The Latest
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Deep Dive
Big pharma backed away from brain drugs. Is a return in sight?
Biotech executives see a new era of neuroscience breakthroughs on the horizon. But in a historically challenging space, it's hard to pinpoint what would cause big pharma to dive back in — and what ripples that would create.
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Bristol-Myers launches biotech targeting fibrosis, inflammation
Anteros Pharmaceuticals is the first company made via a partnership between Bristol-Myers and biotech accelerator BioMotiv. Its initial targets are liver and lung fibrosis, with one specific focus being IPF.
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Antiviral drugmakers GSK, Gilead join fight against coronavirus' spread
Gilead will work with Chinese authorities to test its drug remdesivir in a randomized study, while GSK is providing its adjuvant platforms to groups partnered with CEPI.
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US cancels trial after finding vaccine doesn't prevent HIV
Research into preventive treatments will continue, however, as an NIH leader declared a vaccine "essential" to ending the widespread disease.
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Catalent, expecting a boon in cell therapy, bids for Masthercell
With biologics driving growth, the contract manufacturer is looking to diversify with a $315 million purchase that hands it a slate of production sites.
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FDA approves Aimmune drug as first treatment for peanut allergy
Aimmune's next challenge will be securing insurance coverage as people allergic to peanuts still have to avoid exposure to the food.
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Vertex impresses with strong Trikafta launch
With $420 million in fourth quarter revenues, Vertex's cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta performed five times better than expected — and capped off an eight-year growth story for the biotech's CEO.
UPDATED: Jan. 31, 2020 at 11:49 a.m. -
With no Alzheimer's update, attention turns to Biogen's troubles
Spinraza competitors and Tecfidera patent challenges were in the spotlight as Biogen provided few details about its planned filing for aducanumab.
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Amgen, Pfizer biosimilar sales pressure top drugs
Competition is heating up for copycats to Roche's top-selling cancer drugs, as the U.S. biosimilar market shows some modest signs of shifting.
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Biotech lacking diverse leadership, top trade group admits
Too few women and people of color are in executive positions or on the boards of biotech companies, according to a new report from BIO.
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Preventive Alzheimer's trial data due within weeks, Lilly says
Lilly's top scientist, however, set low expectations that solanezumab will show a benefit for patients with genetic mutations that drive early and severe disease.
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Zolgensma sales grow, signaling gene therapy momentum
Another 100 infants received Novartis' gene therapy in the fourth quarter, supported by broad insurance coverage and more newborn screening.
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Decibel CEO steps down as company pares workforce
The Third Rock-backed company put an acting executive in place as it repositions for development in gene therapy and regenerative medicine.
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Novartis gives up on Advair generic, leaving Mylan as sole competitor
Development delays and an uncertain path forward led Novartis to discontinue further work on its knockoff version of the GlaxoSmithKline lung drug.
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5 biopharmas to watch as the decade's last earnings kick off
Biogen faces down analysts one more time on its aducanumab plans, while two biotechs could give early glimpses into their first-ever drug launches.
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Pfizer lays out gene therapy aspirations
With more Phase 3 trials on the near horizon, the big pharma plans to add one new gene therapy project per year to its pipeline.
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Acceleron soars on blood pressure data despite lengthy road to market
While the biotech's drug succeeded in a mid-stage study of pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, analysts think a potential approval is four years off, at least.
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FDA, expecting a gene therapy boom, firms up policies
In seven guidance documents, the agency gave drugmakers guidelines on manufacturing, testing and long-term follow-up for the one-time treatments.
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J&J launches vaccine efforts as coronavirus spreads
The pharma says it has the manufacturing capacity to produce a vaccine at scale should its scientists hit upon a construct that appears effective.
UPDATED: Jan. 27, 2020 at 4:51 p.m. -
To close merger, AbbVie and Allergan sell digestive drug to AstraZeneca
Allergan acquired global rights to brazikumab for $250 million up front in 2016, but expected antitrust conflicts pushed it and AbbVie to pursue a divestment.
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Pfizer hits its biosimilar stride
The big pharma, which has criticized other companies for stifling the U.S. biosimilars market, is now poised to launch three of these copycat biologics in as many months.
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FDA decision nears on Aimmune's contested peanut allergy drug
Palforzia is one of two products under review by the FDA that are aimed at desensitizing people highly allergic to peanuts.
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Ipsen pauses studies of drug for rare bone disease
The decision makes a mid-2020 approval and launch, which Ipsen expected when it acquired the drug, less likely.
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Epizyme drug granted approval by FDA for rare cancer
Five years after buying back rights from Eisai, Epizyme won approval for its first-ever drug.
UPDATED: Jan. 24, 2020 at 11:38 a.m. -
Roche strengthens case for SMA drug with new study data
Results showed the oral drug can help improve motor function in babies with the severest form of a rare degenerative muscular disease.