Rumors of Biogen’s disagreements with Eisai have been greatly exaggerated, CEO Chris Viehbacher said during a second quarter earnings call. The partnered Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi saw sales climb 20% for the period.
The announced reduction of hundreds of staff came a day ahead of Moderna’s Q2 earnings report.
While Eli Lilly’s diabetes blockbuster was non-inferior to its older incretin therapy Trulicity in a highly anticipated Phase III cardiovascular outcomes trial, analysts had hoped for statistical significance in reducing major events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke.
Employed biopharma professionals are highly likely to look for new jobs in the next 12 months, although not quite as likely as their unemployed counterparts, according to a BioSpace LinkedIn poll. Three recruitment experts discuss the findings and what’s driving job searches.
In this episode presented by IQVIA, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses the concerns and opportunities of patient data driving AI tasks with Louise Molloy, associate director medical information and pharmacovigilance.
Rinvoq’s efficacy in alopecia areata is “impressive,” according to Guggenheim analysts, who said the drug could have a competitive edge over other JAK inhibitors in the space.
FEATURED STORIES
After the rejection of Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-based PTSD treatment tempered excitement for psychedelic therapeutics, a recent approval and positive data are generating new momentum, which experts expect to continue throughout 2025 and 2026.
Biopharma doubles down on immunology and inflammation as companies target new pathways and seek to improve on current options in inflammatory bowel disease, atopic dermatitis, myasthenia gravis and more.
Jay Ferro, EVP, CIO, CPO & CTO at Clario discusses safety, trust and what keeps him up at night.
Just a few months after Vir Biotechnology lost an emergency authorization for its COVID-19 antibody, Marianne de Backer stepped in as CEO to answer a critical question: What’s next?
As the Q4 2024 pharma earnings period rolls on through the first month of President Donald Trump’s second term, executives find themselves faced with policy questions ranging from the Inflation Reduction Act to RFK Jr.
From revenue to R&D investment, Novo and Lilly and their mega-blockbuster weight loss drugs Zepbound and Wegovy have moved into a new pharma stratosphere, far eclipsing their rivals.
LATEST PODCASTS
BioSpace’s Lori Ellis and Chantal Dresner bring live updates from the first day of #DIA2024 in San Diego.
This week, an FDA adcomm unanimously voted for the approval of Eli Lilly’s anti-amyloid antibody as thousands of layoffs continue to rattle the industry.
How do we ensure strategic vision and thoughtful implementation when pursuing new opportunities in science and technology? Our guests discuss challenges around reimbursement, intellectual property, change management and the critical nature of early engagement.
Job Trends
AstraZeneca advances its ambition to redefine cancer care with new data across its industry-leading portfolio and pipeline at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, May 31 to June 4, 2024.
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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
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In its second antibody-drug conjugate licensing agreement this year, Ipsen has secured exclusive rights to Foreseen Biotechnology’s FS001, which targets a novel antigen expressed across a range of solid tumors. -
Eli Lilly becomes the latest to make a major investment in immunology and inflammation, while antibody-drug conjugate biopharma Myricx Bio nets a large Series A round and new research highlights the potential and possible risks of GLP-1s. -
After pulling its ALS drug Relyvrio from the market, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals is looking to target the GLP-1 space with the purchase of Eiger BioPharmaceuticals’ avexitide, which has been studied for the treatment of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. -
The blood plasma pharma is considering a buyout offer from the founding family and asset manager Brookfield, which would delist the company from the Spanish and Nasdaq markets. -
Eli Lilly on Monday announced a $3.2 billion all-cash deal to purchase Morphic and its pipeline of oral integrin therapies in a move to expand the pharma’s presence in the autoimmune diseases space.
WEIGHT LOSS
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With Novo Holdings’ $16.5 billion buyout of Catalent being reviewed by regulators, what work the contract drug manufacturer may or may not be performing for Eli Lilly remains a point of contention. -
Novo said supply of Wegovy and Ozempic is in good shape after the drugs were removed from the FDA’s shortage list last week. But Eli Lilly reported slower than expected sales in the third quarter due to wholesaler destocking. -
Novo Nordisk’s total revenue in the third quarter missed analysts’ expectations but sales of weight loss drug Wegovy exceeded the consensus forecast. Still, the Danish drugmaker narrowed its full-year guidance for revenue and operating profit. -
While expected and seen as largely incremental, Jefferies analyst Peter Welford in a Tuesday note to investors said the detailed data for three early-stage assets support moving them into Phase IIb studies and creates a “foothold” for AstraZeneca in the weight loss space. -
Jefferies analyst Roger Song in an investor note said that Viking Therapeutics’ readout for its investigational therapy VK2735 exceeded expectations, with “class-leading” weight loss. Patients on 100-miligram doses of the pill lost 8.2% of their body weight after 28 days.
POLICY
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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. -
Biotech companies are already seeing regulatory delays and plenty of uncertainty after around 3,500 FDA employees were cut by the Trump administration.
Despite the massive financing from venture capitalists that poured into Massachusetts in 2021, Bay State biopharma companies are struggling to find enough talent to fill the number of available jobs.
The use of body language during interview can ensure a good impression. Kinesics includes the use of posture, facial expression, movement, and gestures to communicate nonverbally.
With more and more people applying for remote positions, how can you stand out among the massive stacks of applications?
Working from home can cause burnout and stress. The stress caused leads to low performance sometimes. Here are nine ways to prevent work from home burnout.
It’s no secret that employers ask tricky interview questions. But what do you do if you find yourself fumbling for words to answer these tricky questions?
Following up after an interview can be essential to help you gain peace of mind and reinforce your interest. Here’s how to improve follow up after interview.
HOTBEDS
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
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Datroway, formerly known as Dato-DXd, significantly improved median progression-free survival in a Phase III study but failed to do so for overall survival. -
Even before the FDA’s recent approval of Dato-DXd in breast cancer, analysts predicted sales of the antibody-drug conjugate could hit $5.9 billion in 2030. However, the asset faced a series of setbacks in 2024. -
Traditionally carrying a dire prognosis, the treatment paradigm for multiple myeloma is changing, with CAR T therapies, bispecifics and more contributing to multifaceted regimens unique to each patient’s needs. -
The conversion of Calquence’s accelerated approval in mantle cell lymphoma comes a day before the drug was listed among the 15 products to be subject to IRA-prescripted price negotiations for Medicare this year. -
The Phase III CodeBreaK 300 study returned disappointing overall survival data for Lumakras plus Vectibix in metastatic colorectal cancer, but in its approval announcement, the FDA pointed to significant improvements in progression-free survival, calling it the “major efficacy outcome” of the trial.
NEUROSCIENCE
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Monday’s agreement comes days after PTC discontinued the development of another asset, utreloxastat, due to disappointing Phase II data in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. -
Despite hotly debated biomarkers and failed or delayed confirmatory trials, the accelerated approval program has a track record of propelling R&D for some of medicine’s most challenging illnesses. -
Emboldened by technological advances and a deeper knowledge of glioblastoma, Merck, Kazia Therapeutics, CorriXR Therapeutics and others are targeting the often-fatal brain tumor. -
Despite the “unfortunate” failure, William Blair analysts do not believe that the utreloxastat readout will heavily affect PTC, instead postulating that the upcoming FDA decision on its phenylketonuria candidate sepiapterin will be a stronger driver of the biotech’s stock. -
Alector is kicking off a resource realignment effort that will include a workforce reduction. The biotech expects its current cash position to last it through 2026.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
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While the companies did not reveal the financial details of the deal, Novo Nordisk will provide funding for two Evotec sites in Germany and Italy to support the development of next-generation cell therapies. -
4D Molecular Therapeutics reported its experimental gene therapy demonstrated a nearly 90% reduction in the need for annualized standard-of-care injections in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration. -
Last month, Vertex said sickle cell patients had not yet received infusions of its gene therapy Casgevy. That’s now changed, as the company races with bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia. -
As it nears a crucial FDA action date for its transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy candidate, BridgeBio focuses on its late-stage pipeline. -
No patients have received Casgevy, CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmeceuticals’ recently approved sickle cell gene therapy. Experts weigh in on the path to profit for the treatment and the therapeutic class in general.
