Curated news and analysis on clinical trials, drug approvals, and medical research.
Astellas terminated its phase 1 ASP5502 study in Sjögren’s syndrome as Novartis said the FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to ianalumab. Novartis plans global regulatory submissions from early 2026 after positive phase III data.
Eli Lilly and Co. expanded its collaboration with Hong-Kong listed Insilico Medicine Inc. in a deal worth up to $2.75 billion. The move deepens Lilly's investment in artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery and could broaden its reach into next-generation metabolic therapies.
Diabetes and heart disease can impair sexual function by damaging blood vessels, nerves and circulation. Sexual dysfunction may also be an early warning sign of underlying vascular damage.
Trump’s April 2, 2026 proclamation imposes Section 232 tariffs of up to 100% on patented pharmaceutical imports and ingredients. Generic drugs and biosimilars are excluded.
A global analysis of early-onset gastric cancer found mortality declining 2.9% annually from 1990 to 2021, while disparities between high- and low-income regions widened. In 2021, the disease accounted for about 125,000 new cases, 78,000 deaths, and 3.86 million DALYs worldwide.
NRx said the FDA issued a positive review letter on its preservative-free ketamine ANDA, requesting only minor administrative changes. The company also received FDA guidance outlining a path to an NDA for NRX-100 using clinical trial data and real-world evidence.
AI is reshaping pharma work by adding roles in drug discovery, commercial analytics and in-house AI teams rather than driving major job losses. Companies are also moving toward always-on intelligence as faster market shifts expose the limits of siloed, episodic insight models.
Ascentage Pharma said six clinical abstracts were selected for ASCO 2026 and four preclinical studies will be presented at AACR 2026. The presentations feature olverembatinib and other pipeline candidates.
mRNA cancer vaccines showed promising pancreatic cancer trial results and boosted tumor-fighting drugs in other research. U.S. officials canceled $500 million in vaccine funding, while the NCI is backing a $200 million cancer vaccine partnership.
PARP inhibitors remain strongest in BRCA1/2-altered tumors as use beyond that group has been uneven. In June 2025, the FDA narrowed Zejula’s first-line ovarian maintenance indication to HRD-positive tumors only.
The mRNA synthesis and manufacturing market is projected to grow from USD 2.23 billion in 2024 to USD 2.96 billion by 2029 at a 5.8% CAGR. Consumables led in 2023, while Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region.
The UK has begun a 4,000-volunteer H5N1 bird flu vaccine trial using mRNA technology. The study will assess safety and immune response, with CEPI providing £40m in funding.
Novartis reported 2025 sales of $54.5 billion, up 8%, while earnings per share rose 15% to $8.98. Amarin reported fiscal 2025 revenue of $213.6 million, down 6.5%, and narrowed its net loss per share to $0.09 from $0.20.
Deutsche Bank upgraded Merck to Buy and raised its price target to $150 from $115, citing a clear path beyond Keytruda’s patent expiration. Merck meanwhile forecast 2026 revenue of $65.5 billion to $67.0 billion and said it faces a $2.5 billion headwind this year.
Three people were arrested after a Hancock County investigation into a December 2024 overdose death. Authorities said the death was caused by fentanyl toxicity and led to indictments returned on February 9.
Peptris has raised INR 70 crore ($7.7 million) in a Series A round to advance programs toward clinical readiness and expand its AI-led drug discovery pipeline over 24 months.
The U.S. pharmaceutical cold chain is under pressure as growth in mRNA, CAR-T and precision biologics outpaces temporary storage capacity. Annual losses near $35 billion are attributed to cold-chain failures.
Atopic dermatitis updates in 2026 included long-term upadacitinib safety, phase 3 amlitelimab and rademikibart data, and 5-year interim dupilumab results in children. A market report also listed multiple emerging therapies in late-stage development.
Regeneron said the Phase 3 NIMBLE trial of cemdisiran in generalized myasthenia gravis met primary and key secondary endpoints at week 24. The company said a U.S. regulatory application has been submitted and EU filings are planned for 2026.
Danaher guided for 3% to 6% revenue growth and adjusted EPS of $8.35 to $8.50 in 2026 as biopharma spending shows signs of recovery. Recent results included $6.8 billion in quarterly sales, 2.5% core revenue growth and $1.8 billion in free cash flow.
