News
In this episode of Denatured, you’ll hear from Jack Crawford, CEO of Demeetra, and Magnus Gustavsson, chief commercial officer at NorthX Biologics. We unpack the evolution of cell line development — CHO cells, targeted integration, transposases and the collaboration models speeding biologics from sequence to GMP.
FEATURED STORIES
Psychedelics are gaining momentum in depression, with one treating physician predicting that the drug class could “wipe out the SSRIs” if safety and durability hold up.
Saol Therapeutics is the latest biotech to resubmit for approval of a drug rejected under former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, following REGENXBIO and Replimune.
Even as FDA approvals for biologic therapies fell in the first half of 2026, regulatory experts are optimistic about a turnaround in the rare disease space after the departure of key leaders at the agency. Still, there will continue to be tension between science and politics.
FROM OUR EDITORS
Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
Congressional letters sent to the CEOs of Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, BMS and AbbVie this week voicing concerns about the pharmas’ clinical trials in China highlight an ongoing discrepancy in how government and industry think about the rise of the Asian country’s biotech industry.
THE LATEST
Novo Nordisk has sued Hims for allegedly violating patents protecting semaglutide, seeking potentially “hundreds of millions” in damages, John Kuckelman, the pharma’s general counsel, said. The wellness platform pulled its version of the drug just days after launching it.
The gene therapy uses an AAV vector to restore healthy levels of the alpha-galactosidase enzyme, which is rendered dysfunctional in patients with Fabry disease, leading to the toxic build-up of lipids in cells.
The FDA in July last year declined to approve UX111 for Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare neurodegenerative disorder, citing manufacturing issues. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical resubmitted its application ten days ago, expecting a six month review time.
The FDA underwent significant changes during the first year of the second Trump administration, directly affecting business risk and opportunity. Understanding key 2025 trends will be critical to developing regulatory strategies and maximizing opportunities for success.
With a clutch of key data and planned regulatory applications this year from Avidity Biosciences, REGENXBIO and Capricor Therapeutics, CureDuchenne CSO Michael Kelly sees “momentum” in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy pipeline, as Sarepta’s Elevidys leaves the door open.
Sales of Johnson & Johnson’s esketamine-based nasal spray jumped in the fourth quarter last year, priming the pump for a suite of other pharmas, including AbbVie, champing at the bit with their own psychedelics.
With Biogen’s multiple sclerosis portfolio facing more generic pressure than ever, the company is eyeing a busy late-stage pipeline and hunting for deals to build its return to growth.
According to Priovant, the Phase 2 BEACON study is the first industry-sponsored placebo-controlled trial in cutaneous sarcoidosis to deliver positive data.
Novo Nordisk has also spoken out strongly against Hims & Hers’ compounded Wegovy pill, with CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar telling investors the knockoff version is a waste of money.
Biopharma’s obsession with the weight loss sector—projected to exceed $130 billion in revenue by 2035—shows no signs of slowing down as analysts gear up for a year that will test the oral market and provide key data on novel mechanisms.