Know What's Happening in BioTech
Know What's Happening in BioTech
BioTech Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Merck has launched the pivotal Phase IIb/III MALBEC trial to evaluate MK‑8748 (Tiespectus/EYE201) in patients with neovascular age‑related macular degeneration (NVAMD). The study pits two intravitreal dose levels of the bispecific TIE2‑agonist/VEGF‑inhibitor against aflibercept 2 mg, beginning with quarterly injections for three months followed by eight‑weekly dosing through week 48 and individualized intervals thereafter, with the final visit at week 96. MALBEC represents the first late‑stage trial for MK‑8748, and a second NVAMD study is slated to start later this year based on earlier Phase I/IIa data.
Woah. I'm slightly embarrassed that I missed this for a few weeks. Finally there is approval, in a Large Nation, for a stem cell-based REPLACEMENT therapy for an age-related condition. The condition is, no surprise, Parkinson's, which I always highlight...
Dynamics of blood NAD and glutathione in health, disease, aging and under NAD-booster treatment “In healthy population (n=299;18-70 year-olds) redox metabolites follow normal distribution in blood and remain unchanged during aging. NAD-boosting increased 4-6 fold the blood NAD+ depending on individual,...
Earendil Labs has dosed the first patient in a Phase IIa, randomized, placebo‑controlled trial of its half‑life‑extended anti‑TL1A antibody HXN‑1001 for ulcerative colitis. The company also completed enrollment for the Phase I study in healthy volunteers in Australia, where single doses up...
Epia Neuro, a San Francisco‑based startup, announced a brain‑computer interface implant paired with a motorized glove designed to restore hand function in stroke survivors. The device aims to rewire neural pathways and address the two‑thirds of patients who experience lasting...
SpectraCell Laboratories introduced Baseline Nexus, a single‑kit bundle that merges micronutrient profiling, lipoprotein particle analysis, telomere length measurement, and MTHFR genotyping. The Houston‑based firm says the package lets biohackers spot hidden health risks before symptoms appear, aiming to shift preventive...
A new systematic review in BMC Geriatrics finds that levothyroxine offers no measurable benefit for older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism. Patient‑reported quality‑of‑life, cognitive function, physical performance, and major cardiovascular events were unchanged compared with observation or placebo. The analysis also...
BillionToOne, Inc. saw its Nasdaq‑listed shares drop 3.66% to $79.92 following the announcement that Allen Chen will lead medical affairs and clinical development for oncology. The move comes as the company expands its Northstar liquid‑biopsy platform, and investors are weighing...
Most of synthetic biology has been completely transformed in the last decade. DNA manufacturing? Still running on cloning workflows from the 1970s. That's the bottleneck Jodi Barrientos, CEO of @ribbonbiolabs, is tackling head-on — and she's on the @SynBioBeta Main Stage on...
New study has strengthened link between infectious mono and Multiple Sclerosis. By analyzing 2 decades of health records, researchers found people who contracted mono as teenagers or adults were 3x more likely to develop MS later vs those who didn’t https://t.co/6DLZMEWyU6
Australian parents spent roughly US$33,000 on a stem‑cell procedure in Thailand for their five‑year‑old son with septo‑optic dysplasia, a rare eye condition affecting only 54 Australians. After multiple treatments, the child’s visual acuity improved from 1/60 to 3/60, allowing limited...
So pleased to contribute to this preprint on H5N1 spillover from birds to dairy cattle from the Moo Flu Crew, led by the excellent @jepekar. We traced both B3.13 in Texas and D1.1 in Nevada and Arizona to look at...
All G, a Sydney‑based precision‑fermentation company, earned a U.S. FDA no‑questions letter for its cow‑free lactoferrin protein, clearing the path for commercial launch in the United States within months. The approval validates the ingredient’s safety and opens a new supply...
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed over 246,000 IVF cycles and found Black women have a 45% live‑birth rate, far below the 60% seen for white women. The study suggests the disparity stems from implantation hurdles rather than ovarian...
Researchers introduced an integrated machine‑learning framework to predict SARS‑CoV‑2 compound potency. The system combines an IC50 regression model, a binary activity classifier, and a multi‑task neural network that performs both tasks simultaneously. Incorporating ligand efficiency as a classification criterion, the...
Stealth BioTherapeutics secured the FDA's accelerated approval for elamipretide, branded Forzinity, the first drug that directly targets mitochondria. The milestone is igniting a broader push among biotech firms and academic teams to develop mitochondrial‑focused treatments for age‑related diseases.
Anthropic acquired an AI for biological research startup for just over $400 million. You can read the letter Dimension wrote to their LPs which boasts a 38,513% IRR https://t.co/wneesuT5u7
Anthropic has acquired stealth biotech startup Coefficient Bio in a stock transaction valued at just over $400 million. Coefficient Bio, founded eight months ago, develops AI models aimed at accelerating biological research and pursuing artificial superintelligence for science. The deal brings...
Three independent research teams reported in Nature Genetics that variants in the non‑coding RNA RNU2‑2 cause both a dominant neurodevelopmental epilepsy syndrome and a prevalent recessive childhood disorder with epilepsy. By analyzing overlapping international cohorts and shared genomic datasets, they...
Shreehas Tambe has been appointed the first chief executive officer of the newly combined Biocon entity, formed after Biocon’s merger with contract‑research firm Syngene. The merged company is valued at roughly $5.5 billion and aims to become India’s largest biotech services...
University College London researchers have created a hydrogel‑based axon model that mimics the ~5 kPa softness and three‑dimensional geometry of real brain axons. The tunable micropillar arrays enable human oligodendrocytes to form compact, multilayered myelin, a first for fully hydrogel systems....
Biotech breakthroughs have transformed bleeding disorders from fatal diagnoses into manageable chronic conditions, with extended‑half‑life clotting factors, subcutaneous non‑factor drugs, and emerging gene therapies extending dosing intervals to weeks or months. The National Bleeding Disorders Foundation’s Pathway to Cures fund...
Boston University, leading the AI for Alzheimer’s Disease (AI4AD) consortium, is coordinating 11 research institutes to apply machine learning to massive genomic, biomarker and cognitive datasets. The team is building the PreSiBO database, which tags predictor, signature, biomarker and outcome...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 obesity medication Foundayo on April 1, 2026. The once‑daily pill can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictions and is priced between $149 and $349 a month,...
Lipocine Inc.'s stock fell 78% to $2.00 after its Phase 3 placebo‑controlled trial of oral brexanolone (LPCN 1154) missed the primary efficacy endpoint for postpartum depression. The company said it will preserve capital and engage stakeholders to evaluate next steps, underscoring...
Scientists have restored a silenced tumor-suppressor gene in mice with acute myeloid leukemia by blocking KDM4 enzymes, suggesting a potential new therapeutic approach that avoids harming normal blood cells. leukemia
Nanosecond pulsed electric field applications rejuvenate aging endothelial cells by rescuing mitochondrial-to-nuclear retrograde communication https://t.co/DT8GXNLlxO
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland have created first‑in‑class small‑molecule inhibitors that simultaneously block hypoxia‑inducible factors 1 and 2. In mouse models, the dual HIF‑1/2 inhibitors eradicated breast, colorectal, melanoma and prostate tumors when paired with checkpoint antibodies such...
On this week’s pod, we chatted with @docrodwong about the FDA, the next CBER chief and regulatory flexibility for rare diseases https://t.co/f6L7gwcNsr via @statnews
a (presumably primordial) Ig-like domain regulates the disease relevant SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes that's pretty cool https://t.co/Iit0Swrx0I
Cell line development (CLD) remains a hidden bottleneck that dictates speed to clinic, manufacturability, and long‑term product performance. Traditional random‑integration and lengthy clone screening are giving way to engineered platforms, especially glutamine synthetase (GS) knockout systems, which reduce heterogeneity and...
Anyone know of software or a web server that can search a sequence for alternative genetic codes? Been trying to install Codetta https://t.co/Wd7IMD23Cy but can't get it running so looking for alternatives.
What if the biggest unlock in biotech is simply access? Douglas Crawford built MBC BioLabs to lower barriers and enable 500+ startups. Excited to have him at SynBioBeta 2026. Visit the @SynBioBeta website to read the full article. https://t.co/HEfhvmwZ8i
Health‑tech firms are pivoting toward peptide therapeutics as the next growth engine after the blockbuster GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs. Peptides, which include insulin and GLP‑1, are being explored for obesity, metabolic and chronic disease treatments. Industry analysts project the global peptide...
A team from the Weizmann Institute of Science has genetically modified a tobacco plant to produce five distinct psychedelic compounds in a single host. The breakthrough could streamline drug research and reduce ecological pressure on natural sources, while raising biosecurity...
GENFIT reported 2025 results with cash €101.1 million (~$109 million) and revenue €65.4 million (~$70.6 million), the bulk coming from Ipsen milestones and royalties. Iqirvo® generated $208 million in full‑year sales, triggering a $20 million commercial milestone and activating an additional €30 million (~$32 million) royalty‑financing tranche. The...
Cocrystal Pharma (COCP) saw its shares climb 50.98% to $1.54 after the FDA granted Fast Track designation to its oral antiviral candidate CDI-988 for norovirus. The designation could accelerate development and bring the first oral therapy for the virus closer...
The United Kingdom and the United States have finalized the legal text of a landmark pharmaceutical partnership that eliminates import tariffs on U.S. medicines and certain medical technologies for at least three years. The agreement arrives amid heightened diplomatic tension,...
Alpha Cognition reported $2.8 million in Q4 2025 revenue, with ZUNVEYL sales up 62% quarter‑over‑quarter. COO Lauren D’Angelo highlighted a rapid go‑to‑market expansion across long‑term‑care facilities, while the company balances rising operating costs against a $66 million cash cushion.
Vancouver‑based Aspect Biosystems secured $79 million CAD (≈$58 million USD) from Canada’s Strategic Response Fund for a $280 million CAD (≈$204 million USD) project to scale its 3D‑printed tissue platform. The company will fund the remaining $201 million CAD (≈$147 million USD) and aims to enhance...
Biodexa Pharmaceuticals saw its Nasdaq‑listed shares climb 69% after revealing a partnership with Syngene International to manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient and dosage form of its MTX240 candidate. The deal paves the way for an IND filing and a Phase...
Lipocine reported top‑line Phase 3 data for its postpartum depression candidate LPCN‑1154, revealing no statistically significant improvement over placebo and prompting a 77% plunge in its shares. The Utah‑based biotech’s safety profile was acceptable, but efficacy shortfalls undermine its commercial prospects....
GlobalData projects the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) therapeutics market to grow from $2.0 bn in 2024 to $4.5 bn by 2034, reflecting an 8.4% compound annual growth rate. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) dominate, accounting for 69% of 2024 sales...
Bayer’s oral factor XIa inhibitor asundexian (BAY 2433334) has delivered positive Phase 3 data in the OCEANIC‑STROKE trial, positioning it as a potential first‑in‑class therapy for secondary stroke prevention. The drug aims to block pathological clot formation while minimizing the bleeding complications common...
Scientists have identified a new opioid, N-desethyl‑fluornitrazene (DFNZ), derived from the long‑abandoned nitazene class, that delivers strong pain relief in rodents without causing respiratory depression or high addiction potential. The molecule acts as a μ‑opioid‑receptor superagonist yet exits the brain...
The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 obesity pill orforglipron, marking the first FDA‑cleared oral weight‑loss drug. The approval puts Lilly into direct competition with Novo Nordisk, which is developing its own oral GLP‑1 candidate. Simultaneously, a draft Trump administration order could...
🧵The most underrated superpower in science: Bioinformaticians and wet biologists working together. Here’s why it matters. https://t.co/PRuGiq6CbV
Shionogi completed a $2.5 billion acquisition of global rights to Radicava from Tanabe Pharma, adding an approved ALS treatment to its portfolio. The deal transfers all intellectual property, sales rights and the existing commercial team, delivering an estimated $700 million in annual...
The FDA gave fast‑track approval to Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 obesity drug Foundayo, and the UK’s NHS announced a rollout of semaglutide (Wegovy) to over 1 million adults with prior heart attacks or strokes. Both moves broaden the therapeutic reach of GLP‑1...
Harvard investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital have started a randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether adding psychedelic coaching to FDA‑approved ketamine infusions improves outcomes for patients with treatment‑resistant depression. The study aims to settle a growing debate over the role...
