Given today’s available local talent pool, biopharma companies are less likely to turn toward international job candidates, according to a talent acquisition expert. Findings from two recent BioSpace LinkedIn polls underscore the issue.
Looking for a biopharma job in Illinois? Check out the BioSpace list of six companies hiring life sciences professionals like you.
Following the death of two teenage patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy following Elevidys treatment, Sarepta Therapeutics adds a black box warning to the gene therapy for acute liver injury and failure and parts with more than a third of employees.
With venture funding tightening in the post-COVID landscape, efficiency has become more critical than ever. In this interactive webinar industry experts explored actionable strategies for maintaining quality under financial pressure. Watch now.
The antibody anselamimab, which AstraZeneca picked up in its 2021 purchase of Caelum Biosciences, failed to improve survival and reduce hospitalizations, but the company sees promise in data from an unspecified patient subgroup.
Johnson & Johnson’s $23.7 billion in second-quarter earnings, driven by cancer and neuroscience drugs, exceeded analyst expectations, while CEO Joaquin Duato set a target of $50 billion in oncology sales by 2030.
In advance of this week’s adcomm, the FDA flags ocular toxicities associated with the antibody-drug conjugate, which received accelerated approval in August 2020 but was pulled from the market two years later after a confirmatory trial failed to improve progression-free survival.
FEATURED STORIES
Even as Biogen and Eisai’s Leqembi and Eli Lilly’s Kisunla slowly roll out onto the market, experts question the efficacy of these anti-amyloid antibodies and the amyloid hypothesis overall.
The EPIC Act has been proposed with bipartisan and industry support to give small molecule drugs the same protection against price negotiation as biologics, but concerns over how to balance the federal budget could prevent a short-term fix to the IRA.
IPO
Around 25 companies have gone public this year, most of them in the early months. Most have tumbled from their original offer price.
By far, the largest acquisition of 2024 was Novo Holdings’ yet-to-be-closed buyout of manufacturer Catalent at $16.5 billion. Outside of that, the leading pharmaceutical companies kept to less than $5 billion per deal.
The darlings of the weight loss and diabetes spaces, GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown promise against Alzheimer’s in recent studies—with Phase III results expected next year from Novo Nordisk.
By speeding lifesaving drugs’ way to market and focusing on the underlying causes of disease, the pathway has helped save many lives.
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 episode focuses on a healthy discussion regarding the IRA, particularly the unintended consequences to small molecule development within the industry and for patients.
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.
These days you can hardly move without figuratively bumping into ⁠antibody-drug conjugates⁠ (ADCs). This week we discuss ⁠Pfizer’s strategic priorities⁠ for oncology - focused on ADCs and less on small molecules - and how the market is being influenced by the IRA.
Job Trends
Bristol Myers Squibb announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted the Biologics License Application for the subcutaneous formulation of Opdivo® co-formulated with Halozyme’s proprietary recombinant human hyaluronidase across all previously approved adult, solid tumor Opdivo indications as monotherapy, monotherapy maintenance following completion of Opdivo plus Yervoy combination therapy, or in combination with chemotherapy or cabozantinib.
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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. With its $525 million investment, Royalty Pharma will acquire the royalties and milestones for ImmuNext’s anti-CD40 therapy frexalimab, which is currently in Phase III trials for multiple sclerosis.
  2. The Federal Trade Commission has asked for an additional 30 days for its review of Novo Nordisk’s $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent, with the companies expecting to complete the merger by the end of 2024.
  3. The Swiss drugmaker is paying $1 billion and committing up to $750 million in milestones for Mariana Oncology’s preclinical cancer pipeline and clinical supply capabilities, the companies announced Thursday.
  4. Ono Pharmaceutical will pay $25.60 per share in an all-cash deal to buy Deciphera Pharmaceuticals for its potential blockbuster oncology drugs and U.S. sales infrastructure, the companies said Monday.
  5. Citing anonymous sources involved in a Phase III trial, STAT News reported Sunday that MorphoSys’ pelabresib may worsen the risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia, potentially putting Novartis’ proposed $2.9 billion acquisition at risk.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. On the heels of Terns’ positive Phase I results that analysts compared with Lilly’s and Pfizer’s weight loss pills in development, Novo Nordisk showcased more details about its own oral candidate.
  2. A recent study estimated that Wegovy’s label expansion beyond obesity could push Medicare spending to $145 billion annually, but analysts remain dubious of the estimate.
  3. A study published Tuesday in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that children between the ages of six and 12 who took liraglutide for just over a year experienced a significant reduction in body mass index compared to placebo.
  4. BioMarin’s new business strategy leaves investors with questions; Lykos CEO steps down; Terns releases compelling data on oral weight loss candidate; and more.
  5. Phase I data for TERN-601 suggests Terns’ oral GLP-1 candidate for obesity could be a contender in the market next to big names like Lilly, Pfizer and Roche.
POLICY
  1. In the five weeks since Donald Trump returned as U.S. president, the FDA, NIH and CDC have been thrown into disarray, with meetings regarding vaccines and rare diseases canceled or indefinitely postponed—all without a clear reason why.
  2. The back-to-back high-level disruptions in vaccine policy under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. comes as the U.S. records its first death from measles since 2015.
  3. While many industry players and observers have high hopes for the EPIC Act, some say budgetary headwinds could make it difficult for the current administration to make meaningful repeals or amendments to the IRA.
  4. The Outsourcing Facilities Association, a trade group representing compounders, filed a similar lawsuit in October last year after the FDA formally ended the tirzepaptide shortage.
  5. Samsung Bioepis allegedly entered into an agreement with a third-party health company, allowing it to market its own private label of a Stelara biosimilar.
CAREER HUB
Many principles of an online interview are unknown to everyone and they lack confidence. Here are some virtual interview tips to help enhance your skills.
Being confident about your skills and learning new things are some of the best career advice and tips a professional should know to become better at your workplace.
When dealing with a large group of people, the possibility of handling a disgruntled employee is very likely. Here’s how you can handle them efficiently.
Most people don’t know that asking questions can help with an application. Here are some unique questions for interviewer that you should remember to ask next time.
If you’re questioning which types of leaders you get along with the best, or you’re just wondering what types of leaders exist, you’re in the right place. Here’s a quick breakdown.
Just like first impressions, the first 30 days at your new job can set the tone for a new position.
Providing interview feedback to the candidate after an interview is very crucial if you want to pick out only the best. This article will help you do that efficiently.
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
Looking for a biopharma job in Massachusetts? Check out the BioSpace list of nine companies hiring life sciences professionals like you.
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. One year after a potential $1.7 billion deal with Hansoh Pharma, GSK goes back to China to forge another alliance with DualityBio for another deal that could be worth up to $1 billion as it continues to build up its ADC portfolio.
  2. Keros’ elritercept has shown promising efficacy signals in myelofibrosis and myelodysplastic syndromes and could pose a formidable challenge to Bristol Myers Squibb’s Reblozyl.
  3. The deal with Tubulis will help Gilead regain its footing in the ADC space following the withdrawal of Trodelvy in bladder cancer and its late-stage fail in NSCLC.
  4. Alongside the layoffs, Alligator will also suspend work on all of its earlier-stage assets and devote its resources to lead candidate mitazalimab, being developed for the frontline treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
  5. The cancers were diagnosed 19 to 92 months after Skysona treatment.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. Bristol Myers Squibb wins approval for the first novel schizophrenia drug in decades; Pfizer pulls Oxbryta from the market; new IVF and abortion laws could derail women’s health research; Roche touts CDK inhibitor deal and obesity pipeline and BioSpace heads to Meeting on the Mesa.
  2. From Eli Lilly to Karuna Therapeutics to current owner Bristol Myers Squibb, the newly approved schizophrenia drug had quite the journey to market. Former Karuna and Lilly executives discuss the “accidental” and “serendipitous” discovery.
  3. After the FDA declined to approve Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, companies are pivoting away from or delaying similar therapeutics targeting the psychiatric disease.
  4. BMS’ KarXT targets muscarinic receptors and “is at least 2-3 years ahead of the competition” including AbbVie and Neurocrine Biosciences, Truist Securities wrote in a note to investors.
  5. Results from TEMPO-1, which showed that tavapadon significantly improved motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease, will help AbbVie as it builds a regulatory case for the D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonist.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. Following a disappointing readout last year, uniQure on Tuesday posted promising Phase I/II data for its investigational gene therapy AMT-130 and nabbed the first-ever Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation from the FDA in Huntington’s disease.
  2. FDA
    The groundwork being done in 2024 is building the foundation for global collaboration in the future.
  3. Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech’s Carvykti cell therapy significantly improved survival in patients with multiple myeloma when used in the second-line setting, the companies announced on Tuesday.
  4. Rocket Pharmaceuticals’ gene therapy Kresladi has been hit with an FDA Complete Response Letter requesting additional chemistry, manufacturing and controls information to complete its review.
  5. One patient died of respiratory failure in a Phase I study of Lyell Immunopharma’s investigational CAR-T therapy. The company on Wednesday said it has not definitively linked the fatality to the treatment.