The Latest
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News roundup
Ionis’ rare neurology drug approved; Pfizer inks an ADC deal
Zanvastro is now the first approved medicine for Alexander disease. Elsewhere, an immune system specialist posted positive results and a cell therapy developer turned to layoffs.
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Akeso, Summit cancer drug confirms lung cancer survival benefit
A new data cut of a trial pitting ivonescimab, a bispecific antibody, against Merck’s Keytruda showed the new drug helped people live longer.
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Immune reset
Novartis, Bristol Myers pause autoimmune CAR-T trials due to safety concerns
The deaths of three study participants led Novartis to halt development of rap-cel in multiple indications, while “transient” side effects pushed Bristol Myers to voluntarily pause its zola-cel program.
Updated Sept. 1, 2026 -
Emerging biotech
An AI drug specialist zeroes in on rare forms of obesity
Superluminal Medicines banked $60 million in funding to support development of a drug designed to work similarly to — but potentially be more selectively than — Rhythm Pharmaceuticals’ marketed medicine Imcivree.
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ESC ‘26: Cytokinetics’ sell-off, Arrowhead’s edge and a heart drug autopsy
At a big meeting for cardiovascular medicines, Cytokinetics and Arrowhead aimed to separate their drugs from competitors while a failed study pressured Alnylam.
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China competition
GSK wagers up to $1.3B on a different kind of cancer drug
With its latest foray into China, GSK acquired rights from Hutchmed to an “antibody-targeted therapy conjugate” impacting two well-known cancer drivers, EGFR and KRAS.
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UniQure, after setbacks, seeks FDA approval of Huntington’s gene therapy
The company is now hoping for an affirmative answer on its application after an unusually turbulent year dealing with U.S. regulators.
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Novartis says MS pill succeeds in two large studies
Notably, Novartis revealed that remibrutinib wasn’t associated with the kind of liver-related side effects other BTK inhibitors like it have encountered.
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China competition
Drugs from China are reshaping biotech. Track the licensing deals here.
Including a new deal with Roche last week, Simcere Pharmaceutical has now inked five cross-border licensing pacts since the start of 2025 that are collectively worth up to $5.66 billion.
Updated Sept. 2, 2026 -
News roundup
Teva claims success in celiac study; BioMarin, Ascendis settle patent dispute
Teva believes the therapy has “pipeline-in-a-product” potential. Elsewhere, a high-stakes trial was paused and GSK advanced a competitor to Moderna’s flu shot.
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Trump administration
Mid-cap biotechs join Trump’s latest round of drug pricing deals
Focused on Medicaid, the new pacts now involve more than just large pharmaceutical companies, but still aren’t expected to meaningfully impact drugmaker profits.
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Alumis’ TYK2 drug fails in key lupus study
Though Alumis still sees a path forward in lupus, the result made its drug the latest TYK2 blocker to struggle in conditions beyond psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
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This week in charts: Biotech’s rebound is undeniable
Not only is the XBI continuing to hover around a historic high, but drug companies can’t seem to get enough of both large IPOs and big-ticket M&A.
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Lilly adds to immune drug pipeline with $2.9B Merida buyout
The big drugmaker’s latest company acquisition this year is centered around a technology designed to degrade proteins that malfunction in autoimmune disorders.
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Retrieved from Revolution Medicines.
Revolution pancreatic cancer drug should quickly become a blockbuster, analysts say
Rasonque’s $39,800 monthly list price surpassed Wall Street forecasts and led to rosier sales projections ahead of what one analyst described as a “historic” launch.
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Deep Dive // IPO window
Biotech IPOs are the industry’s lifeblood. Track how they’re performing.
Electra Therapeutics, a former subsidiary of the hub-and-spoke biotechnology firm Star Therapeutics, is the latest immune disease-focused drugmaker to pursue an initial public offering, according to a Friday regulatory filing.
Updated Aug. 28, 2026 -
FDA OKs Takeda, Protagonist drug for rare blood cancer
The clearance and broader-than-expected label for Mimrylo open up a yearly revenue opportunity for Takeda that some analysts expect to reach $2 billion or more.
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AstraZeneca, Ionis data spark debate about RNA drugs’ impact on deadly heart disease
Results published in NEJM raised questions about the benefits “silencer” medications provide on top of standard therapies for TTR cardiomyopathy and amplified investor pressure on Alnylam.
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FDA green lights Priovant drug for rare skin disease
Lisraya’s clearance marks the first approval of a drug the Roivant subsidiary licensed from Pfizer and has since positioned against multiple rare inflammatory conditions.
Updated Aug. 28, 2026 -
Q&A // Emerging biotech
Michael Polansky has a new, skin-focused biotech. Don’t call it a drug company.
Though its data could be useful for pharmaceutical firms, Polansky’s latest entrepreneurial endeavor, Outer Bio, is serious about steering clear of road bumps that slow biotechs.
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Emerging biotech
Will a ‘reset’ reignite investment in women’s health startups?
After peaking in 2024, venture investments in startups involved in the space declined last year. But a broader adoption of AI and a widening definition of what constitutes women’s health could spur a rebound, some say.
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News roundup
Moderna raises $2.6B to support cancer work; FDA clears updated COVID vaccines
Moderna’s upsized note offering quickly followed a big win in a crucial study. Elsewhere, a biotech’s shares tumbled after study data were “inadvertently” published ahead of a medical meeting.
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New data could widen use of AstraZeneca, Amgen immune disease drug
Tezspire succeeded in a study in eosinophilic esophagitis, which could become the drug’s third approved indication and unlock what’s viewed as a blockbuster opportunity.
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Revolution drug heralded as a pancreatic cancer breakthrough cleared by FDA
Rasonque’s speedy approval — just a month after a completed submission — represents a paradigm shift for a notoriously deadly cancer and begins what analysts see as a highly lucrative drug launch.
Updated Aug. 27, 2026 -
Biohaven trades cash for ‘upside’ with $795M epilepsy drug deal
Faced with a dwindling bank account after a series of research setbacks, Biohaven is letting go of its most advanced experimental drug in a deal one analyst viewed as a “surprising” transaction.