Curated news and analysis on clinical trials, drug approvals, and medical research.
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.
The FDA said uniQure’s Phase I/II data for Huntington’s disease gene therapy AMT-130 are not adequate for a marketing application. The agency recommended a new randomised, double-blind, sham surgery-controlled study.
A publication in NEJM AI outlined seven human factors-related risks for AI-enabled medical devices and called for clearer workflows, training, fallback options and post-market monitoring. The analysis said current approval requirements only partially address these risks, while separate evidence cited persistent accuracy and verification problems in medical AI use.
TMEM87A was identified as a mediator of ferroptosis resistance through buffering Golgi pH. In murine tumor models, TMEM87A ablation suppressed tumor progression and potentiated PD1 blockade therapy.
Karmanos and the Detroit Public Library have opened registration for the 2026 Community Conversations on Cancer series. Three sessions will address colon cancer, implicit bias in care, and multiple myeloma.
Wafik S. El-Deiry highlighted p53 research and the August 2025 approval of dordaviprone/modeyso, the first treatment for diffuse gliomas with H3K27M mutations. Separate posts also described glioblastoma precision oncology discussions and a lifetime achievement award in Mumbai.
GRI Bio discussed positive Phase 2a idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis data for GRI-0621, highlighting biomarker results indicating improvements in fibrosis and lung repair.
Merck reported Phase 2 CADENCE results showing WINREVAIR met the primary endpoint in adults with CpcPH-HFpEF. The company said the data support advancement into a registrational Phase 3 study.
Rua Gold filed a fast-track application for its Auld Creek project in New Zealand’s Reefton Goldfield. A decision is expected within three months, with studies and permitting work advancing in parallel.
Rua Gold submitted a referral application for fast-track permitting for its Auld Creek underground mine and processing plant near Reefton. A decision is expected by mid-July.
Evidence on ketogenic diets remains limited for psychiatric disorders and diabetes, while a systematic review in overweight and obese women with PCOS found significant short-term improvements. Experts said more controlled, long-term studies are needed.
Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics for up to $2.4 billion in cash. The deal includes ORN-252, a clinical-trial-ready CD19-targeting in vivo CAR-T therapy for B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics said Bbo-11818 received FDA Fast Track designation for adult patients with advanced KRAS-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The status may accelerate development and review and allow more frequent FDA communication during clinical trials.
Two osteosarcoma studies identified prognostic immune biomarkers, including serum sB7-H3 and an immune cell infiltration score. Both linked immune features with survival, metastasis and treatment response.
