News
Pfizer seals the deal with Metsera for $10 billion after Novo Nordisk bowed out; President Donald Trump welcomes executives from Novo and Eli Lilly to the White House to announce that the companies’ GLP-1 medicines would be sold at a reduced cost; and the FDA grants the second round of priority review vouchers—primarily to already marketed drugs.
FEATURED STORIES
Having seen Congress spend money to onshore semiconductor production, pharma groups are pushing for similar incentives for domestic drug manufacturing.
Ensho Therapeutics CEO Neena Bitritto-Garg, recently named to BioSpace’s 40 Under 40, proved her mettle managing one of the toughest partnerships out there: the one between Eisai and Biogen that led to new Alzheimer’s drugs Aduhelm and Leqembi.
While the FDA continues to put out guidance documents and approve drugs, some companies are already reporting delays in dealings with the agency, while insiders warn of falling morale and a negative perception from the rest of the biopharma world.
Job Trends
Employed biopharma professionals are highly likely to look for new jobs in the next 12 months, although not quite as likely as their unemployed counterparts, according to a BioSpace LinkedIn poll. Three recruitment experts discuss the findings and what’s driving job searches.
FROM OUR EDITORS
Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
Health and Human Services employees aren’t the only ones out of work. Thousands of private-sector biopharma professionals lost their jobs in the first quarter.
THE LATEST
Following restricted vaccine approvals and changes to CDC immunization schedules, Merck, Pfizer, GSK and Sanofi are all suffering revenue hits to their vaccine programs.
The Phase III results impressed Guggenheim Partners analysts both in terms of efficacy and safety. If approved, atacicept would become the first APRIL/BAFF inhibitor for IgAN to make it to the market.
The FDA previously placed two clinical studies on hold, including the Phase III trial in which the liver toxicity occurred. Intellia is working with experts to create a risk management program for nex-z.
Darzalex Faspro’s approval for smoldering multiple myeloma could allow for earlier intervention and reduce the risk of progression to active disease.
The nausea and other gastrointestinal side effects of weight loss drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy or Eli Lilly’s Zepbound will limit how much these drugs can help patients and stunt the overall obesity market unless we approach the problem head on.
The FDA awards a second round of Commissioner’s National Priority vouchers to six larger biopharma companies. And this time, with the exception of Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, the vouchers are for drugs that are already on the market.
The agreement will also secure a $150 price for future weight loss pills from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly—at least initially.
The company reported $200 million in net losses for the third quarter, but an aggressive and highly successful cost-cutting campaign is helping to stem the downward trend.
The highest dose of Eli Lilly’s eloralintide led to 20.1% weight loss after 48 weeks in a Phase II trial, exceeding analyst expectations and highlighting a “potentially best in class profile,” according to BMO Capital Markets.
In this episode presented by PII, BioSpace’s head of insights discusses how to relieve clinical trial patients of technological burden to improve compliance with guests Oliver Eden and Travis Webb.