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Roche’s reorganization of Spark Therapeutics is coming more into focus, with nearly 300 employees being let go by the end of this year. Spark also trimmed its staff in 2024.
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Pfizer selects its candidate for the oral GLP-1 race as Eli Lilly strives to overtake Novo Nordisk in the injectable weight-loss drug space. Meanwhile, pressure builds to reduce drug prices in the U.S.
Restructuring can invite lawsuits if companies aren’t careful. Following local, state and federal rules is critical, as is keeping the employee handbook current.
Some analysts say so, and a recent study suggested Lilly’s tirzepatide beat Novo’s semaglutide at inducing weight loss, but there are other factors in the market race.
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LianBio announced that the company has entered into an agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb, whereby BMS has obtained LianBio’s exclusive rights to develop and commercialize mavacamten in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand, in conjunction with termination of the exclusive license agreement LianBio previously entered into with MyoKardia, Inc., now a wholly owned subsidiary of BMS, in August 2020 to acquire such rights.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—along with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and CBER Director Vinay Prasad—argued against vaccine mandates, partly because they limited medical choice. This week, the FDA under their leadership approved updated COVID-19 vaccines with restrictions that do the same.
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Atara Biotherapeutics’ layoffs could leave the biotech with around 80 employees. The cuts follow news that the FDA rejected Ebvallo, a T cell therapy approved in Europe for a transplant-related blood cancer, and placed a clinical hold on the company’s active drug applications.
Landing a job remains challenging for life sciences professionals, according to a new BioSpace report. While 59% of surveyed organizations are actively recruiting, nearly half of unemployed survey respondents had been out of work for at least six months, and 20% of surveyed employers expect to lay off employees this year.
The company, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Craig Mello, aims to push molecules for Huntington’s and a form of epilepsy into Phase I trials, with additional preclinical assets targeting Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Versant Ventures continues to invest in the increasingly competitive obesity space, this time launching Helicore with $65 million and a GIP-targeting asset intended to induce higher-quality weight loss.
In this Employment Outlook report, BioSpace explores current workforce sentiment, job activity trends and the prospective job and hiring outlook for 2025, particularly as it compares to the previous year.
Enhertu’s label expansion comes on the heels of the FDA’s approval of the partners’ Datroway for a related type of breast cancer.
Starboard last year took a $1 billion stake in Pfizer, looking to turn the pharma around after alleged severe shortcomings by its current leadership. But Bloomberg reports it has missed the deadline for nominating a director to the pharma’s board.
Little information has emerged about osavampator, a potentially first-in-class drug, since its promising Phase II performance last spring.
After two years characterized by layoffs, pipeline reorganizations, FDA delays and clinical holds, Novavax CEO John Jacobs says the company is at a pivot point.
The GLP-1 IPO arena has been heating up for the past two years and Metsera’s ask is one the largest in recent history.