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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
Eli Lilly has signed a multi-year contract with animal genomics biotech Fauna Bio to use its artificial intelligence platform to discover drug targets for obesity in a deal worth nearly half a billion dollars.
Under the companies’ agreement, a previously disclosed option exercise fee of $75 million has been reduced to $10 million and the remaining pre-option development milestone has been removed.
GSK withdrew three patents related to its asthma inhalers while Impax delisted both of its patents for Adrenaclick and Kaléo delisted eight patents covering Auvi-Q—the companies’ respective epinephrine auto-injectors.
The acquisition announced on Friday will give Bristol Myers Squibb ownership of Karuna Therapeutics’ investigational antipsychotic KarXT, which is being tested for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis.
In a Phase II study, Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ investigational fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor JZP150 did not significantly improve post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms compared to placebo.
FDA
Wainua, which is jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, was given the FDA’s green light on Thursday and will now compete with Alnylam’s two approved hATTR-PN therapies.
Microgravity offers unique advantages when investigating cells and proteins, but collaboration and a strong ethical framework are needed to fully realize its benefits.
The company is ending its program evaluating antibody-drug conjugate tusamitamab ravtansine after a non-small cell lung cancer trial did not meet a primary endpoint.
Clene disclosed Thursday the FDA has determined that biomarker Neurofilament Light Chain reduction in its Phase II programs “were insufficient to support accelerated approval at this time.”
The regulator’s Complete Response Letter on Wednesday said Merck’s data package for gefapixant “did not meet substantial evidence of effectiveness.” The FDA also rejected the drug in 2022 due to a lack of efficacy evidence.