Today's Pharma Pulse
Ona lands $86.6M Series B, one of Spain’s biggest biotech rounds
Spanish biotech firm Ona announced an $86.6 million Series B financing, ranking among the largest venture rounds in Spain’s life‑science sector this year. The round was led by Seventure Partners with participation from existing backers and new strategic investors. The funding will be used to scale Ona’s AI‑driven drug discovery platform and accelerate its pre‑clinical programs.
AstraZeneca Posts 8% Revenue Rise in Q1 2026, Highlights Oncology Gains and Pipeline Progress
AstraZeneca announced an 8% jump in first‑quarter 2026 revenue, a 12% lift in operating profit and a core EPS of $2.58. Management credited new‑medicine demand, a 26% surge in alliance revenue, and robust oncology sales, while reaffirming full‑year guidance for mid‑single‑digit revenue growth and low double‑digit EPS growth.
FDA Expands Access to Daraxonrasib, Drug That Nearly Doubles Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this week that it will broaden patient eligibility for Daraxonrasib, a targeted therapy that nearly doubled survival in a pivotal trial for advanced pancreatic cancer. The move follows growing clinical evidence and patient...
Low‑dose Endoxifen Cuts Breast Density, Fewer Side Effects
Low-dose endoxifen reduces breast density by up to 26%, matching the effect of tamoxifen but with fewer side effects, suggesting potential for improved preventive strategies in breast cancer. breastcancer
Low-Dose Drug Cuts Breast Density up to 26% with Fewer Side Effects
A Karolinska Institutet study found that low‑dose endoxifen, the active metabolite of tamoxifen, reduces mammographic breast density by up to 26%—comparable to the 18.5% reduction seen with standard 20 mg tamoxifen—while causing far fewer serious side effects. In a randomized, placebo‑controlled...
ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
ADC Therapeutics reported Q1 2026 product revenue of $15.8 million, a decline from the prior year, while GAAP net loss narrowed to $41 million ($0.30 per share). Operating expenses fell 12.1% on a non‑GAAP basis, driven by lower R&D spend. The company...
Travere Therapeutics Inc (TVTX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Travere Therapeutics reported record commercial performance for FILSPARI, posting $322 million in 2025 sales—a 144% year‑over‑year increase—and a Q4 record of 908 new patient start forms. The company secured a new FDA PDUFA target date of April 13, 2026 for the FSGS indication...
NHS Cancer Jab Could Save Patients Hours in Hospital
NHS England is introducing an injectable form of Keytruda, the blockbuster immunotherapy, that can be given in one to two minutes instead of the traditional hour‑long infusion. About 14,000 cancer patients in England start Keytruda each year, and most are...
FDA OKs Bi‑weekly Teclistamab Dosing, Boosting Convenience in Relapsed Myeloma
The FDA has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application allowing teclistamab‑cqyv (Tecvayli) to be given at 1.5 mg/kg every two weeks for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have sustained a complete response for at least six months. The change follows...
Purdue Pharma's $7.4 B Settlement Finalizes OxyContin Shutdown
Purdue Pharma has finalized a $7.4 billion settlement that ends its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and shuts down the OxyContin maker. The deal resolves over 2,600 civil claims and marks one of the largest pharmaceutical liability payouts in U.S. history.
UCLA Engineers RNA‑Based Programmable Artificial Organelles for Cellular Nanomachinery
A UCLA team has demonstrated a method to build programmable artificial organelles inside living cells using RNA as both material and blueprint. Published in Nature Nanotechnology, the work promises more efficient synthetic‑biology tools and could reshape nanotech‑enabled therapeutics.
Re: Limit Use of Nasal Decongestant Sprays to Five Days, UK Regulator Says
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new guidance limiting the use of over‑the‑counter nasal decongestant sprays containing xylometazoline or oxymetazoline to a maximum of five days. The advisory reiterates long‑standing clinical warnings that prolonged use...
GLP Success Sparked Unstoppable Peptide Boom
The (hard for some to accept) reality is that the popularity of GLPs, which of course have lots of RCTs to support them, are actually what opened the doors for the immense interest in all the other peptides. People are...
Wearables Transform Clinical Trials with Continuous Real‑World Data
Delighted to share details on an exciting forum that we are hosting here at the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics at @NorthwesternU — Advanced Wearable Sensors and the Future of Clinical Trials — on June 24, 2026, at the...
DNA‑Based Gene Therapy Slashes LDL Cholesterol by 47% in Mice, Bypassing Statins
Researchers at the University of Barcelona and the University of Oregon reported that a DNA‑based molecule lowered LDL cholesterol by about 47% in mice after a single injection. The approach silences the PCSK9 gene without the muscle and liver side...
Editorial. Costly Remedy
Sun Pharma announced an $11.75 billion acquisition of Organon, a U.S. pharma firm with roughly $6.2 billion in annual revenue. The deal comes as the Trump administration prepares 100% tariffs on certain patented drugs, pressuring generic exporters to secure domestic supply chains....
Parexel Acquires Vitrana to Boost AI-Driven Patient Safety Platform
Parexel announced the acquisition of Vitrana, an AI‑enabled pharmacovigilance technology provider, to create a single‑partner model for safety services and software. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal expands Parexel’s AI capabilities and promises faster, more compliant adverse‑event processing...
Pfizer, Arvinas Win FDA Nod for VEPPANU, First PROTAC Cancer Drug
Pfizer and Arvinas have secured U.S. FDA approval for VEPPANU (vepdegestrant), the first orally bioavailable PROTAC drug, targeting estrogen‑receptor positive, HER2‑negative, ESR1‑mutated advanced breast cancer after endocrine therapy failure. The decision validates the targeted protein degradation platform while raising questions...
Sun Pharma to Acquire Organon for $11.75 Bn, Marking India's Largest Overseas Pharma Deal
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced an all‑cash purchase of Organon & Co. for $11.75 bn, paying $14 per share—a 24% premium to the prior close. The transaction, the largest overseas pharma acquisition by an Indian company, will reshape financing structures and draw...
Review Flags Neurotoxic Risks of Silver Nanoparticles in Rodent Studies
Researchers from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University and University Montpellier published a review on 29 April 2026 that links silver nanoparticle exposure to multiple neurotoxic mechanisms in rodent models. The paper warns that expanding biomedical applications—such as neural implants and drug‑delivery systems—must contend...
Loyal's Canine Longevity Pill Nears Market After FDA Deems Likely Effective
Loyal, the biotech startup founded by Celine Halioua, has moved its canine longevity pill closer to market after the FDA deemed it likely effective in February 2025. The drug, which could add a year to a dog’s healthy lifespan, arrives amid...
BofA Keeps Buy on Eli Lilly, Sets $1,133 Target After Strong Q1
Bank of America reaffirmed its Buy rating on Eli Lilly, lifting its price objective to $1,133—about 21% upside—following a first‑quarter that beat sales and earnings expectations. The analyst firm highlighted the drugmaker’s obesity and GLP‑1 momentum and adjusted its valuation...
Redefining Success in Transplant Medicine
In this episode of Signals KOLs, transplant nephrologist Dr. Deirdre Sawinski, industry veteran Steve Risk (SVP Medical Affairs at Veloxys), and patient‑physician Sejal Patel discuss the stagnant long‑term outcomes in kidney transplantation despite excellent short‑term success. They highlight how current...
RESEARCH: NICLOSAMIDE in CANCER and Other Diseases - 2025 Review Paper From Henan, China
A 2025 review paper from Henan, China, evaluates niclosamide—a decades‑old anti‑parasitic—as a repurposed oncology agent. The analysis compiles pre‑clinical data across breast, lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, and highlights early‑phase clinical trials showing modest tumor responses. Researchers also discuss formulation...
Liquid Biopsy Predicts Response to Breast Cancer Immunotherapy
Researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center demonstrated that serial liquid biopsies analyzing peripheral blood RNA can predict response to pembrolizumab in high‑risk early‑stage HER2‑negative breast cancer. The study examined 546 blood samples from 160 patients in the I‑SPY2 trial, showing transcriptional...
Electronics‑Free Smart Lens Monitors Glaucoma and Releases Medication
Researchers have developed a prototype electronics-free smart contact lens that can track glaucoma in real time and deliver drugs in response. https://spectrum.ieee.org/smart-contact-lens-glaucoma-microfluidics
The Biosimilar Market Isn’t Failing, It’s Finding Its Purpose
The biosimilar market is not collapsing; it is transitioning from a price‑driven scramble to a purpose‑focused strategy. Recent HHS data show that markets become uneconomic once five competitors vie for the same molecule, prompting a shift toward diversified product portfolios....
FDA Closes the 503B Bulks Door on Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Liraglutide
On April 30, 2026 the FDA issued a proposal to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide from the 503B Bulks List, arguing there is no clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound these GLP‑1 drugs. The move follows the resolution of...
FDA Rejects RP1 Melanoma Therapy After Fast‑Track Review
The FDA has denied approval of RP1, an oncolytic immunotherapy for advanced melanoma, despite its breakthrough designation. The agency cited a heterogeneous study population and lack of a control arm, overturning an earlier panel recommendation.
Gene Therapy Gives Deaf Toddlers Hearing After One Injection
Regeneron’s Otarmeni received FDA accelerated approval after an international trial showed toddlers with congenital OTOF‑related deafness responding to a single injection. The study, led by Mass Eye and Ear and Fudan University, recorded measurable hearing in 80% of participants, sparking...
Rethinking Blood Thinners for Atrial Fibrillation Patients
At the American College of Cardiology meeting, a three‑year trial demonstrated that the Watchman left‑atrial‑appendage closure device provides stroke protection comparable to lifelong anticoagulation while causing far fewer bleeding events. The findings challenge the entrenched belief that atrial fibrillation patients...
Blocking a Cellular Inflammation Process Could Result in Effective Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Scientists at The Wistar Institute and ChristianaCare identified a vulnerability in pancreatic cancer where defective mitochondria release double‑stranded RNA, triggering the TLR3/TRAF6 inflammatory pathway. The tumor cells become dependent on this inflammation for growth and survival, and blocking the pathway...
Stopping and Restarting Certain GLP-1s to Lose Weight May Make the Drug Less Effective
A preclinical study from the University of Pennsylvania found that stopping and restarting GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs, such as semaglutide, markedly diminishes their efficacy. Overweight mice on a stop‑and‑start regimen regained weight during off periods and never recaptured their initial loss,...
T‑cell Engagers Face Uncertain Future Amid Mixed Readouts
T cell engagers for I&I will have a lot of clinical readouts this year. This update (report from MS) from $AMGN on blinatumomab last week doesn't bode well for the class and it's unclear if next gen formats will...
Nature Study Turns Into Immediate
I wrote about this 6 weeks ago at Ground Truths when the 2 @Nature papers by @HugoAerts and colleagues came out. Today it's a "Health Alert"! https://t.co/CgxBU7IAk1 https://t.co/24PijmLhzR
Plant‑Based Iron Supplements Boost Blood Oxygen Faster Than Conventional Pills in New Study
Researchers led by Maheshvari N. Patel at NovoBliss Research reported that a 60‑day, 86‑participant trial found plant‑based iron capsules improved blood oxygen levels and hemoglobin faster than standard ferrous sulfate pills, while causing fewer digestive complaints. The findings could reshape...
AI‑Driven STAR System Enables First Biological Fatherhood for Azoospermic Man
Columbia University’s STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) platform used artificial intelligence to isolate viable sperm from a man diagnosed with azoospermia, resulting in the first AI‑assisted conception and a baby expected in 2026. The breakthrough could reshape treatment for the...
This Overlooked Mineral May Play A Role In Protecting Against Alzheimer’s
Physician‑scientist David Fajgenbaum highlights emerging evidence that lithium, a long‑used mood stabilizer, may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Human post‑mortem studies show lower lithium in the prefrontal cortex of patients with mild cognitive impairment, while mouse experiments demonstrate that dietary lithium...
Syngene International Names Abhijit Zutshi as Chief Commercial Officer to Drive Global CRO Growth
Syngene International Limited has appointed Abhijit Zutshi as Chief Commercial Officer. The 27‑year pharma veteran will oversee sales, marketing, client partnerships and digital initiatives, positioning the contract research organization for accelerated revenue growth and expanded global reach.
Pharma Makers Petition Supreme Court to Halt 5th Circuit Ban on Telehealth Abortion Pills
Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro filed emergency petitions with the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday, asking the high court to pause a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that bars telehealth and mail‑order dispensing of the abortion pill mifepristone. The...
Trump’s Executive Order Spurs Ibogaine Hype as FDA Greenlights First Clinical Trial
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 18 to accelerate psychedelic access, and the FDA announced it will permit the first clinical trial of ibogaine. The political push has ignited a wave of public enthusiasm that far exceeds the...
The Bias in Medical Research: Africa Carries a Huge Disease Burden but Is Missing From Clinical Trials
A new analysis of 2,472 randomized controlled trials published between 2019 and 2024 reveals a stark under‑representation of Africa in top medical research. Only 3.9% of trials in the most prestigious general journals were conducted exclusively on the continent, and...
ByteDance’s Anew Labs Unveils First AI‑Designed Small‑Molecule Immunotherapy
ByteDance’s drug‑discovery unit Anew Labs presented its first AI‑designed small‑molecule immunotherapy at the American Association of Immunologists conference in Boston. The generative‑AI compound targets IL‑17, a protein‑protein interaction long labeled undruggable, and could pave the way for oral treatments that...
Epigenetic Reprogramming Enters Human Trials for Vision
Aging biotech has made TIME's "New Frontiers" list. @lifebiosciences is using Yamanaka factors, and the FDA just cleared their first-in-human trial for optic neuropathies. Partial epigenetic reprogramming is no longer theoretical. It's in human trials. https://t.co/ZtVT5PxbHZ https://t.co/OhqLtNfqGT
Celcuity's Gedatolisib Triplet Beats Alpelisib in Phase 3 PIK3CA‑Mutant Breast Cancer Trial
Celcuity Inc. announced that its Phase 3 VIKTORIA‑1 trial met its primary endpoint, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful progression‑free survival benefit for the gedatolisib‑fulvestrant‑palbociclib regimen over alpelisib‑fulvestrant in PIK3CA‑mutant HR+/HER2‑ advanced breast cancer. The data will be presented at...
Scientists Cautiously Suggest GLP-1s Are Safe to Use Around Pregnancy
A systematic review of more than 49,000 pregnancies over two decades found that exposure to GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro around conception does not increase the risk of major birth defects. The meta‑analysis of ten cohort...
Mifepristone Ruling and a Dive Into Trump's Dementia Riddled Brain
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has halted telehealth prescriptions for mifepristone in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, leaving the ruling’s geographic reach and the prospect of a nationwide injunction uncertain. At the same time, former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social...
Intellia’s In‑Vivo CRISPR Therapy Clears Phase 3, Prompting $1.9 B Chiesi Deal
Intellia Therapeutics announced that its single‑dose in‑vivo CRISPR therapy lonvoctocogene‑z cut hereditary angioedema attacks by 87% in a Phase 3 trial, the first such success for any in‑vivo CRISPR product. Two days later, Italy’s Chiesi Group acquired KalVista Pharmaceuticals for $1.9 billion,...
Blood Factors Drive Aging or Rejuvenation; Therapies Emerging
Aging is increasingly understood as a system-wide process shaped by factors in the blood, which can actively drive either decline or rejuvenation rather than just reflect it. Emerging therapies that modify the circulatory environment show promise in reversing aspects of...
NMN Curbs Antibody Attacks, Eases Bleeding Disorder
NEW CLINICAL TRIAL RESULT: NMN suppresses harmful antibody-driven immune attacks to alleviate a common bleeding disorder. Authors suggest it may help other autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis 🙏🧵 https://t.co/eMvefTFxZo
AI's Measured Impact on Biopharma R&D Remains Limited
My 2c on this highly relevant @Loftus @WSJ on ai in biopharma R&D, an article that offers generally measured assessment of ai impact so far, and will not come as surprise to regular @timmermanreport readers…-> https://t.co/KPigSAw5RC