Cardiovascular disease

CEO Matt Gline is juggling Roivant Sciences’ first solo drug launch and several maturing programs as the hub-and-spoke company sets its sights on a massive turning point into commercial viability.

The new partnership follows Roche’s recent R&D expansion in Boston focused on development for cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.

With more than 25 companies debuting on the public markets, 2026 has recorded the highest number of biotech IPOs since 2021. Now, four companies—including Iambic Therapeutics and ADARx Pharmaceuticals—are looking to grow this total even further.

Novo has “gone shopping” to fill pipeline gaps, with a focus on obesity and diabetes, plus an expansion in blood and endocrine disorders, liver diseases and cardiovascular conditions.

The multi-drug partnership with Orbis Medicines—which Novo Holdings has backed since the biotech’s seed rounds—is focused on cardiometabolic targets, but the technology at the center of the deal could deliver oral weight loss candidates. Obesity rival Eli Lilly has also helped fund Orbis.

With just over $10 million in cash available to fuel operations through the end of the year, Longeveron is undertaking a strategic review after the failure of a cardiovascular study.

The FDA held a public forum on Monday to discuss the future of psychedelic therapeutics, followed by a meeting on Wednesday regarding recommendations for reauthorizing the Prescription Drug User Fee Act the day after launching its TrialBlazer initiative. Meanwhile, Definium Therapeutics notched another late-stage trial win for its LSD drug, and Novartis continues to reel from the company’s triple asset stumble.

Novartis’ shares fell 13% this week after the report of three separate late-stage asset setbacks. The impact went beyond the Swiss drugmaker, dragging peers down across the market.

September has been a rough month already for Novo Nordisk, which canned two more late-stage trials of its embattled IL-6 inhibitor, and Novartis, which took Phase 3 hits in both cardiovascular and muscular dystrophy indications; Ultragenyx’s big bet in Angelman syndrome failed to yield benefit in Phase 3 but Ionis’ Pharmaceuticals nabbed the first targeted approval for Alexander disease; and on the business side, biopharma investment is back in a big way.

The failure of Novartis’ pelacarsen to translate its Lp(a)-lowering effects to clinical benefits “marks a meaningful setback” for other companies taking a similar approach to cardiovascular risk, analysts say—including Eli Lilly and Amgen.