Roche envisions its Indianapolis site as a “major hub” for the manufacturing of its continuous glucose monitoring systems. The news comes on the heels of an announced $700 million investment in North Carolina.
President Donald Trump unwrapped a massive drug pricing policy as CMS prepares for the next round of Medicare drug price negotiations; Vinay Prasad to take the helm at the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Bayer cuts 2,000 more employees; Eli Lilly’s Zepbound scores again; and the Galapagos story turns again.
It’s another wild twist in the story of Galapagos, a company that has been around for more than 25 years but has yet to get a therapy approved.
Meanwhile, Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said Donald Trump’s Most Favored Nations policy could present an opportunity for European countries to make sure they are also funding their “fair share” of biopharma innovation.
The commitment is part of Roche’s recently announced $50 billion investment in the U.S., but a company spokesperson said that could change if certain yet-unspecified policies are implemented that could “harm our industry’s ability to operate and innovate in America.”
The third cycle of the drug price negotiations will involve drugs under Medicare Part B. New prices are set to take effect in 2028.
FEATURED STORIES
Executives don’t just get paid big bucks to operate a company. Sometimes they get paid millions to walk away.
Biotech was starting to show signs of recovery after years of investor pullback—until new tariffs and economic uncertainty sent fresh shockwaves through an already fragile market.
Alnylam and BridgeBio are competing for people who are switching from Pfizer’s blockbuster ATTR amyloidosis drug tafamidis while all three companies are fighting for new patients.
FROM BIOSPACE INSIGHTS
How does being Black affect the workplace experience as a life sciences professional? BioSpace surveyed our community to gain a greater understanding of Black employees’ feelings of inclusion and their perspectives on employer DEI initiatives.
LATEST PODCASTS
Novartis, Eli Lilly and more put on their deal-making caps, Bristol Myers Squibb targets $2 billion in savings through 2027, sales continue to soar for Lilly and Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1s and Regeneron sues Sanofi over an alleged failure to provide adequate information about Dupixent sales.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS nomination moves to a full Senate vote; Donald Trump’s tariff war sparks China-related concerns for biopharma; Pfizer, Merck and more announce Q4 and 2024 earnings; and the non-opioid painkiller space heats up as FDA approves Vertex’s Jounavx.
In this episode, presented by the Genscript Biotech Global Forum 2025, BioSpace’s Head of Insights Lori Ellis talks to Tom Whitehead, co-founder of the Emily Whitehead Foundation, about how standard care, cell and gene therapies and their impact on patients.
Job Trends
Astellas is opening a second location of Universal Cells, its wholly owned subsidiary, at a research campus in Japan and transferring 12 roles from Universal’s Seattle location.
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SPECIAL EDITIONS
A new generation of checkpoint inhibitors is emerging, with some showing more promise than others. From recent TIGIT failures to high-potential targets like VEGF, BioSpace explores what’s on the horizon in immuno-oncology.
Peter Marks, the venerable head of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, has been forced out. In this special edition of BioPharm Executive, BioSpace takes a deep dive into the instability of the HHS.
Year-over-year BioSpace data show biopharma professionals faced increased competition for fewer employment opportunities during the first quarter of 2025.
DEALS
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Donald Trump continues to make waves in biopharma; Sage rejects Biogen’s unsolicited takeover offer; the obesity space sees more action with new company launches, IPOs and fresh data; and experts get ready for an important era in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy space. -
Following a lawsuit filed last week, Sage has officially rejected Biogen’s unsolicited buyout offer, which valued the embattled biotech at just $469 million. -
Protein degradation–focused Neomorph nabs its third Big Pharma deal of around $1.5 billion in less than a year. -
The deal follows a $1.06 billion U.S. contract in July 2024 and a $1.24 billion agreement with an Asia-based pharma a few months later. -
On the company’s Q4 earnings call where an eyepopping $88.8 billion in full-year sales were revealed, leaders shifted focus away from enormous takeovers to single-digit billion buy outs.
WEIGHT LOSS
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While drug developers work to mitigate the side effects associated with GLP-1–based obesity drugs, recent studies reveal that myriad variables are causing patients to stop treatment. -
Despite comments made by a Novo Nordisk official this week, the company confirmed to BioSpace that it has no additional clinical trials of its GLP-1 drugs in addiction beyond a Phase II trial testing semaglutide and two other drugs with alcohol use as a secondary endpoint. -
Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare will now provide uninsured or underinsured patients access to Wegovy for just $499 per month—less than half of its list price. -
Pfizer reacts to Donald Trump’s tariff threats on big pharma, another regulatory meeting is canceled under RFK Jr., AbbVie and Eli Lilly strike mid-sized deals in obesity and molecular glues, priority review vouchers set to take a hit and immuno-oncology matures.
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Merck’s Keytruda holds on to the top spot while AbbVie’s Humira—once the world’s top-selling drug—continues to cede its market share to biosimilar competitors.
POLICY
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Analysts are “cautiously optimistic” about Trump’s executive order, noting that changes to the IRA drug price negotiation program will still require Congressional action before being implemented. -
Trump could use the findings of the probe to impose certain trade restrictions on pharma products, including tariffs. -
After the gutting of the Department of Health and Human Services, fears mount about the future direction of the FDA—with regulatory experts predicting delays in drug approvals and greater influence of political appointees. -
As the biopharma industry grapples with the uncertain macro environment brought on by the new administration, CEOs, regulators and many others speak out. -
According to analysts at Jefferies, legislation such as the newly proposed bills that aim to streamline regulatory processes would be a positive for the biotech industry.
Employers have adjusted to higher salaries. That also means they’ve become adamant they get specific skill sets, according to Greg Clouse, BioSpace recruitment manager.
Looking for a job in Texas? Check out these nine companies hiring life sciences professionals like you.
Whether they’re newly minted managers or C-suite executives, effective managers often lead with empathy, intellectual curiosity and vulnerability.
Generative AI could enhance and accelerate the way people work on clinical trials. In this Q&A, a management consultant shares his insights on benefits, risks and more.
While many describe California as having a tough life sciences market, there’s some optimism that employment opportunities will improve soon, according to California Life Sciences President and CEO Mike Guerra.
Looking for a quality control job? Check out these nine companies hiring life sciences professionals like you.
HOTBEDS
REPORTS
Get up to speed with BioSpace’s data with up-to-date info about retention, layoffs, “quiet quitting” and projections for 2023.
After a tumultuous 2022, life science employers are settling into their hiring goals for 2023. Though they may be hiring at lower volume, the majority of organizations are still actively recruiting.
Economic turbulence has persisted into 2023 and the life science industry is certainly not immune. How are organizations juggling business needs, budgets, recruitment and retention?
CANCER
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Roche’s up to $1 billion investment will provide access to Oxford BioTherapeutics’ antibody-drug conjugate platform for undisclosed cancer targets. -
Monday was a busy day for AstraZeneca, which also paid up to $1 billion to acquire Belgian biotech EsoBiotec and its cell therapy pipeline and technology. -
Japan-based Taiho Pharmaceutical has worked with Araris Biotech since 2023 developing antibody-drug conjugates for the oncology space. -
Pfizer was studying PF-07820435, an orally available agonist of the STING protein, for solid tumors. -
While Houston isn’t yet on the same level as major life sciences hubs, it has plenty to offer and room to grow, according to CNS Pharmaceuticals, RadioMedix and Greater Houston Partnership executives.
NEUROSCIENCE
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ITF, IntraBio and Orchard are among the companies that have won FDA nods in the past year for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Niemann-Pick disease type C, metachromatic leukodystrophy and more. -
Emalex is gearing up for a New Drug Application for ecopipam in Tourette syndrome later this year. -
BridGene strikes another partnership with Takeda as the latter company continues its dealmaking streak, following high-ticket agreements with Keros Therapeutics, AC Immune and Degron Therapeutics in the past nine months. -
The treatment, called DB-OTO, is one of several early-stage gene therapies being developed to treat relatively straight-forward causes of genetic deafness. -
After SPN-820’s failure, Supernus is relying on its non-stimulant ADHD drug Qelbree and the recently approved Parkinson’s therapy Onapgo to sustain the company.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
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In this episode, presented by the Genscript Biotech Global Forum 2025, BioSpace’s Head of Insights Lori Ellis and Tom Whitehead continue to discuss the patient and caregiver experience, where Tom gives his insights to the future of CGTs. -
Gilead beat consensus estimates in Q4 with $7.6 billion in revenue, driven largely by its HIV drug Biktarvy and CAR T therapies Trodelvy and Yescarta. -
Vertex expects to make the newly approved non-opioid pain medicine Journavx available by the end of February. -
Adding a new indication for the CAR T cell therapy could help BMS offset the loss-of-exclusivity headwinds it faces in the coming years.
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Faced with the encroaching threats of patent expirations and generics, biopharma companies in 2024 invested 33% more in licensing deals, on average, than in 2023 with an eye toward enriching their pipelines with novel and potentially more effective therapies.
