At the heart of the deal is an anti-Claudin18.2 antibody-drug conjugate being developed for solid tumors, including gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Minovia’s lead product is MNV-201, an autologous hematopoietic stem cell product that is enriched with allogeneic mitochondria.
Flagship Pioneering’s ProFound Therapeutics will use its proprietary technology to mine the expanded proteome for novel cardiovascular therapeutics. Novartis has promised to pay up to $750 million per target, though it has not specified how many targets it will go after.
Without providing further context, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says that Gavi needs to “start taking vaccine safety seriously” by considering “the best science available.”
Peter Marks, who headed the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research before being forced to resign in March, said the agency’s new risk-based COVID-19 vaccine framework contradicts the current administration’s push for transparency and gold-standard science.
Are long R&D cycles, overwhelming literature reviews, or patent bottlenecks slowing your path to innovation? In the fast-evolving life science landscape, AI is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.
The seven new members of the CDC’s influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Merck’s new anti-RSV monoclonal antibody, discussed mRNA vaccine technology while injecting misinformation into the debate, heard updates on the upcoming flu season and, finally, voted to remove thimerosal from all flu vaccines.
FEATURED STORIES
Experts say Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 drugs are unlikely to reach more countries in the near term, but Sanofi’s diabetes treatment has gained ground globally.
As the pharma industry awaits congressional action on the bill, gaping holes in the domestic drug manufacturing ecosystem have never been clearer.
The recent invalidation of an AAV gene therapy patent overlooks the complexity of innovation in biotechnology and could put a broad swath of intellectual property at risk.
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.
The entry of new players and new approaches into the ATTR-CM space could help bring down the cost of treatment, experts say.
Regeneron, Akouos and Mass Eye and Ear are testing therapies that can reverse genetic protein deficiency to restore hearing, with promising early results.
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.
LATEST PODCASTS
In this episode of Denatured, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis and Colin Zick, partner at Foley Hoag LLP, spend time discussing some of the points brought up in the Bioprocessing Summit last month. They explore the connections between hammers, AI, The Planet of the Apes and monoliths.
The White House is clamping down on pharma’s ability to buy new molecules from Chinese biotechs; Sanofi, Merck and others abandon the U.K. after the introduction of a sizeable levy; Novo CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar lays off 9,000 while the company presents new data at EASD; Capsida loses a patient in a gene therapy trial; and CDER Director George Tidmarsh walks back comments on FDA adcomms.
This week’s release of the Make America Health Again report revealed continued emphasis on vaccine safety; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s faceoff with senators last week amounted to political theater; the FDA promises complete response letters in real time and shares details on a new rare disease framework; and Summit disappoints at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona.
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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. The New York-based genetic medicine company, which expects gross proceeds of approximately $100 million, joins a small group of biotechs that have launched initial public offerings this year.
  2. The Swiss drugmaker gains rights to RVT-3101 in the U.S. and Japan. Telavant was formed in late 2022 by Roivant and Pfizer, which had a 25% stake in the venture and retains rights to the antibody in other countries.
  3. While Merck lost out to Pfizer earlier this year in snapping up Seagen, this week the company closed a deal worth a potential $22 billion with Daiichi Sankyo—further evidence of the industry’s insatiable appetite for ADC technology.
  4. Despite increasing antitrust scrutiny across the biopharma industry, the European Commission on Thursday said it found no competitive issues with Pfizer’s buyout of the antibody-drug conjugate company.
  5. Sail Biomedicines combines Laronde’s circular eRNA platform with Senda’s nanoparticle delivery technology in the pursuit of a new class of programmable medicines across therapeutic areas.
WEIGHT LOSS
  1. Novo Nordisk on Thursday reported a jump in first-quarter 2024 revenue, driven by a more than 100% increase in sales of weight-loss drug Wegovy and the strong performance of type 2 diabetes medication Ozempic.
  2. In a bid to improve competition in the industry, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is challenging the patents of 20 different pharmaceutical products, disputing the accuracy and relevance of their patents.
  3. Thanks to strong sales of its blockbuster drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, Eli Lilly on Tuesday reported nearly $8.77 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2024, while raising its full-year revenue guidance by $2 billion.
  4. After a record low in 2022, the pharma industry in 2023 saw a surprise rebound in productivity following one of its slowest years on record, according to a report from audit firm Deloitte.
  5. With GLP-1 agonists slated to become the best-selling drugs in 2024, the biopharma industry is already pivoting to explore treatments that preserve muscle mass as patients shed pounds.
POLICY
  1. In a high-profile showdown Tuesday with Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Senate health committee, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen will be asked to defend the drugs’ U.S. monthly list prices of $969 and $1,349, respectively.
  2. Regulators, policymakers and others can more effectively battle the disease by creating incentives to make mpox a more attractive investment opportunity.
  3. A lawsuit filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which claims the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program is unconstitutional, now goes back to a lower Texas court.
  4. IRA
    While unlikely to pass this year, given the Democrats’ control over the White House and Senate, the proposed legislation might be a harbinger of the Republicans’ agenda next year for the Inflation Reduction Act should they win the November elections.
  5. In the battle over drug prices, one sector of the healthcare industry has risen above all the players as the boogeyman: pharmacy benefit managers. In this special edition of BioPharm Executive, BioSpace takes a deep dive into the lens now focused on PBMs’ business practices.
CAREER HUB
Whether you’re looking for a new job, negotiating for more pay or responsibility, or seeking to make the transition to a management or leadership position, your presence on social media makes up a large component of your overall professional “brand.”
Simply staying organized will help you make sure you never miss a beat. Here are a few small steps that’ll make a big difference.
When using the STAR Method, be sure to discuss the who, what, where, when and how of an experience.
While early January can still be a slow time for hiring as people get organized, once the middle of the month hits, it’s go time.
Behavioral interviewing is probably the most popular interviewing style utilized today. Keeping this in mind we have listed some behavioral interview questions for you.
Here are some of the key areas to research when preparing for an interview. You can use the tips mentioned here to carry out interview background research.
Behavioral interviewing is touted as providing a more objective set of facts to make employment decisions than other interviewing methods. Read to learn more.
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
In Phase III studies, Tonmya showed significantly superior analgesic effects in patients with fibromyalgia versus placebo. The sublingual pill also led to better clinical outcomes.
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. The specialty pharmaceutical company has twice filed for bankruptcy in recent years, driven by opioid-related litigation. Mallinckrodt’s deal with CVC will allow it to pay off more than half of its net debt.
  2. The FDA is looking for stronger overall survival data to back Actinium’s application for Iomab-B, an investigational therapy that will allow acute myeloid leukemia patients to receive bone marrow transplants.
  3. As part of a pipeline realignment, Bristol Myers Squibb is returning the rights to Agenus for its proprietary TIGIT bispecific antibody program and terminating their 2021 license, development and commercialization agreement.
  4. BioNTech on Monday reported nearly $885 million in losses in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $208.5 million during the same period last year.
  5. Despite having an impressive roster of high-profile supporters, including AbbVie, BMS, J&J, Novartis and Pfizer, PARP-focused Ribon has called it quits after nearly a decade in business.
NEUROSCIENCE
  1. Already approved in schizophrenia and bipolar depression, Intra-Cellular Therapies reported strong late-stage data Tuesday for its antipsychotic Caplyta in major depressive disorder.
  2. Following cases of convulsions in rabbits in a preclinical study, the FDA has placed a clinical hold on Neumora Therapeutics’ Phase I schizophrenia drug candidate NMRA-266.
  3. Experts are hopeful that objective biomarker measures for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, such as the ones being developed by EverythingALS, will lead to more targeted, effective treatments.
  4. For the second time in as many years, the FDA has hit Supernus Pharmaceuticals with a Complete Response Letter, citing undisclosed quality and master filing issues for the drug-device combination.
  5. Fresh off of its $14 billion acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb on Saturday reported promising late-stage data for Karuna’s antipsychotic KarXT, which elicited significant symptomatic improvement in schizophrenia symptoms.
CELL AND GENE THERAPY
  1. Lori, Greg and Tyler discuss last week’s ⁠call for a class-wide box warning⁠ on all commercial CAR T therapies, while investigations are ongoing into ⁠cases of secondary malignancies⁠. How do we approach this ⁠balancing act⁠ of treatment and side effects?
  2. This week, Lori, Greg and Tyler discuss the first ⁠surge of IPO activity⁠ this year plus gene therapy pricing,
  3. CRISPR gene-editing has had its first ever approval in the UK. Will the FDA follow suit? What can patients expect the price tag to be?