All articles tagged with #pharma
GSK is launching a large study to determine whether the shingles vaccine Shingrix can lower dementia risk, prompted by observational data suggesting vaccinated individuals may have fewer dementia cases; the trial aims to establish causality and could influence dementia prevention strategies if results are favorable.
A Readout newsletter recap notes buzz around daraxonrasib and tau therapies at major meetings, U.S. HHS is drafting guidance on tapering SSRIs, and the FDA cleared Sanofi’s wearable injector for a myeloma drug.
Anthropic unveiled Claude Science, a version of its Claude large language model tuned for scientific laboratories and pharmaceutical research operations, with the aim of fundamentally reshaping life-sciences workflows and accelerating drug development, echoing Claude Code’s reported impact on software engineering.
UPS will invest $48 million to upgrade 27 temperature-controlled facilities across its network to bolster end-to-end cold-chain capabilities as demand for temperature-sensitive biologics, including GLP-1 drugs, grows; the move underscores healthcare as a major growth area for UPS and aims to speed and secure delivery of critical medicines globally.
GSK agreed to acquire Nuvalent for $10.6 billion in cash, paying about $124 per share (roughly a 40% premium) to bolster its oncology pipeline and offset expected HIV revenue declines when its best-selling HIV medicine loses exclusivity in 2028. Nuvalent brings late-stage lung-cancer assets neladalkib and zidesamtinib, plus an early-stage and preclinical portfolio, with potential blockbusters if approved by the FDA. The deal would be GSK’s second-largest ever and signals a shift toward larger biotech deals amid strong M&A activity, with guidance unchanged for 2026 and growth anticipated from 2027.
Bristol Myers Squibb is striking a broad deal with Hengrui Pharma worth up to $15.2 billion, featuring $600 million upfront for 13 early-stage programs, ex-China rights to four oncology/hematology assets, and joint discovery on five candidates; Hengrui will gain access to BMS immunology assets in China, Hong Kong and Macau and lead early development to proof of concept, in a move that leverages China's reportedly faster timelines (50–70% quicker) to clinical proof of concept.
Eli Lilly stock fell about 3.7% after Novo Nordisk extended its lead in the weight-loss drug race, with Lilly trading around $883.96 versus the prior close of $917.65.
Novo Nordisk is partnering with Vivtex, a biotech co-founded by MIT’s Robert Langer, to develop oral obesity therapies, expanding the pharmaceutical giant’s push into obesity drugs.
At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, pharma executives signaled that 2026 could begin a recovery as pricing deals reduce uncertainty and patent expirations drive more dealmaking; leaders from Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca and Pfizer outlined plans to offset price pressure with new products and BD activity, while vaccine policy shifts add political headwinds.
At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and other pharma leaders publicly rebuked RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine campaign, calling it politically driven and scientifically unfounded as Kennedy overhauls the childhood vaccine schedule. Executives warned the rhetoric could spill into other vaccines, raise litigation risks, and fuel misinformation, while emphasizing the need for evidence-based policy and maintaining vaccine confidence during a challenging flu season and in the run-up to elections.
The FDA asked manufacturers of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda) to remove label warnings about suicidal thoughts after reviewing 91 trials with 107,910 patients and finding no evidence of increased suicidal thoughts, behavior, or other psychiatric effects versus placebo, though earlier data could not completely rule out a small risk.
AI is significantly improving the pharmaceutical industry by addressing the high failure rate and lengthy, costly process of drug development, which can take over a decade and cost nearly $3 billion per successful drug.
Employers like HCA Healthcare are dropping coverage for weight loss drugs such as Zepbound and Wegovy due to rising costs and are directing employees to manufacturer discount programs, which may be cheaper than insurance coverage. The growth of direct-to-consumer programs by pharma companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk is contributing to this shift, potentially making these drugs less affordable for the general public despite expanding access.
The article highlights the outstanding CEOs of 2025 in the biotech and pharma industries, emphasizing a record year for mergers and acquisitions, with nearly $240 billion in deals, and recognizing various leaders including dealmakers, underdogs, and mavericks.
Moderna's stock is experiencing its best single-day performance in over a year, largely due to an analyst at Oppenheimer upgrading the stock. This positive shift comes after a challenging 2023 for the company, suggesting a potentially more favorable outlook for Moderna in the current year.