.
  5. With President Donald Trump expected to deliver a drug pricing order on Monday that Big Pharma and patient groups alike have railed against, the industry’s tumultuous ride is far from over.
CAREER HUB
Before we look at the tips and tricks that can help you bag a job in pharma, we should look at the complications that you might face when getting the job.
Finding a new job can be a daunting task. From updating your resume to preparing for interviews, there are a lot of moving parts. To help, here are five interview techniques that actually work.
BioSpace spoke with three CEOs: Alto Neuroscience’s Dr. Amit Etkin, Omega Therapeutics’ Mahesh Karande and Rain Therapeutics’ Avanish Vellanki about their companies’ employment growth.
The life science industry is growing rapidly, and many companies have announced expansions and job creation. Still, others have been forced to cut costs and slash jobs. For that and more, continue reading.
BioSpace spoke with Jay Johnson, the Director of Talent Acquisition for Orthopedics at Stryker, to find out what it takes to land a job in medical sales.
Since 2020, the life sciences industry has worked to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. But one sector’s growth has far outpaced the others–the biotech industry.
Location is everything when it comes to compensation in the life sciences. We’ve compiled data from BioSpace’s 2023 Life Sciences Salary Report to help you choose the best place to live and work.
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
Contingent value rights are rising in a down market, helping to close the gap between buyer and seller expectations in biotech transactions.
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. Eikon’s lead candidate, EIK1001, is being tested for advanced melanoma. The candidate is currently in late-stage development, which the biotech will fund using Wednesday’s series D raise.
  2. At the 2025 National Biotechnology Conference, gene therapies, bispecific antibodies and other novel modalities—relative newcomers to medicine—will be much discussed. In this curtain raiser, BioSpace speaks with conference chair Prathap Nagaraja Shastri of J&J about these highly anticipated topics.
  3. The agreement, in which Merck will pay the biotech an undisclosed initial sum to license drugs targeting a solid tumor, could net Epitopea up to $300 million down the line.
  4. The news comes on the heels of promising Phase I/Ib data, which point to the potential of casdatifan as a more effective alternative to Merck’s Welireg in renal cell carcinoma.
  5. Exelixis’ next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor zanzalintinib is being tested for colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma and head-and-neck cancer, with several readouts slated for the second half of 2025.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. Cebranopadol, a dual-NMR agonist, reached the primary endpoint in a Phase III trial and matched placebo for safety, a significant concern in the analgesic field.
  2. Spravato’s monotherapy nod on Tuesday comes after a series of setbacks in the depression space.
  3. The FDA is putting Atara’s active Investigational New Drug applications on hold due to manufacturing concerns at a third-party provider while releasing Amylyx’s investigational ALS therapy from a previous pause.
  4. Computational research conducted by scientists from Washington University in St. Louis shows that GLP-1 agonists can have mental and cognitive health benefits but may also harm the kidneys and pancreas.
  5. Biogen’s effort to buy Sage reveals its “desire to expand its pipeline at a discount,” according to analysts from BMO Capital Markets.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. The payment scheme will tie gene therapy payments to improvements in health outcomes—and could potentially boost the uptake of these sickle cell disease treatments.
  2. In this episode of Denatured, BioSpace’s Head of Insights Lori Ellis, Miguel Forte and Ali Pashazadeh discuss how a slow and steady pace is a continuation of the pattern we have seen throughout the last three years.
  3. Not exactly known for its dealmaking, Sarepta Therapeutics has thrown down a massive wad of cash to work with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals on RNAi-based medicines.
  4. The cancers were diagnosed 19 to 92 months after Skysona treatment.
  5. Emboldened by technological advances and a deeper knowledge of glioblastoma, Merck, Kazia Therapeutics, CorriXR Therapeutics and others are targeting the often-fatal brain tumor.