FDA
The FDA’s clunky launch of Elsa, an AI tool to increase efficiency, has sparked concern from agency employees and outside experts.
Madrigal will study SYH2086 in combination with Rezdiffra for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, aiming for clinical trials in early 2026.
Long-term data presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference show Leqembi can help patients stay in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease as compared to the condition’s natural progression.
CDC
Monarez is the first CDC director to be confirmed by the Senate under a new 2023 law and will be the first person without a medical degree to assume leadership of the agency in more than 70 years.
Sarepta’s Elevidys is back on the market for ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly plans to dissolve the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and “fix” the vaccine injury compensation program, Merck, AstraZeneca and more report Q2 earnings, Novo names a new leader and Roche’s trontinemab impresses at AAIC25.
CEO Emma Walmsley maintained that continued investment in the U.S. is a priority for the pharma to ensure its medicines for the country are supplied domestically.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, medications with the same active ingredient will be treated as the same drug for price negotiation purposes—even if approved by the FDA under a separate application—disincentivizing companies from investing time and money in gaining approval for new formulations and indications.
FEATURED STORIES
Psychedelic drug developers are undeterred by the FDA’s Complete Response Letter for the company’s MDMA therapy for PTSD, and experts expect Lykos will ultimately obtain approval.
Regeneron, Akouos and Mass Eye and Ear are testing therapies that can reverse genetic protein deficiency to restore hearing, with promising early results.
The entry of new players and new approaches into the ATTR-CM space could help bring down the cost of treatment, experts say.
For the Biden-Harris administration to compare the newly announced negotiated Medicare prices to the list prices for these drugs is, at best, not very meaningful. At worst, it’s disingenuous.
The Biden administration on Thursday touted discounts of up to 79%, but many of these first 10 drugs are already sold well below list price.
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.
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
BioSpace’s Q3 2025 U.S. Life Sciences Job Market Report reveals a turbulent quarter for biopharma hiring, with record declines in job postings, rising layoffs, and cautious employer sentiment shaping the industry’s employment landscape.
UPCOMING EVENTS
LATEST PODCASTS
In this episode presented by Element Materials Technology, BioSpace’s head of insights discusses how China, historically focused on manufacturing, is increasingly becoming an innovation leader, particularly in pharmaceuticals, with guests Dr. Jihye Jang-Lee and Dr. Khanh Courtney. Ultimately, balanced strategies involve domestic capacity investments coupled with global collaboration.
As third-quarter earnings continue to roll out, Novartis makes headlines with the second biggest acquisition of the year; Novartis’ CEO also downplayed the impact of Big Pharma pricing deals with the Trump administration; Regeneron continued the trend of dropping cell therapy assets; BioSpace takes a look at how the FDA is functioning mid-shutdown.
In this episode presented by Element Materials Technology, guests Dr. Jihye Jang-Lee and Dr. Khanh Courtney discuss how small biotechs face mounting pressure amid manufacturing uncertainties.
Job Trends
4D Molecular Therapeutics, a leading clinical-stage genetic medicines company focused on unlocking the full potential of genetic medicines to treat large market diseases, reported full year 2023 financial results and provided operational highlights.
Subscribe to Genepool
Subscribe to BioSpace’s flagship publication including top headlines, special editions and life sciences’ most important breaking news
SPECIAL EDITIONS
In this deep dive, BioSpace investigates China’s rise as a biotech powerhouse.
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.
DEALS
  1. From Statera Biopharma and Sorrento Therapeutics to Aceragen and Infinity Pharmaceuticals, 2023 has seen a record high 28 bankruptcies in the biotech space so far. Here’s why.
  2. Following rumors last week of a potential acquisition by Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb on Sunday announced that it paid $4.8 billion to gain access to Mirati Therapeutics’ oncology-focused portfolio.
  3. Though data became an issue in two separate meetings, the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee made a potentially precedent-setting decision by voting in favor of US WorldMeds’ neuroblastoma treatment.
  4. Following a Phase III failure and the departure of its CEO, Mirati Therapeutics is rumored to be engaged in acquisition discussions with French pharma giant Sanofi, according to Bloomberg.
  5. After finally getting the green light from the Federal Trade Commission last month, Amgen has completed the buyout and expects to provide updated fiscal year 2023 guidance during its third-quarter earnings call.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Despite strong demand for weight-loss drugs, the lack of Medicare coverage is potentially interfering with prescription and dispensing rates of anti-obesity medications for elderly adults, according to a new study.
  5. Sanders says he wants Novo Nordisk to “do the right thing” and lower the costs of Ozempic and Wegovy. But only the Inflation Reduction Act can achieve that.
POLICY
  1. The number of patients who will be eligible for Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster GLP-1 under new Medicare Part D plan guidelines will vary depending on how cardiovascular disease is defined, according to researchers.
  2. Johnson & Johnson’s proposed changes to the hospital drug discount program are inconsistent with the federal statute, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
  3. Project 2025, a blueprint for a potential second Trump term that highlights the IRA as a potential target, took a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.
  4. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, a House committee flagged several U.S. companies—including Eli Lilly and Pfizer—that have allegedly worked with the People’s Liberation Army on clinical trials in Xinjiang, raising ethical and intellectual property concerns.
  5. Last week, the Biden administration revealed the first drug prices negotiated under the Inflation Reduction Act; Lykos, Grail and others make substantial staffing cuts, and Pfizer/BioNTech see mixed results for their COVID/flu vaccine.
CAREER HUB
Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) can be a great option for pharma employees looking for a change of pace. To help with this decision, here are the pros and cons of working at a CRO.
Case job interviews are aimed at gauging at least some of the skills used in a consulting practice.
No matter where in the process you are, here are the questions you should be asking your interviewer.
Here’s a breakdown of how to talk to a future employer about an employment gap in your resume depending on the situation that caused it. So keep reading.
Transferable skills are skills you’ve used in any sector of your life and career that are transferable and applicable to what you what you want to do next.
In the meantime, here are a few things you can do to fill your resume while you’re in between jobs.
Our recent article describing six prominent careers in the biopharma industry was well-received by both college students and current biopharma professionals. As the first installment in a six-part series, we present an in depth review of a rewarding career as a genetic counselor.
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
Companies that have broken ground on or are actively constructing manufacturing facilities in the U.S. are exempted from the tariffs, according to President Donald Trump’s social media post on Thursday.
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. 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.
  2. Third Arc Bio, led by three former Johnson & Johnson executives, is advancing a portfolio of multifunctional antibodies for cancer and inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.
  3. GSK is seeking to relaunch Blenrep after its market withdrawal in 2022. The pharma is eyeing a second-line niche for the antibody-drug conjugate in the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
  4. While its investigational regimen fell short of the primary efficacy endpoint, AVEO dug into data from its control group and touted a “clinically meaningful” improvement in progression-free survival in patients receiving Fotivda monotherapy.
  5. Agenus is now looking for alternative pathways to initiate a Phase III trial for BOT/BAL, including potential partnerships.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. Boehringer Ingelheim has paid $27.3 million upfront to Sosei Heptares to develop a small molecule agonist of GPR52 to treat the positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.
  2. With Monday’s FDA rejection of their long-acting glatiramer acetate formulation, Viatris and Mapi Pharma continue the biopharma industry’s recent losing streak in multiple sclerosis.
  3. In this deep dive, BioSpace examines what’s next for Leqembi, the true cost of anti-amyloid antibodies, and what other Alzheimer’s treatments are coming down the pipeline.
  4. The FDA will convene its Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee to discuss Eli Lilly’s application for its Alzheimer’s disease antibody donanemab, the company announced Friday.
  5. Friday’s topline data from the Phase III PHOENIX trial of Relyvrio, which won approval in 2022, showed no significant difference on either the primary or secondary endpoints, according to Amylyx.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. The potential approval of Vertex’s IgAN therapy povetacicept in 2026 comes amid launch headwinds for the company’s non-opioid pain medicine Journavx and gene therapy Casgevy.
  2. With a 100% response rate in a Phase II study, KYV-101 sets a new efficacy bar in generalized myasthenia gravis, according to analysts at William Blair.
  3. The clinical hold comes days after Intellia voluntarily paused enrollment and dosing in the same two studies.
  4. As third-quarter earnings continue to roll out, Novartis makes headlines with the second biggest acquisition of the year; Novartis’ CEO also downplayed the impact of Big Pharma pricing deals with the Trump administration; Regeneron continued the trend of dropping cell therapy assets; BioSpace takes a look at how the FDA is functioning mid-shutdown.
  5. Intellia earlier this year reported a similar grade 4 liver enzyme elevation associated with the gene therapy nexiguran ziclumeran, though analysts at BMO Capital Markets at the time brushed it off as a “non-concern.”