News
Improved survival on display at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago; Pfizer’s unusual pact with China’s Innovent highlights a new type of collaboration; Eli Lilly continues its nonstop deal streak, including with Chinese biotechs; and looking ahead to this weekend’s American Diabetes Association meeting.
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Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly presented data extolling the benefits of their relative weight loss therapies in obesity-linked indications, while analysts at BMO Capital Markets were “encouraged” by the strategy communicated by Novo management.
After a $625 million IPO, the biggest ever in biotech, obesity-focused Kailera Therapeutics is readying a commercial strategy that puts patients at the center.
The FDA has expanded the regulatory toolkit during President Donald Trump’s second term, adding new mechanisms for rare diseases while putting the Biden-era platform technology designation into action.
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FDA veteran Peter Marks will now shape the future of Eli Lilly’s vaccines work after the buys of Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics and Vaccine Company for up to $3.8 billion total.
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While Merck and Gilead Sciences reported back-to-back late-stage victories for their weekly HIV pill, the partners also discontinued a Phase 3 program for their cancer combo after disappointing lung cancer survival data.
AstraZeneca is pushing its small molecule GLP-1 drug to Phase 3 development for weight control, diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions despite the asset failing to best one from Structure Therapeutics.
Nuvalent Bio is GSK’s third big-ticket purchase this year, after the pharma dropped $2.2 billion in January for RAPT Therapeutics and $950 million in February for 35Pharma.
Newly approved weight loss pill Foundayo reduced blood sugar more than Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide and other comparators in multiple Phase 3 type 2 diabetes trials. Eli Lilly will seek approval in this indication.
City Therapeutics, one of BioSpace’s NextGen companies for 2026, was started by RNA royalty John Maraganore, former CEO of Alnylam.
The acquisition gives Johnson & Johnson access to Firefly Bio’s next-gen platform designed to create degrader antibody conjugates that can crack the tricky KRAS cancer target.
Incyte is acquiring Vega Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Star Therapeutics, for a bleeding disorder program that analysts say has “pipeline-in-a-product” potential.
After Revolution Medicine’s groundbreaking data drop in April, its Tango-partnered combination approach has demonstrated what analysts called “unprecedented” results for 12 patients with pancreatic cancer, teeing up a late-stage study.
Roche and Nurix Therapeutics will advance their BTK degrader for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as immunology and neurology indications.
While survodutide’s 16.6% overall weight loss was underwhelming, Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma’s drug achieved “impressive” fat loss, according to BMO Capital Markets.