J&J to acquire Firefly, maker of ‘degrader’ antibody drugs, for $1B

The buyout hands J&J a technology that merges elements of two popular drugmaking methods: protein degraders and antibody-drug conjugates.

By Gwendolyn Wu • June 8, 2026

Pharma is betting big on PD-1/VEGF bispecifics. But are companies chasing the wrong target?

While many drugmakers are focused on lung cancer, evidence shows the liver may be a better bet.

By Kelly Bilodeau • June 5, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Emerging biotech

New biotechs continue to emerge despite a challenging market environment that has forced venture firms to build their drug startups more cautiously.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Alnylam, Inceptive ink AI deal potentially worth $2B

The RNA-focused drugmaker says Inceptive's tools will help prioritize the best development options as well as speed up the research process.

By Kristin Jensen • June 4, 2026

An ADC specialist sinks on safety concerns for blood cancer drug

Shares for ADC Therapeutics fell more than 50% after a Phase 3 trial observed a death rate that at least one analyst believes “may be difficult to accept for physicians, patients and regulators.”

By Delilah Alvarado • June 4, 2026

Otsuka showcases kidney drug data; Pfizer cuts an AI deal

Voyxact helped preserve kidney function, but left an opening for competing IgAN drugs from Vera and Vertex. Elsewhere, Takeda’s alliance with Innovent paid early dividends and Axsome warded off generic competitors.

By BioPharma Dive staff • June 4, 2026

A Spanish biotech banks $87M to make differentiated ADCs

Ona Therapeutics, a Barcelona-based drugmaker, is developing next-generation drugs it says could help patients with advanced forms of breast and colorectal cancers.

By Gwendolyn Wu • June 4, 2026

Legend surges on early data for ‘in vivo’ lymphoma cell therapy

Initial findings show that the therapy reduced or eliminated disease signs in all recipients, sparking hopes that the treatment might be competitive with “ex vivo” medicines like Novartis’ Kymriah.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 3, 2026

House bill aims to crack down on China biotech deals

A proposal to add biotechnology to the COINS Act follows two big deals involving Pfizer and Bristol Myers, and comes amid U.S. fears that China’s drugmaking progress may threaten national security.

By Kristin Jensen • June 3, 2026

NewLimit’s $435M megaround; Lilly’s busy dealmaking week

The anti-aging biotech has secured one of the year’s biggest venture fundings to bring its first drug into testing. Elsewhere, Lilly nabbed a “GLP-2” obesity drug and Praxis shares tumbled.

By BioPharma Dive staff • June 3, 2026

Fulcrum exploring a potential sale after FDA sidelined its sickle cell drug

Fulcrum’s setback is the latest in a series of stumbles for the developers of sickle cell medicines, among them Pfizer, Novartis and Intellia Therapeutics.

By Jacob Bell • June 2, 2026

RallyBio tries again for reverse merger, this time with Avenzo

It's the second attempt for the rare disease company, which initially announced plans to merge with Candid Therapeutics before the immune drug developer was bought by UCB.

By Gwendolyn Wu • June 1, 2026

‘Unprecedented’ Revolution data point to paradigm shift in pancreatic cancer

Highly anticipated data presented at ASCO confirmed what’s been heralded as a medical breakthrough against a historically tough-to-treat tumor.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 31, 2026

Akeso, Summit drug extends survival in closely watched lung cancer trial

Though ivonescimab reduced the risk of death by one-third compared to chemotherapy in a China-based study, the total survival benefit of four months stirred debate and pressured company shares.

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated June 1, 2026

Replimune takes third swing at cancer drug approval following ‘productive’ FDA talks

A twice-spurned therapy that’s been seen as one of the FDA’s more controversial recent rejections is getting a new chance following the resignation of former commissioner Marty Makary.

By Jacob Bell • May 29, 2026

Allogene CEO to step down; Agios drug fails key test

David Chang will leave his post after an eight-year run at the cell therapy maker. Elsewhere, a next-generation blood disease drug stumbled and an acquisition yielded an FDA approval for AbbVie.

By Ben Fidler • May 29, 2026

GSK, Ionis unveil data for hepatitis B drug touted as ‘functional cure’

The findings supporting bepirovirsen were deemed a “historic moment” by physicians and validate a drug that has “clear blockbuster potential,” according to one analyst.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 28, 2026

Verge, following trial failure, rebrands its AI drug discovery ambitions

Formerly known as Verge Genomics, the new Verge Labs will help pharma and biotech partners match potential brain drugs to patients who best benefit from them.

By Gwendolyn Wu • May 27, 2026

Cardio drugmaker Kardigan plans to go public

Founded by former MyoKardia executives, the startup has in mid- to late-stage testing three medicines licensed from the likes of Sanofi, Ionis and Bristol Myers Squibb.

By Jacob Bell • May 27, 2026

Kailera’s three-pronged obesity shot shows promise in early trial

As Lilly completes the pivotal program for its “triple-G” drug, Phase 1 data from Kailera partner Hengrui suggest their offering might spur greater weight loss.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 27, 2026

Apogee eczema drugs gets Blackstone backing, heads to Phase 3

The company made the announcement after a new round of research results bolstered the case for the experimental medicine, which may ultimately compete against Dupixent and Ebglyss.

By Kristin Jensen • May 27, 2026

Astellas eyes more cost cuts; FDA panel to debate Moderna vaccine

The Japanese pharma is aiming for $1.3 billion in yearly savings between now and 2030. Elsewhere, Datroway gained a new clearance in breast cancer and the FDA approved a drug for hepatitis D.

By Ben Fidler • May 26, 2026

SR One’s Simeon George on how China is rewriting biotech’s venture playbook

The veteran investor says that the trove of ready-made prospects is making the global biotech ecosystem “more competitive” and steering dollars away from “half-baked ideas.”

By Gwendolyn Wu • May 26, 2026

Parkinson’s drug from Biogen, Denali comes up short

High-level results have led the companies to scrap a mid-stage trial, though Denali plans to continue independently running a separate experiment focused on a certain subset of Parkinson’s patients.

By Jacob Bell • Updated May 22, 2026

RA Capital banks $75M for a biotech SPAC

Research Alliance III follows a few months after Cormorant Asset Management priced a $150 million IPO for its own blank-check entity.

By Gwendolyn Wu • May 21, 2026

BioMarin notches win in study that could expand use of top-selling medicine

The success came two days after a Phase 3 setback for another experimental drug and helps improve the position of Voxzogo amid increased competition.

By Kristin Jensen • May 21, 2026