News
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified in front of largely combative congresspeople on vaccine policy, his MAHA report and more; the mass leadership exodus at the FDA continues as CDER and CBER shed key staff; Kennedy’s revamped CDC vaccine advisors convene for their first meeting; Novo and Lilly present new data at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting; and BioSpace recaps BIO2025.
FEATURED STORIES
Sanofi paid a more than 300% premium on its acquisition of Vigil Neuroscience, suggesting a fierce battle to seal the deal. Across biopharma, companies are sometimes willing to put it all on the line for the right buyout. Novartis’ recent acquisition of Regulus for $800 million upfront provides a case study.
AstraZeneca, Pfizer and more are leveraging the computational power of AI to better design trials, predict the potential efficacy and safety profiles of their molecules and synthesize massive multi-omic information to gain a more complete understanding of challenging cancers.
Looking at licensing deals struck in the past 10 years, Jefferies found that many Big Pharmas do not ultimately follow through with M&A after earning a right of first negotiation. Sanofi, on the other hand, almost always does, as it did with Vigil recently.
Job Trends
Entrada is paring back its research staff even as it gears up to hire employees to support a planned clinical trial for a Duchenne muscular dystrophy candidate.
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Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
Marty Makary, likely FDA commissioner under President Trump, appeared before Congress this week as the agency he’s set to lead continues to be rocked by sweeping changes and about-faces.
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While BMO Capital Markets said that zimislecel is “highly encouraging” for type 1 diabetes, questions regarding its target population and Vertex’s execution hang over the cell therapy’s commercial potential.
The Inflation Reduction Act includes an exemption for orphan drugs for a single indication, but experts say this is far from sufficient to maintain momentum in the rare disease space.
In advance of this week’s CDC vaccine advisory meeting, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. restacked the committee, claiming problematic industry ties within the previous group. Experts say ACIP had long navigated COIs appropriately and that the new appointees risk the apolitical nature of membership.
Looking for a biopharma job in San Diego? Check out the BioSpace list of eight companies hiring life sciences professionals like you.
Analysts at William Blair say dapiglutide’s 11.6% weight reduction at 28 weeks could still be better, given that Zealand’s study predominantly included men and enrolled patients with lower BMI at baseline.
Harliku is the only FDA-approved drug for alkaptonuria, a rare condition characterized by skin discoloration, arthritis and heightened risks of heart failure and stroke.
Exemptions to new export control policies have allowed companies to ship patients’ biological materials to foreign laboratories, including those in China and other adversarial nations, according to the FDA.
California’s life sciences jobs led the nation last year, according to a new California Life Sciences (CLS) report. However, employment growth slowed and could continue slowing. CLS President and CEO Mike Guerra discusses the critical factors influencing California’s success.
In this episode of Denatured, BioSpace’s Head of Insights Lori Ellis discusses key themes from BIO and DIA, including the funding environment, with Rich Daly, CEO of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Peter Ronco, CEO of Emmes Corporation, and Phil Vanek, founder of Redline Bio Advisors.
After the delayed approval of its next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax now awaits the first meeting of the recently overhauled CDC vaccine advisory committee next week. Throughout a tumultuous season, the Maryland-based company is relying on agility and a diverse pipeline to stay ahead of rapidly changing regulations.