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

Explore the Trendline➔

The expanding world of RNA therapies

Medicines from Alnylam, Ionis, Moderna and others have proven the power of RNA in medicine. A growing field of startups is advancing alongside them.

By BioPharma Dive staff

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

Amgen readies pivotal MariTide trials; Novo offers discounted Wegovy

Phase 3 studies for Amgen’s closely watched obesity drug were posted on a federal database. Elsewhere, the FDA cleared for testing a first-of-its-kind base editing therapy for Duchenne.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 6, 2025

Bayer braces for ‘difficult’ year before turnaround pays dividends

CEO Bill Anderson warned investors that profits will decline in 2025 before the company’s ongoing shake-up leads to an “improved trajectory” next year. 

By Kristin Jensen • March 5, 2025

Trump administration policies could create headwinds across healthcare: Fitch

The administration’s initiatives could negatively impact the credit ratings of an array of companies, among them large drugmakers, Fitch said. 

By Susanna Vogel • March 4, 2025

Neumora bids farewell to R&D head; Biohaven’s ‘one step forward, one step back’ data

Robert Lenz is leaving the brain drug developer to “pursue other interests.” Elsewhere, Atara is cutting half of its staff after shelving two cell therapy programs.

By BioPharma Dive staff • March 4, 2025

Leqembi, after delay, gets back on track toward EU approval

European regulators “reaffirmed” a positive view of Eisai and Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug after conducting a new safety review.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 28, 2025

Praxis hits trial setback; Bristol Myers lays off staff in New Jersey

The brain drug developer is continuing a trial despite a recommendation it be stopped for futility. Elsewhere, Eli Lilly struck a molecular glue deal and Zevra sold a priority review voucher.

By BioPharma Dive staff • Feb. 28, 2025

Lilly CEO wields manufacturing plans to push pharma-friendly policies

While announcing billions of dollars in new U.S. investments, David Ricks called for an extension of 2017 tax cuts and changes to Medicare's drug negotiation program.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 26, 2025

AstraZeneca’s next breast cancer drug; Madrigal’s accelerating MASH launch

The British drugmaker claimed success in a first-line breast cancer study. Elsewhere, Rezdiffra sales continued to grow and a cancer biotech cut staff.

By BioPharma Dive staff • Feb. 26, 2025

Lilly expands US manufacturing build-out with $50B target

The company is doubling plans for capital spending on U.S. factories as President Donald Trump pressures the pharma industry to reshore drug production.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 26, 2025

Summit partners with Pfizer to study bispecific, ADC combinations

The partners will test Summit’s ivonescimab alongside Pfizer’s antibody-drug conjugates in hopes of finding “potentially landscape-changing combinations.”

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 24, 2025