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UniQure’s planned third-quarter submission for its Huntington’s disease gene therapy may be a harbinger of a more flexible FDA under acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas—but how long will it last? And how can companies be sure these positive decisions won’t just be reversed?
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While agents like AbbVie’s Humira have transformed the treatment landscape, not all patients benefit equally from the drug. Better biomarker analysis and more investment in mechanistic trials can inform the development of more effective therapies with broader clinical value.
Precision science is ruling the M&A scene as pharmas prepare for loss of exclusivity on key products, PwC says in a new report. Biotechs should be prepared with a dual-track process with the IPO window now open.
While biopharma’s overarching mission is to develop innovative medicines to improve patient outcomes, for these six people, the motivation came from much closer to home.
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FDA veteran Peter Marks will now shape the future of Eli Lilly’s vaccines work after the buys of Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics and Vaccine Company for up to $3.8 billion total.
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Sanofi’s investment will support a Canadian site’s efforts to apply AI to drug production, while Amgen has unveiled the second expansion of its Puerto Rico plant in quick succession.
FDA
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health department has consistently touted radical transparency as being key to its mission. Recent instances—the FDA’s decision not to disclose the recipients of three Commissioner’s National Priority Vouchers and FDA and CDC choices not to publish vaccine-related papers—call this intent into question.
Analysts and investors alike had been eagerly awaiting sales figures for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill. The answer blew past expectations by 86%.
Pfizer-backed cancer company CellCentric will use the cash to support the launch of a pivotal myeloma trial testing its potentially first-in-class oral treatment this year.
For $300 million upfront, Bayer is purchasing Perfuse Therapeutics to advance an eye implant for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, marking the company’s first pharma acquisition since 2021.
Viridian Therapeutics’ elegrobart normalized the degree of eye protrusion and improved double vision in a Phase 3 study. The company plans to file for approval in the first quarter of 2027.
Johnson & Johnson plans to advance the co-antibody therapy, which combines its IL-23 blocker Tremfya and the TNF-alpha inhibitor Simponi, into late-stage testing for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Facing increasing pressure from both industry and the White House, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the strong bad press against him is “corporate spin” and that the agency has “followed the science.”
First quarter earnings continue to arrive, with analysts demanding more from cautious Pfizer and Eli Lilly expecting more revenue; the FDA taps Katherine Szarama as Vinay Prasad’s controversial FDA tenure ends; oncology veterans miss Richard Pazdur at the agency’s first adcomm in nine months; and QurAlis and Corcept Therapeutics spark renewed hope in ALS.
In Salt Lake City, biotech founders new and seasoned reflect on ways to ride out the industry’s challenges, such as sending cold emails to investors and learning to address leadership weaknesses.