Regulatory
The postponed ACIP meeting comes barely a week after Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, despite controversy regarding his anti-vaccine history.
Morale is low at the FDA, which was hit with layoffs this week following RFK Jr.’s confirmation. Biopharma leaders and agency insiders fear further workforce cuts could delay new medicines.
Despite the regulatory setback, analysts appear optimistic, noting that Harmony’s long-term prospects remain bright given the development of its high-dose formulation of its sleep-regulating drug Wakix.
Despite expectations of dealmaking leniency, new FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson told staff that he will retain the current 2023 FTC and DOJ guidelines on mergers, upholding stricter anti-trust scrutiny on deals.
The hammer came down on an unspecified number of FDA employees this weekend, days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as HHS Secretary.
The approvals come as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who has been critical of vaccines—takes leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Ono picked up Romvimza—previously known by its active ingredient vimseltinib—from its $2.4 billion acquisition of Deciphera Pharmaceuticals in April 2024.
Merilog’s approval comes as the insulin space has over the past year suffered several setbacks, including strong calls for price caps and, potentially, the rise of the mammoth GLP-1 market.
After the rejection of Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-based PTSD treatment tempered excitement for psychedelic therapeutics, a recent approval and positive data are generating new momentum, which experts expect to continue throughout 2025 and 2026.
Evrysdi is the first, and so far only, noninvasive disease-modifying treatment for spinal muscular atrophy.
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