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The vibe at BIO 2026 in San Diego last week was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees observing noticeable changes at the FDA and an uptick in dealmaking and IPOs. Plus, a top medical journal this week retracted a pivotal study for Amgen’s rare disease drug Tavneos, which has been in the FDA’s crosshairs since January.
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At the BIO International Convention in San Diego, attendees marked the 50th anniversary of original biotech Genentech, reflecting on the immense challenges facing companies as China becomes a powerhouse innovator.
A recent FDA reversal sparked new hope for patients with Huntington’s disease. Flying under the radar, Skyhawk Therapeutics revealed 12-month functional data from a midstage trial of its own candidate showing improvements on a key disease measurement scale.
Recent approvals for Corcept Therapeutics and Merck have injected momentum into the space, where GSK, Allarity Therapeutics, OSE Immunotherapies and others are advancing their own candidates.
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If cell and gene therapy makers are going to achieve their mission to improve patients’ lives, the industry must come together to share information across stakeholders, from regulators to manufacturers to payers.
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Partners Summit Therapeutics and Akeso are expected to steal the show at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual conference with data from their potential Keytruda rival, alongside Revolution Medicine’s groundbreaking pancreatic cancer candidate and other assets that could reshape patient care.
The tragic tale of TIGIT is well known. However, RIPK1, myc, STING and alpha-synuclein have also left a trail of failed clinical trials, canceled partnerships and sunk investments in their wake.
Analysts homed in on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1 assets during first quarter earnings as major players like REGENXBIO and Novartis as well as Dyne, Wave, Solid and Sarepta near the regulatory finish line.
Treatment with the TROP2 ADC sac-TMT led to a 70% objective response rate and progression-free survival was “significantly improved” as compared to placebo—the second positive readout for the asset this week.
Going private could give Recordati strategic flexibility and a stable source of capital, according to CVC Capital Partners and Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, which are offering to take the Italian pharma private for a 13% premium.
The agreement is the largest in a series of deals that Gilead Sciences has penned with Korea’s Yuhan.
Biogen and Denali’s Parkinson’s disease drug failed to significantly slow disease progression in a Phase 2b study, missing both primary and secondary endpoints.
After getting slapped with a surprise refuse-to-file letter signed by former CBER Director Vinay Prasad, Moderna’s flu vaccine application will now go before the FDA’s Vaccine advisory committee.
Update: Reversal after 20 deaths allows new Japan patients to take Amgen’s rare disease drug Tavneos
Kissei Pharmaceutical is reversing a recommendation related to Amgen-shared Tavneos that it made just a few days ago, now saying the rare disease drug can be given to new patients.
By partnering with a UN-backed body, Roche has enabled companies to make the medicine for supply in 129 countries.