Curated news and analysis on clinical trials, drug approvals, and medical research.
WHO in January 2024 launched its first list of priority childhood cancer drug formulations, naming six medicines that still lack optimal child-friendly versions. The agency says about 400,000 children and adolescents develop cancer each year and is working to expand access to safe, effective paediatric formulations.
Incyte has started the phase 3 Dawn-03 trial of INCB161734 plus chemotherapy in first-line KRAS G12D-mutant pancreatic cancer. The move comes while the phase 1 study remains halted in four European countries after pneumonitis cases, including one grade 5 event.
January and March 2026 drug pipeline updates included Phase 3 results, Fast Track designations and Priority Review decisions across multiple disease areas. Mavacamten, teplizumab-mzwv, anifrolumab, AXS-05, gedatolisib and AFTX-201 were among the programs with notable milestones.
AbbVie plans to build a $1.4 billion, 185-acre pharmaceutical campus in Durham, North Carolina. The site is expected to open by the end of 2028 and hire 734 employees while adding SVP manufacturing capacity.
The FDA accepted Hansa Biopharma’s BLA for imlifidase and set a PDUFA action date of Dec. 19, 2026. The filing is backed by Phase 3 ConfIdeS data showing statistically significant efficacy.
Merck is expanding its AI efforts through partnerships with Google Cloud and Mayo Clinic. The company said it will deploy AI across R&D and use multimodal clinical datasets to support drug discovery and precision medicine.
Researchers at the University of Bath reported a bacterial system for producing, stapling, and testing millions of peptide molecules inside living cells. The Cell Chemical Biology study uses a survival-based assay to identify stable, functional peptide candidates.
Sarepta Therapeutics said it will announce first quarter 2026 financial results. The event will be webcast on its investor relations website, with a replay archived for one year.
Two reviews found blockchain may strengthen secure medical data sharing and federated learning in health care. One identified 42 initiatives, while another reviewed over 100 papers from 2018 to 2025.
A $3.2 million research collaboration is developing a drug that directly breaks down MDM2 in triple-negative breast cancer. Early laboratory models showed tumour shrinkage, and the team is studying dosing, safety and performance.
The acting director of the CDC delayed publication of a report showing the COVID-19 vaccine cut emergency department visits and hospitalizations for healthy adults last winter by about half. The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The first clinical trial of an AAV gene therapy for type 1 diabetes is set to begin this year. The 52-week phase 1 PROGRESS study will test one-time intramuscular KRIYA-839 in adults with A1c above 7% using automated insulin delivery systems.
MSD signed a Google Cloud agreement worth up to $1 billion and entered an AI-focused R&D collaboration with Mayo Clinic. The deals expand AI use in drug discovery, development and broader operations.
Nature Communications findings showed NR2F6 deletion revived exhausted CAR-T cells and boosted activity against solid tumors. In murine models, modified cells drove tumor regression, prolonged survival and resistance to rechallenge.
Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Vertex, Gilead Sciences and Pfizer were identified as pharmaceutical stocks to watch, with Abbott Laboratories and McKesson appearing on a separate seven-stock list.
A study of 2,282 adults aged 60 and older found anemia was associated with higher Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers and a 66% higher chance of developing dementia. The highest risk was seen in participants with both anemia and higher biomarker levels.
Adial Pharmaceuticals completed demonstration batch production for AD04, meeting prespecified specifications and matching the prior Phase 2 dissolution profile. The step enables clinical and registration batch production for the planned Phase 3 trial.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate will launch a new digital service for reporting animal medicine adverse events on 20 May 2026. The beta service will replace the previous suspended tool and integrate with existing pharmacovigilance processes.
AsedaSciences signed a commercial agreement with Clyde Biosciences to integrate the CellOPTIQ cardiotoxicity screen into its 3RnD platform. The deal adds a validated in vitro CiPA assay for chemical and drug safety assessment.
A study in Cell suggests a urine DNA test may help identify which people with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer are likely to benefit from BCG immunotherapy. The test detected minimal residual disease after surgery and BCG treatment and distinguished recurrence risk based on tumour DNA findings.
