Know What's Happening in Pharma
Know What's Happening in Pharma
Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 pill and triple‑agonist trial reshape obesity drug race
The FDA approved Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 weight‑loss tablet Foundayo (orforglipron), which can be taken without food or water restrictions. In a Phase 3 trial, Lilly’s experimental injectable triple‑hormone agonist retatrutide achieved a 28.7% average body‑weight reduction, outpacing Novo Nordisk’s next‑generation candidates.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Lupin Limited acquires VISUfarma
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 lowered office systolic blood pressure by the same 6.7 mm Hg over 20 weeks. Serious adverse events occurred in 5% of the monthly group versus 2% with a single dose, and one death was deemed unrelated. The study lacked a placebo‑only comparator, limiting definitive efficacy conclusions.
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.
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...
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...
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...
Biogen announced that litifilimab, an anti‑BDCA2 monoclonal antibody, achieved its primary endpoint in the Phase 2 portion of the AMETHYST study for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). The drug showed an 11.8% greater reduction in disease activity versus placebo, with 14.7% of...
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...
Adam, I used to think this way. Then gene therapy & IO worked. IL2 has consumed a lot of hope; but new variations make it hard to quit. Abeta worked. And synergy: combine modest drugs, unlock big benefits. Invest or...
A comprehensive atlas now defines all human E3 ligases, resolving decades of inconsistencies and providing a unified framework to advance research and therapeutic development for diseases linked to these essential enzymes. biotechnology
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals presented two‑year open‑label extension data for plozasiran at the ACC 75th session, showing an 83% median triglyceride reduction in severe hypertriglyceridemia and 96% of patients dropping below the 500 mg/dL pancreatitis threshold. No adjudicated acute pancreatitis events occurred, and...
Our first ever earnings call coming up tomorrow - we are reporting our 2025 annual results. I will start the call with the 5 minute introduction to AI drug discovery and how we measure AI drug discovery productivity. In my...
The University of Texas at San Antonio has opened a precision clinical trial to evaluate rapamycin in non‑smoking, independently living seniors. Researchers hope the study will provide hard data on dosing and safety, moving the longevity drug from hype to...
A recent industry report warns that AI‑driven drug discovery platforms are vulnerable to cyber‑attacks and data‑privacy breaches, citing outdated hardware, fragmented compliance frameworks, and supply‑chain pressures. The findings could force pharma firms to overhaul security protocols and accelerate regulatory engagement.
GlucoTrack, Inc. saw its Nasdaq‑listed shares climb 34.09% to $1.46 after reporting key milestones that set the stage for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) filing with the FDA in the second quarter of 2026. The company completed a first‑in‑human trial...
Tanabe Pharma announced that its oral investigational drug achieved positive results in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and X‑linked protoporphyria (XLP), two ultra‑rare phototoxic disorders. The study met its primary endpoint of reducing light‑induced pain episodes and...
Bristol Myers Squibb reported Phase 4 data showing that adults with schizophrenia can switch from oral atypical antipsychotics to Cobenfy (xanomeline‑trospium) without loss of symptom control. In an 8‑week open‑label trial, 86% of 105 patients completed the study, and mean PANSS...
As a medical school professor, I've watched GLP-1 drugs transform diabetes and obesity treatment. Now a Nature Cancer review reveals they may suppress cancer too. GLP-1 drugs reduce insulin resistance, lower inflammation, and cut body weight -- three of the biggest...
The current meds help people eat fewer calories. That’s how they work for weight loss (yes they have weight independent effects like CVD reduction). The next frontier is helping burn more calories.
Researchers at Leiden University introduced microrobots only a few tens of micrometres long that can swim, steer and change shape without any onboard sensors or code, moving at roughly 7 µm per second. The breakthrough relies on a nanostructured chain design...
Lantern Pharma and its subsidiary Starlight Therapeutics received FDA clearance for the Investigational New Drug application of STAR-001, paving the way for a Phase 1 pediatric trial in central nervous system cancers. The announcement sent Lantern's Nasdaq‑listed shares down 10.04%...
Adjuvant pembrolizumab (Keytruda) continued to show a strong recurrence‑free survival (RFS) advantage in resected stage IIB/IIC melanoma, with median RFS not reached versus 59.2 months for placebo (hazard ratio 0.65). The 48‑month RFS rates were 68.7% with pembrolizumab compared with...
Oral GLP-1 wars, FDA drift, HIV franchise defense, and a few biotech landmines | Ep. 970 https://t.co/sx4kBXzgSL [ 02:30 ] oral GLP-1 battlefield heats up [ 03:08 ] convenience factor drives adoption [ 04:51 ] tolerability issues hit persistence [ 05:45 ] Novo writes $2.1...
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...
Recent meta‑analyses of roughly 100,000‑plus adults confirm that statins and other cholesterol‑lowering drugs cut cardiovascular events by about 30 percent relative risk, delivering an absolute 2 percent mortality benefit over four years—equivalent to one life saved for every 50 treated. The safety...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk’s 7.2 mg semaglutide injection, branded Wegovy HD, just 54 days after filing. The fast-track decision, the fourth under the National Priority Voucher program, expands dosing options for weight‑loss and metabolic biohackers.
Researchers from Northwestern, Rice and Carnegie Mellon unveiled HOBIT, a gum‑sized implant that keeps engineered cells alive and releases three biologics—an anti‑HIV antibody, a GLP‑1 peptide and leptin—for a month in animal trials. The device maintained 65% cell viability versus...
Rocket Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for KRESLADI, its one‑time gene therapy for severe leukocyte adhesion deficiency‑I in children. The milestone triggered a swing in the company's stock, with a pre‑market surge followed...
β-Hydroxybutyrate, a primary metabolite of ketogenic diets and its dual role in modulating colorectal cancer: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic insights https://t.co/pPCdm2AcFo https://t.co/mPtz1Xqiep
Earendil Labs Announces $787 Million in Financing to Scale AI-Driven Biologics Discovery and Development Who is winning AI race again? https://t.co/ZW4S2zUGkS
China Shineway Pharmaceutical Group Limited announced a full‑year net profit of RMB949.95 million (about $133 million), up from RMB840.05 million a year earlier. The gain came even as revenue slipped 17% to RMB3.135 billion ($439 million), highlighting a mixed performance in China's generic drug market.
A meta‑analysis of 28 randomized trials involving 2,130 Asian patients shows that total glucosides of paeony (TGP) combined with conventional therapy significantly improves spinal function, reduces inflammatory markers such as ESR and CRP, and enhances quality‑of‑life scores in ankylosing spondylitis...
Cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing is advancing quickly, yet many early‑stage firms postpone building an integrated digital backbone. The resulting manual handoffs create safety, compliance, and scalability risks. SAP’s Cell and Gene Therapy Orchestration platform introduces guided workflows, e‑signatures,...
Ocugen announced completion of patient enrollment for its Phase 3 liMeliGhT trial of OCU400, a modifier gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa. The study enrolled 140 patients in a 2:1 treatment‑to‑control ratio and will assess visual function via the LDNA mobility test....
SELLAS Life Sciences announced it will present preclinical data on its CDK9 inhibitor SLS009 (tambiciclib) at the AACR 2026 meeting in San Diego. The poster highlights the drug’s ability to induce apoptosis and lower MCL‑1 levels in acute myeloid leukemia...
For years, we’ve talked about a trillion-dollar bioeconomy. The harder question has always been where to start. This new piece on the AB4S Molecule Manifesto from @LOrealGroupe, @Lallemande, @EITFood , @BASF, @Evonik, and @cradlebio offers one of the most compelling answers...
Rosen Law Firm has filed a securities‑fraud class action against Corcept Therapeutics and opened a class‑action investigation into Aldeyra Therapeutics following FDA setbacks. The actions give investors a chance to seek compensation and set a deadline of April 21, 2026...
“Huntington’s Disease and The Triad of Therapeutic Conviction”. Debut blog from Eric Green, CEO of Trace Neuro, explaining why and how advances are happening in HD. Genetics, cellular understanding, and enabling modalities. https://t.co/pAr9EQs5gJ
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, Houston Methodist and the University of Johannesburg have unveiled three nanomedicine platforms—a light‑activated copper nanoparticle, a magnetically guided superparamagnetic carrier and a liposome‑encapsulated photodynamic therapy—that each claim to dramatically improve precision for cancer or spinal‑cord...
This is so awesome. @JohnSchloendorn and Alice Gilman at R3 Bio talk through what they’re doing at R3 Bio: building something that's never existed before. They're designing genetically engineered whole organ systems. See them featured in WIRED. @WIRED full story here: https://t.co/8z5iGXR0uK
![[Comment] New Hope for Neurotrophin Targeting in Osteoarthritis Pain?](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/754aaf1faeb0d5f3b76618daddf79401.webp)
Osteoarthritis (OA) remains a massive global health challenge with no disease‑modifying drugs and only modestly effective analgesics. The anti‑NGF monoclonal antibody, introduced in 2010, delivered unprecedented pain relief but was halted in 2021 after the FDA and EMA flagged joint...
![[Editorial] Politicisation of the US FDA: Eroding Integrity and Trust](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/2cbcac9eecf69b15e3915028747699be.webp)
The editorial warns that increasing political interference is eroding the US Food and Drug Administration’s integrity and public trust. With a 2026 budget of $6.8 billion, the FDA remains the world’s most influential drug regulator, tasked with safeguarding safety while accelerating...
The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) released seven proposed Practice Directions to modernize its hearing procedures. It proposes default paper hearings for evidentiary matters, electronic filing, standardized motions, AI disclosure, virtual oral arguments, and an expedited failure‑to‑file process with...
A recent study from Università Cattolica in Milan examined how open‑label placebos affect seniors aged 65 and older. Ninety participants were divided into deceptive placebo, open‑label placebo, and control groups for a three‑week trial. The open‑label group, informed they were...
LEO Pharma presented long‑term results from the five‑year EFFISAYIL ON extension, showing subcutaneous SPEVIGO® reduced generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) flares from an average of two per year to 0.13, with 74.6% of patients experiencing no flares over three years. Intravenous SPEVIGO...
TrumpRx, launched early 2026, is a direct‑to‑patient portal offering more than 40 drugs with cash‑pay prices, coupons and discounts. The platform aligns with the administration’s most‑favored‑nation (MFN) pricing policy, but the listed prices do not always match the official MFN...
VIVAZEN® welcomed a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on H.R. 8000, the End Needless Distribution of 7‑OH Act, urging the DEA to promptly schedule the synthetic opioid 7‑hydroxymitragynine. The company highlighted public‑health risks such as toxicity, dependence and market confusion...
Korean biotech is gaining global visibility after the East‑West Biopharma Summit highlighted its first‑in‑class pipelines. The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that Eli Lilly will invest $500 million over the next five years to collaborate with domestic firms. The deal...
Rubedo Life Sciences reported positive preliminary Phase 1 data for RLS‑1496, the first human‑tested GPX4 modulator designed to clear senescent cells. The 4‑week, double‑blind study in the EU showed the drug was well‑tolerated, produced a clear dose‑response, and reduced epidermal thickness...
The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued positive opinions on five products: a subcutaneous formulation of Sanofi’s multiple‑myeloma therapy Sarclisa and four entirely new drugs pending approval. The subcutaneous version aims to simplify...
