Know What's Happening in BioTech
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Tuesday recap
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Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Merck announced that its experimental drug Winrevair will move into a pivotal Phase 3 trial for a rare form of heart failure, focusing on the lowest dose tested in Phase 2. The Phase 2 data showed a "pretty profound" efficacy signal at that dose, prompting the company to prioritize safety and efficacy. The upcoming trial will evaluate clinical outcomes in a globally enrolled patient cohort. If successful, Winrevair could become Merck's first approved therapy for this niche cardiovascular indication.
SGLT2 Inhibitors Act Independently of SGLT2 to Confer Benefit for HFrEF in Mice “The beneficial effects of SGLT2i treatment in gKO mice conclusively demonstrate that in a physiologically relevant preclinical model of HFrEF, SGLT2i can exert therapeutic benefits via off-target pharmacology.3...
Nektar Therapeutics presented Phase 2b data at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology meeting showing statistically significant EASI improvements in 393 atopic dermatitis patients and a 28.2% mean SALT reduction in alopecia areata. The results position rezpegaldesleukin as the first IL‑2‑based...
At the American Academy of Dermatology 2026 meeting, researchers presented TRACE, a real‑world study of tralokinumab in atopic dermatitis. The trial enrolled over 800 patients, with roughly 16% representing skin‑of‑color individuals (Fitzpatrick types 4‑6). After 12 months, 80% of this subgroup achieved...
Eli Lilly’s once‑daily oral GLP‑1 agonist orforglipron outperformed oral semaglutide (Wegovy) in a 52‑week Phase 3 trial of 1,698 adults, delivering 73.6% greater relative weight loss and a three‑fold higher rate of A1c normalization. The data, published in The Lancet, could reshape...
Researchers have engineered microscopic DNA nanorobots that can recognize and bind to COVID‑19 viral particles. The breakthrough, described in a recent SmartBot feature, points to a future where nanotech diagnostics and therapeutics operate inside the human body with unprecedented precision.
Johnson & Johnson unveiled 52‑week Phase 3 data for ICOTYDE™ (icotrokinra), revealing PASI 100 clearance rates of 41‑49% in adults and 57% in adolescents, with no new safety signals. The results position the oral peptide as a possible disease‑modifying first‑line option for...
The U.S. Federal Circuit affirmed that product‑by‑process claims for stem‑cell therapies are novel when the underlying product itself is novel, rejecting Restem LLC’s challenge to US 9803176 covering an umbilical‑cord‑derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product called JadiCell. The court interpreted the...
Researchers report that Richter transformation (RT) can be identified years before clinical onset in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) patients through multi‑omics profiling of tiny subclones. Current anthracycline‑based chemoimmunotherapy delivers median overall survival under one year,...
Emerging diabetes therapies are reshaping treatment of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), especially its severe form MASH. GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide and dual‑action agents like tirzepatide have shown significant liver‑fat reduction and histologic improvement. SGLT2 inhibitors and...
Eli Lilly has agreed to a roughly $2 billion partnership with a Hong Kong‑based biotech firm to develop new medicines using artificial‑intelligence platforms. The deal will give Lilly access to the startup’s AI‑driven discovery tools while providing the biotech with Lilly’s clinical expertise...
A comprehensive review of 113 clinical trials involving nearly 8,000 participants reports moderate gains in muscle strength, lower osteoarthritis pain, and enhanced skin elasticity and hydration from hydrolysed collagen supplements. The findings give the first robust, quantitative backing to a...
A research team led by Liu Guanghui at the Chinese Academy of Sciences released a comprehensive map of inflammatory aging across multiple organs and introduced two anti‑aging strategies—a betaine‑based small‑molecule and engineered FOXO3‑edited stem cells. The work was named one...
A Beijing hospital has given the first prescription of Libevitug, the inaugural monoclonal antibody targeting hepatitis D. Developed by Tsinghua University researchers and Huahui Health, the drug received conditional approval in January 2026 and could transform care for an estimated...
Boston Scientific announced that its WATCHMAN FLX left atrial appendage closure device met all primary and secondary safety and efficacy endpoints in the CHAMPION-AF trial, delivering a 45% relative reduction in non‑procedural bleeding versus NOACs while matching stroke‑prevention efficacy. The...
Rice University researchers unveiled the Advanced Tumor Landscape Analysis System (ATLAS), a superhydrophobic 3D‑printed microwell platform that reliably generates large numbers of three‑dimensional cancer‑cell clusters mimicking metastatic conditions. The system reproduces mechanical stresses of blood flow and enables co‑culture with...
Researchers led by Prof. Heidi Abrahamse at the University of Johannesburg have unveiled a liposome‑based nanotechnology platform that upgrades photodynamic therapy (PDT). The platform protects photosensitizers in the bloodstream, targets tumors more precisely and releases the drug only where light...
Eli Lilly reported that its open‑label Phase 3b TOGETHER‑PsA trial met its primary and all key secondary endpoints, demonstrating that adding Zepbound (tirzepatide) to Taltz (ixekizumab) significantly reduced psoriatic arthritis activity and body weight versus Taltz alone. The data, presented...
Weekly reads highlight several frontier biotech developments. The Gattaca Stack, a new database, tracks firms working on embryo models and artificial‑womb technologies. R3 Bio’s stem‑cell “organ sacks” aim to replace animal testing and could evolve into human organ bags, while...
Loss of epigenetic information as a cause of mammalian aging “we find that the act of faithful DNA repair advances aging at physiological, cognitive, and molecular levels, including erosion of the epigenetic landscape, cellular exdifferentiation, senescence, and advancement of the DNA...
Scientists led by Farnaz Shamsi identified the SLIT3 protein system that constructs the nerve and blood‑vessel networks essential for brown‑fat thermogenesis. Published in Nature Communications, the work links SLIT3 activity to metabolic health in over 15,000 human tissue samples, positioning...
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators have developed a preclinical gene therapy that selectively silences pain‑processing circuits in the brain, mimicking morphine’s analgesic effect without activating reward pathways. Using an AI‑driven system to map morphine‑responsive neurons in mice,...
Eli Lilly’s experimental injectable retatrutide has reported substantial weight‑loss outcomes in a 2023 trial, positioning it as a potential challenger to existing GLP‑1 drugs. The triple‑agonist targets three metabolic receptors, and large Phase 3 studies are now under way, drawing attention...
Chinese AI companies XtalPi and Blacklake have moved from loss‑making research to sustainable profitability by targeting specialized data‑driven markets. XtalPi reported a 134.6 million‑yuan ($19.5 million) profit in 2025, while Blacklake achieved its first profit in late 2024, underscoring a shift in...
Nektar Therapeutics presented Phase 2b data for its regulatory T‑cell agonist rezpegaldesleukin at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology meeting, showing statistically significant EASI improvements in 393 atopic dermatitis patients and a 28.2% mean SALT reduction in severe alopecia areata....
The Hib vaccine protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria, which can cause severe illnesses like meningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis. Th
The list of conditions for which GLP-1 drugs provide benefit independent of weight loss keeps growing. Add psoriatic arthritis #AAD26 @AADskin https://t.co/kJej6osXTS
Kardigan reported positive Phase 2 data for its antisense drug tonlamarsen in the KARDINAL trial, showing a dose‑dependent 67% reduction in plasma angiotensinogen and a mean 6.7 mmHg drop in office systolic blood pressure after 20 weeks. Both a single 90 mg dose...
Artificial Biological Intelligence (ABI) In a post-Darwinian era of being able to write genomes, the implications—both for good and harm—are profound. In conversation with @AdrianWoolfson on his new book On the Future of Species https://t.co/2OahzzxAAa
You can publish a paper with wrong data. You can't make a working drug with a wrong experiment. I wrote about HeLa contamination a few days ago. Then an Oxford researcher told me his story. https://t.co/77vvQQ8kq0
New randomized data from the Ez‑PAVE trial in South Korea show that lowering LDL cholesterol to below 55 mg/dL in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease reduces major cardiovascular events by 33% compared with a target of less than 70 mg/dL. The...
Hematopoietic (stem) cells—The elixir of life? "In this perspective article, we discuss the evidence that supports that rejuvenating or delaying aging of the blood system has a beneficial and systemic impact on human health..." @FEBS_Letters https://t.co/Y9sYcwXp1A @FEBSJournal
Systemic epigenetic dysregulation as a driver of ageing and a therapeutic target 👉 “By providing mechanistic clarity on how epigenetic dysregulation drives ageing phenotypes, we aim to enable rational design of therapeutics that target the epigenetic systems that fail during ageing,...
Biogen announced positive Phase 2 results for litifilimab, its anti‑BDCA2 antibody targeting systemic lupus erythematosus. After 24 weeks, 14.7% of patients achieved complete clearance of skin lesions, meeting the trial’s primary endpoint. The data suggest the drug could become a...
The results of this first phase 2a clinical trial of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT administered adjunctively to SSRIs demonstrated acceptable safety and tolerability with promising improvements in depressive symptoms. https://t.co/m15DkPP4qX
Senescent immune cells protect against damage, inflammation and disease 🤯 In mice, p16-expressing immune cells delay age-related organ deterioration and preserve tissue homeostasis. More evidence of the physiological roles of senescent cells? https://t.co/UtBKDF00P1
The phase II KARDINAL trial evaluated monthly versus single‑dose tonlamarsen, an angiotensinogen‑targeted nucleic‑acid therapy, in patients with resistant hypertension on multiple drugs. While monthly injections achieved a 67% reduction in plasma AGT compared with 23% after a single dose, both regimens...
Supercomputer simulations of a two-million-atom human cell model have mapped the dynamic motions of the spliceosome, offering detailed insights into gene splicing mechanisms and informing future drug development. computationalbiology
#ThisDayInTechHistory. March 27, 1998. The FDA approved Viagra developed by Pfizer. (Untold Story) #HealthTech #JVGpost https://t.co/GJea9vd0v9
Merck announced a cash deal to acquire TERN, while CORT secured FDA clearance for its cancer therapy. In parallel, INSM reported positive trial data, VALN fell short of expectations, and Anavex withdrew its EU filing for an Alzheimer’s candidate.
Great thread and one addition: Increased risk of myocarditis in young boys. The demonization of parents who asked, the denials by healthcare professionals and bureaucrats, and ultimately, the admission and subsequent FDA warning proving parents worst fears correct. It will take...
Cholesterol-lowering effects of oats induced by microbially produced phenolic metabolites in metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial "Here we show that microbial phenolic metabolites are driving factors for the cholesterol-lowering effect of oats.." https://t.co/Y6fmNYStmZ
Psilocybin therapy is rapidly expanding across U.S. states, with Oregon reporting 5,935 patients in 2025 and Colorado opening its first regulated healing center. New Mexico is developing its own medical program while the federal government maintains prohibition. Scientific evidence shows...
In a randomized trial of a PCSK9 inhibitor [for LDL cholesterol lowering] vs placebo for patients with diabetes and no known heart disease, there was significant reduction of major cardiovascular events including deaths #ACC26 @JAMA_current https://t.co/mzuI79c4IN https://t.co/16Cpxf7IBx
Validation of aggressive LDL lowering to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events, a randomized trial targeting LDL < 55 mg/dl. In participants with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (secondary prevention) @NEJM #ACC26 https://t.co/oLnkqhawOd
Takeda announced Phase 3 data for its oral TYK2 inhibitor, zasocitinib, showing rapid and durable skin clearance in moderate‑to‑severe plaque psoriasis. At week 16, 71% of patients achieved clear or almost clear skin (sPGA 0/1) versus roughly 10% on placebo and 30% on...
AI needs data. And biology is finally generating it at scale. I spoke with @10xGenomics CEO Serge Saxonov about the single-cell and spatial biology revolution — and why the convergence of AI + biological measurement could transform medicine. Read the full profile...
Takeda announced that its oral TYK2 inhibitor zasocitinib delivered rapid and durable skin clearance in two global Phase 3 LATITUDE trials involving 693 and 1,108 moderate‑to‑severe plaque psoriasis patients. The drug met both co‑primary endpoints—sPGA 0/1 and PASI 75 at week 16—showing statistically significant...
FDA approval of icotrokinra introduces a new oral therapy for moderate‑to‑severe psoriasis. In the ICONIC‑ADVANCE trials, 100 % of patients achieved complete skin clearance through week 52, outperforming the oral benchmark deucravacitinib. The drug’s safety profile matched placebo, with fewer infections and...
Priovant Therapeutics announced that its TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor brepocitinib met the primary endpoint in the Phase 3 VALOR trial for dermatomyositis, showing a 15.3‑point improvement in Total Improvement Score at week 52 versus placebo. The 30 mg dose also delivered significant steroid‑sparing effects, with...
