News

Disc Medicine’s leadership tried to express optimism that its rare disease therapy bitopertin can be approved based on a Phase 3 trial set to begin shortly. However, analysts are worried that the protocol was developed with former FDA leaders.
FEATURED STORIES
The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is “part of a disturbing pattern” of moving regulatory goalposts, according to Clay Alspach, executive director of the Alliance for mRNA Medicines. Meanwhile, streamlined communications with regulators in other countries pave the way for rapid uptake of novel modalities.
The current state of political affairs in the U.S. does not bode well for the direction of that turn. The country is at real risk of losing its long-held lead in biotech innovation.
FDA
The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is part of a larger communications crisis unfolding at the agency over the past nine months that has also ensnarled Sarepta, Capricor, uniQure and many more.
Job Trends
Follow along as BioSpace tracks job cuts and restructuring initiatives.
FROM OUR EDITORS
Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
The FDA issued a rare Refusal-to-File letter to Moderna over its mRNA-based influenza vaccine application, in an unusual move that sent the biotech’s shares tumbling.
THE LATEST
For an exclusive license to the preclinical Lp(a) disruptor, AstraZeneca is paying CSPC Pharmaceutical Group $100 million upfront and offering up to $1.92 billion in regulatory and commercial milestones.
J&J has recently pulled back from the infectious diseases space, including winding down R&D activity in this area in August 2023.
The clinical hold doesn’t cover its drug’s Investigational New Drug application for autoimmune hepatitis, for which the Phase IIa PORTOLA trial is ongoing.
After several high-profile failures, including BMS’ $1.5B breakup with Agenus, anti-TIGIT therapies are generating cautious optimism.
After psychological side effects doomed the first generation of cannabinoid receptor 1–targeting drugs for weight loss, Novo Nordisk, Corbus Pharmaceuticals and Skye Bioscience are betting that a new mechanism of action will improve the safety profile.
Relay Therapeutics is cutting its workforce to help streamline its research organization as it looks to complete its first large-scale, pivotal clinical trial.
Scaling GLP-1 manufacturing capacity remains a key priority for the pharma industry, to help supply catch up with the insatiable demand for weight loss drugs.
Under the deal announced Friday, the Italian pharma will make an upfront payment of $825 million to Sanofi for global rights to a biologic for the treatment of cold agglutinin disease, with milestone payments of up to $250 million.
The company is lowering its previously issued guidance for 2024 adjusted earnings per share by $0.04 per share to account for acquired in-process research and development expenses incurred for acquisitions and collaborations in the third quarter.
Opdivo’s approval for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer comes as the regulator recently raised concerns of overtreatment with this type of therapeutic regimen with platinum-doublet chemotherapy.