News
A surprising deal from Vertex Pharmaceuticals adds to Big Pharma’s acquisitive streak as Crinetics folds into the cystic fibrosis drugmaker. Meanwhile, IPOs and venture capital raises trend upward, but mostly for derisked companies. Plus, FDA decisions slow only slightly as the hunt for a permanent leader drags on.
FEATURED STORIES
After debuting on the public markets with $256.3 million and raking in an additional $472 million, Veradermics has emerged as one of biotech’s biggest post-IPO standouts. CEO Reid Waldman credits the weight loss craze for establishing consumer-driven channels.
Molecular glue degraders are gaining traction in the clinic as well as funding from Big Pharma, with their potential to treat previously “undruggable” cancers and immunological diseases. Here are five clinical programs worth keeping an eye on.
Last month, the FDA launched TrialBlazer, intended to streamline the IND path and bring early clinical trials and medical innovation home to the U.S. It’s a start, but new agency leadership must see it through.
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
Despite their initial kicking and screaming, drugmakers seem confident the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program will not greatly impact their bottom lines.
Bristol Myers Squibb on Friday reported strong second-quarter results, led by the blood thinner Eliquis and cancer therapy Opdivo, as it looks to cut $1.5 billion in costs by 2025.
Encouraged by the potential of the weight-loss candidates acquired from Carmot Therapeutics, Roche will speed up the development of its obesity programs, seeking to differentiate itself in the market.
The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee on Thursday strongly supported changing clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer drugs given in the perioperative setting, pointing out the need for a more nuanced approached to treatments before and after surgery.
The company’s FcRn inhibitor Vyvgart grew 17% quarter-over-quarter, reigniting confidence it will hit its ambitious goals despite a string of clinical setbacks in recent months.
While Humira sales were impacted by cheaper biosimilars, AbbVie reported in its second-quarter earnings results Thursday that revenues jumped nearly 45% for Skyrizi and almost 56% for Rinvoq year over year, respectively.
The three companies raised their respective full-year earnings forecasts on Thursday, buoyed by robust sales in the second quarter and their continued dominant market positions.
With promising Phase II data in hand, Viking Therapeutics is pushing its subcutaneous GLP-1/GIP receptor dual agonist into late-stage development, the company announced on Wednesday.
Novartis continues its dealmaking spree with a bet on Dren Bio’s Targeted Myeloid Engager and Phagocytosis platform to develop bispecific antibodies in oncology.
The regulator on Wednesday provided recommendations to drugmakers for assessing the use of electronic health records and medical claims data to support their applications.