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Dan Samorodnitsky

Dan Samorodnitsky

News Editor

Dan Samorodnitsky is the news editor at BioSpace. He has a decade of experience covering biotech, genetics and medicine. Before coming to BioSpace he was an editor at Drug Discovery News and Massive Science, and his writing has appeared in outlets such as Quanta, STAT, GROW and many others. He is based in Minneapolis. You can reach him at dan.samorodnitsky@biospace.com.

Businessman with megaphone head, creative abstract style, light blue background. Concept of advertising, communication, and promotion
Editorial
RFK Jr. Creates More Vaccine Misinformation With mRNA Cancellations
The HHS secretary recently canceled $500 million worth of BARDA contracts around mRNA vaccine research. But the U.S. government has already spent billions on this work, which has saved millions of lives.
August 14, 2025
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4 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Podcast
Prasad Returns, Delany Departs, Lilly’s Weight Loss Pill Disappoints and Sarepta’s Fallout Continues
CBER Chief Vinay Prasad reclaimed his job less than two weeks after his mysterious exit; MAHA implementor Gray Delany is out after reportedly sparring with other agency officials over communications strategy; Eli Lilly’s first Phase III readout for oral obesity drug orforglipron missed analyst expectations; and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals addresses the recent woes of its of partner Sarepta.
August 13, 2025
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Dismissal of an incompetent employee. Refuse to participate, low morale. Nonconformist. Open for new possibilities and opportunities. Quit the job.
Government
Top ARPA-H Official Departs in Protest of BARDA mRNA Cuts
Alastair Thomson, chief data officer at the HHS sub-agency, announced his resignation in opposition to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s “stupid” decision to cancel $500 million worth of contracts focused on mRNA technology.
August 12, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Composite photo collage of human doctor hand wear glove hold corona pandemic biohazard illness diagnostics isolated on painted background.
Gene therapy
Sarepta’s Woes Put the Stalwart AAV Under a Harsh Light
In the wake of multiple patient deaths from liver injuries related to Sarepta Therapeutics’ AAV gene therapy platform, some in the sector are looking for ways to improve the current technology, while others are eager to move on.
August 11, 2025
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7 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Axial view of the brain showing a glioblastoma in the left frontal lobe with central necrosis, peripheral infiltration, and early midline shift.
Brain cancer
FDA Greenlights Jazz’s Dordaviprone, First New Treatment for Ultra-Rare Brain Tumor
The small molecule drug, acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals in its $935 million Chimerix pick-up this spring, is intended for relapsed adult and pediatric patients with H3 K27M mutations.
August 6, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Bayer's factory and office in Berlin
Earnings
Bayer Expects More Layoffs To Come Following a Brutal Two Years of Cost-Cutting
The German giant has already trimmed more than 10,000 employees since initiating a massive restructuring initiative in July 2023. Bayer said even more cuts are coming as it weathers up-and-down sales across its portfolio.
August 6, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Podcast
FDA In Flux, Pfizer Talks to Trump on MFN, Merck Cuts 6K Jobs, More
George Tidmarsh takes over temporarily at CBER following Vinay Prasad’s abrupt departure; Replimmune trial leaders protest rejection reportedly driven by FDA’s top cancer regulator Richard Pazdur; Merck’s $3 billion savings push claims 6,000 jobs; and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla addresses President Donald Trump’s new threats around Most Favored Nation drug pricing.
August 6, 2025
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
©Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
Earnings
Trial Failure of Vertex’s Next-Gen Pain Drug Mars Strong Q2 Earnings
Vertex reported healthy revenue in its second quarter earnings report, though news of VX-993’s mid-stage trial results and lack of alignment with the FDA regarding an expanded label for Journavx tempered analyst reactions, sending the stock down 13%.
August 5, 2025
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3 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
An obstacle to achieving a goal. Concerns and issues. Break through the refusal barrier. Face problems and challenges.
Immuno-oncology
Top FDA Cancer Regulator Intervened To Reject Replimune’s Melanoma Drug
According to reporting from multiple outlets, Richard Pazdur, head of the Oncology Center of Excellence at CDER, opposed the consensus opinion of CBER staff to approve the drug. Replimune’s stock has dropped precipitously since the rejection.
August 4, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Patents
Moderna Wins UK Patent Battle Against Pfizer and BioNTech
A U.K. Court of Appeals ruling confirms the validity of a patent covering modifications of mRNA used in Moderna’s vaccines.
August 1, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
President Donald Trump signs S.1852, The GENIUS Act, Friday, July 18, 2025, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
Drug pricing
Trump Asks Big Pharmas To Move on Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing—Or Else
In 17 identical letters posted to his Truth Social account, the president said companies must lower their prices or the government ‘will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued drug pricing practices.’
July 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
AbbVie's office in South San Francisco, California
Earnings
AbbVie Pats Own Back as Skyrizi and Rinvoq Rake in Billions
Move over Humira, Skyrizi and Rinvoq are expected to beat the former megablockbuster’s peak sales by the end of this year.
July 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
FDA CDER director George Tidmarsh speaking in an FDA video
Government
New CDER Head Tidmarsh Will Sub In At Biologics Group After Prasad’s Exit
George Tidmarsh has only been at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research for nine days, but will now add supervision of a second FDA division to his portfolio after Vinay Prasad’s sudden departure.
July 30, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Podcast
Sarepta Gets Reprieve, RFK Jr.’s New Changes, Roche’s Alzheimer’s Comeback and Q2 Earnings
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.
July 30, 2025
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
the businessman is watering money tree made by us dollar bills. Business, saving, growth, economic concept. Investors strategy, funding symbol. Copy space
Venture capital
The Top Five Biopharma Venture Capital Raises of H1, 2025
Though nerves abound for funders and founders in the industry, money continues to flow into startups, sometimes in eye-popping numbers. BioSpace rounds up the biggest raises so far this year.
July 30, 2025
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3 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
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