Amgen says Imdelltra extended survival; Parker Institute adds new leaders

The bispecific antibody helped people with small cell lung cancer live longer, Amgen said. Elsewhere, J&J shared new autoimmune drug data and Alzheon reported an Alzheimer’s drug failure.

By BioPharma Dive staff • April 11, 2025

Amid tariff turmoil, Novartis commits to spending $23B on US manufacturing

Novartis expects the new capacity will allow it to produce all of its key medicines “end to end” in the U.S., as the Trump administration buffets global trade with tariffs.

By Jonathan Gardner • April 10, 2025

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Looming patent expiries this decade and intensifying competition from China are forcing drugmakers to adapt, while new opportunities open up in oncology and in neuroscience.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Ferring gene therapy sales grow; ASH calls for restoration of cut CDC division

In its first full year on the U.S. market, bladder cancer treatment Adstiladrin earned about $77 million. Elsewhere, Lilly backed a cancer drug startup and Bristol Myers won a new Opdivo approval.

By BioPharma Dive staff • April 9, 2025

Trump says ‘major’ tariffs coming on pharmaceuticals

Shares in many large drugmakers initially fell Wednesday on the president's threat, only to rebound later when he announced a 90-day pause.

By Kristin Jensen • April 9, 2025

Trial monitors recommend Elevidys studies continue; Novartis kidney drug approved

Sarepta and Roche will share the monitors' findings with EMA to resolve a temporary hold. Elsewhere, Allakos agreed to a buyout and high-dose Ocrevus missed a study goal.

By BioPharma Dive staff • April 4, 2025

M&A recap: Big pharma starts the year mostly avoiding billion-dollar deals

Just two acquisitions in the first quarter, that of Intra-Cellular Therapies and IDRx, crossed the $1 billion mark, a notable decrease from the six seen during the same period last year.

By Jacob Bell • April 4, 2025

Roche halts testing of Sarepta Duchenne gene therapy in Europe

The Swiss drugmaker, which holds European rights to Elevidys, suspended three trials while researchers investigate the death of a young man who died following treatment.

By Kristin Jensen • April 3, 2025

Leqembi’s EU review drags on; Sanofi gets a new development head

The European Commission has referred Eisai and Biogen’s application to an appeals committee. Elsewhere, Opthea warned of insolvency and Novartis hired a new top lawyer.

By BioPharma Dive staff • April 2, 2025

FDA broadens use of Novartis’ radiopharma drug Pluvicto

Pluvicto can now be used before chemotherapy to treat a kind of metastatic prostate cancer, tripling the number of patients who are eligible for treatment.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 28, 2025

FDA approves first-of-its-kind antibiotic from GSK

The drug is a needed new option for treating uncomplicated UTIs, a common infection that’s becoming harder to treat as rates of microbial resistance rise.

By Delilah Alvarado • March 26, 2025

Bayer gains cancer drug from China’s Puhe; Axsome gets mixed ADHD data

The German firm licensed a PRMT5 inhibitor that’s now in Phase 1 testing. Elsewhere, GSK is testing an intriguing hypothesis and Novo fine tuned its Wegovy cash-pay program.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 26, 2025

Merck bets $200M on a new type of heart pill

A licensing deal with Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals puts Merck in a competitive race to develop a medicine that targets a genetic risk factor called lipoprotein(a). 

By Jonathan Gardner • March 25, 2025

Novo adds to obesity drug pipeline via $200M deal with China-based biotech

The licensing pact adds a second so-called "triple agonist" to the Danish drugmaker's portfolio as competition with Lilly and other contenders heats up.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 24, 2025

AstraZeneca deepens China investment; Editas loses CFO to Dyne

The pharma is spending $2.5 billion on an R&D center in Beijing. Elsewhere, Adaptimmune warned it could run out of cash and Pfizer sold its remaining stake in Haleon.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 21, 2025

J&J boosts US manufacturing as big pharma reshores

Following big announcements from Lilly and Merck, J&J is pledging $55 billion over the next four years to open new plants.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 21, 2025

Sanofi wagers $600M on a dual-targeting antibody drug for autoimmune disease

The deal with startup Dren Bio hands Sanofi a so-called myeloid cell engager that would compete with an array of programs aiming to “reset” the immune systems of people with inflammatory conditions. 

By Kristin Jensen • March 20, 2025

Stoke CEO exits; Medicare drug price talks advance

Ed Kaye, Stoke’s longtime leader, will be replaced by former Vertex executive Ian Smith. Elsewhere, all 12 drugmakers targeted for second round of Medicare price talks agreed to participate.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 18, 2025

AstraZeneca adds ‘in vivo’ cell therapy capabilities with EsoBiotech deal

The pharma is paying up to $1 billion to buy the Belgian startup, whose technology it sees as useful in treating cancer and autoimmune conditions.

By Ben Fidler • March 17, 2025

Makary advances to full senate vote; Acelyrin, Pliant adopt ‘poison pills’

President Trump’s nominee to run the FDA secured the Senate HELP Committee’s backing. Elsewhere, Sutro cut jobs and a cell and gene therapy pilot appeared to survive.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 14, 2025

Mallinckrodt, Endo to combine in $7B deal

The merger will give the combined entity the financial flexibility to pursue drug licensing deals and broaden its therapeutic focus, executives said on a conference call.

By Kristin Jensen • March 13, 2025

A new obesity biotech launches; Gilead plans to quickly advance once-yearly PrEP for HIV

Harbour BioMed created Élancé Therapeutics to develop bispecific antibody drugs for weight loss. Elsewhere, Geron’s CEO is departing after 14 years.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 12, 2025

IRA reforms could be on the table. Will Trump and the GOP pursue them?

Industry insiders are pushing to fix the small molecule ‘penalty’ by setting their hopes on a Republican majority.

By Amy Baxter • March 12, 2025

Novo’s Wegovy successor disappoints in second large trial

A study in people with obesity and diabetes again found CagriSema helps people lose weight, but not by enough to clearly surpass Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 10, 2025

J&J scraps depression testing for potential blockbuster drug

Analysts say the decision is a “big blow” to a once-promising class of brain therapies that include’s J&J’s aticaprant and a drug from Neumora.

By Jacob Bell • March 7, 2025

Roche launches new Boston center; NIH centralizes peer review

The Swiss pharma will base cardiometabolic drug research at the new Allston site. Elsewhere, AskBio, Bayer’s gene therapy subsidiary, advanced an experimental treatment for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. 

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 7, 2025