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.
The BioPharm Brief: Oncology Innovations Continue with Durable Survival, In Vivo CAR-T, and Combination Therapies
Immunocore reported five‑year overall survival data confirming tebentafusp’s durable benefit in metastatic uveal melanoma, the first T‑cell receptor‑based therapy to show a clear survival advantage in this rare cancer. Eli Lilly announced the acquisition of Kelonia Therapeutics to accelerate in‑vivo CAR‑T platforms that could simplify manufacturing and broaden patient access. The FDA granted priority review to the Padcev and Keytruda combination for muscle‑invasive bladder cancer, citing phase 3 results that improve event‑free and overall survival. Together, these moves signal a shift toward durable, combination‑focused oncology development.
Formulary Rules Favor Costlier Drug, Creating Unnecessary Hassle
So I need to take esomeprazole (Nexium) instead of omeprazole (Prilosec). They are both generic - at @costplusdrugs they cost $5.86 and $6.34 respectively (so the eso version is actually cheaper). But on the Blue Cross Medicare formulary, they only...
10x Genomics Launches Atera, a SaaS Platform for Scalable Single‑Cell Spatial Biology
10x Genomics announced Atera, a cloud‑based, subscription‑driven platform that provides whole‑transcriptome spatial analysis with single‑cell sensitivity at scale. Debuted at the AACR 2026 meeting, the service signals a shift toward SaaS models in specialized biotech research.
FDA Grants Priority Review for Merck's KEYTRUDA‑Padcev Combo in Muscle‑Invasive Bladder Cancer
Merck announced that the FDA has placed its KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) and KEYTRUDA QLEX (pembrolizumab‑berahyaluronidase) plus Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) combos for cisplatin‑eligible muscle‑invasive bladder cancer under priority review, with a PDUFA decision due Aug 17, 2026. The move follows Phase 3 KEYNOTE‑B15 data showing...
STAT+: In Early Trial, CAR-T Results Raise Hope of Preventing Multiple Myeloma in High-Risk Patients
A phase‑I trial of CAR‑T therapy in high‑risk smoldering multiple myeloma reported that all 20 participants achieved undetectable disease after treatment. The results, presented at the AACR meeting, suggest the possibility of preventing progression to active myeloma, a deeper response...
ViewsML Secures $4.9 Million to Help Scientists Virtually Analyze Tissue Samples
ViewsML, a Vancouver AI startup, closed a C$4.9 million seed round (approximately US$3.6 million) to commercialize its virtual biomarker platform. The technology uses artificial intelligence to extract quantitative biomarker data from pathology images without traditional chemical staining. By turning a lab‑bound process...
AB Science: New Publication on Medrxiv Demonstrating Substantial Survival Benefits and Preserved Quality of Life with Masitinib in ALS Patients
AB Science announced a medRxiv preprint showing its tyrosine‑kinase inhibitor masitinib dramatically improves survival for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. The data reveal a 5‑year survival rate of 42.3% overall and 52.9% among those treated before complete functional loss, roughly...
Trump, FDA Plan to Expedite Psychedelic Development
President Donald Trump publicly endorsed psychedelic medicines as a breakthrough for severe mental health disorders, pledging to fast‑track their research and development. The White House announcement coincides with the FDA’s plan to create an accelerated review pathway for psychedelic drug...
FDA Grants Priority Review for Padcev Plus Keytruda in Bladder Cancer Treatment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Priority Review to the peri‑operative combination of Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) and Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for muscle‑invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The Phase 3 EV‑304 trial demonstrated a 47% reduction in recurrence, progression or death and a...
Novartis Cuts Two Programs in Cancer-Related Blood Clots
Novartis announced the termination of two late‑stage programs targeting cancer‑related blood clots after a pivotal trial demonstrated inferior efficacy versus existing anticoagulants. The candidates, one of which Novartis out‑licensed in 2019, were being developed to address the high unmet need...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Eli Lilly Acquires Kelonia Therapeutics
Eli Lilly announced a $7 billion deal to acquire Kelonia Therapeutics, adding genetic‑medicine and novel delivery technologies to its pipeline. In parallel, President Trump issued an executive order to speed FDA reviews of psychedelic therapies, signaling a policy shift toward emerging mental‑health...
CRISPR Advances Outpace Ethics in Germline Editing Debate
In 2018, He Jiankui edited the genomes of two human embryos, brought them to term, and went to prison for it. The babies are now children. We don't know how they're doing. Seven years later, base editing and prime editing can...
Viatris Recalls Extended-Release Xanax over Dissolution Test Failure
Viatris has issued a Class II recall of a single batch of its extended‑release Xanax (Xanax XR) after dissolution testing showed the tablets did not meet release specifications. The affected bottles, each containing 60 3‑mg tablets, were manufactured in Ireland and are being...
Substack Live | Flagship Pioneering Announcement: Building on the Code of Life
Flagship Pioneering is hosting a Substack Live session on April 21 at 12:30 pm ET featuring origination partner Jake Rubens. The event will unveil a new initiative that leverages the "code of life" to advance synthetic‑biology‑based therapeutics. Rubens, an MIT‑trained synthetic biologist...
Elisrasib Shows Strong Response Rates in Advanced KRAS‑G12C Lung Cancer
Elisrasib, a next‑generation KRAS‑G12C inhibitor, produced clinical benefit in a 165‑patient cohort of advanced non‑small cell lung cancer at the AACR 2026 meeting. The oral drug, given at a 600 mg daily dose, showed durable responses in patients previously treated with...
FDA Accepts Ultragenyx BLA for UX111 Gene Therapy Targeting Sanfilippo A
Ultragenyx announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted its resubmitted Biologics License Application for UX111, an AAV9 gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome Type A. The agency set a PDUFA action date of September 19, positioning UX111 as...
STAT+: Eli Lilly’s $3.25 Billion Acquisition of Kelonia Therapeutics Caps Startup’s Tortuous Ride
Eli Lilly announced a $3.25 billion acquisition of Kelonia Therapeutics, a small biotech focused on cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The deal may include additional payments if Kelonia meets clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones. Kelonia, formerly Elcano Therapeutics, survived on...
British Patients Risking “Fake” Weight Loss Drugs, Despite Safety Concerns, Survey Says
British patients are increasingly turning to unregulated weight‑loss drugs, with a Zava survey revealing that 21% lack a prescription and many purchase them online. One in six respondents bought doses from e‑commerce platforms, while 11.75% sourced drugs through social‑media channels...
Merck Partner Reveals Bispecific Data; Biogen Pays $100M for Antibody Rights
Merck’s partner Sino Biopharm disclosed first‑in‑human results for its PD‑1×VEGF bispecific antibody, MK‑2010, reporting that six of 11 lung‑cancer patients achieved a response at a low dose. A second cohort showed four responses among nine patients, indicating activity across dosing...
2018 Study Predicts Psilocybin Should Move to Schedule 4
The psychedelic executive order requires government to "initiate and complete review of any product containing a Schedule I substance that has successfully completed Phase 3 clinical trials ... so that rescheduling ... may proceed as quickly as practicable". My 2018...
Israel's SynBio Surge: CEOs Reveal Scaling Success
Israel has built one of the most concentrated synbio ecosystems outside the US. The country's National Bioconvergence Program, run through the Israel Innovation Authority, is specifically designed to close the gap between lab-scale innovation and commercial biomanufacturing. This session at @SynBioBeta 2026...
Kelonia Investor Venrock Will Clear a 45-Fold Return on Startup's Sale to Lilly
Venture capital firm Venrock is set to pocket roughly $900 million after its modest $20 million seed investment in Kelonia Therapeutics paid off. Kelonia agreed to an all‑cash acquisition by Eli Lilly valued at $3.25 billion, delivering an upfront payment that triggers the windfall....
Tebentafusp Shows Durable Survival in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Immunocore Reports
Immunocore reported five‑year overall survival data from its phase 3 trial of tebentafusp‑tebn (Kimmtrak) in HLA‑A*02:01‑positive metastatic uveal melanoma. The study showed 16% of patients on tebentafusp were alive at five years versus 8% on standard therapy, with a hazard ratio...
Biotech Must Prioritize Collaboration, Not Nationalism, for Patients
After a week in Washington DC at one of the best new annual events by @semafor , I came to China for just 2 nights to meet some of my friends from Washington. I even had to skip this year's...
Funding Boosts AI for 3D Protein and RNA Mapping
Funding will support the development of advanced AI methods to map proteins and RNA structures in three dimensions. https://t.co/L6ZSpg8iMW #infrastructure #IoT #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork @virginia_tech https://t.co/7K7X1E9NpH
AACR 2026: Revolution’s Next Prospect, Merck’s Reveal and a Lung Cancer Battle
At AACR 2026, Revolution Medicines reported that its RAS‑G12D inhibitor zoldonrasib produced a 52% response rate and a median 11.1‑month progression‑free survival in heavily pre‑treated non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, hinting at accelerated‑approval potential. Merck presented early data on...
JRT: LSD-Derived Antidepressant Boosts Brain Spines without Hallucinations
One dose: > 46% more dendritic spines in prefrontal cortex > 100x more potent than ketamine as an antidepressant What is it? LSD with a two atom swap. > no trip > no hallucinations > no schizophrenia signature It's called JRT. https://t.co/sozMqlJctc
Balaji Predicts Booming Market for Bro Biotech
.@theojaffee asks Balajis for his thoughts on Clavicular, Balajis says he’s cheering for Clavicular because he’s tapping into bro biotech/bro science and that’s set to be a major market. Peptides, etc https://t.co/CgSt6rg1zI
Federal 340B Overhaul Bill Unlikely This Year
A bipartisan Senate “gang of six” has stalled its 340B drug‑pricing reform effort, with no bill expected before the end of the 118th Congress. The draft legislation, first released in early 2024, still omits a definition of a 340B‑eligible patient,...
LLY's Second in Vivo CAR‑T Deal via Kelonia Buyout
Kelonia turns #ASH25 late-breaker into buyout, with $LLY's second move into in vivo Car-T. Via @ApexOnco -> https://t.co/NPhdnuhPu3 $AZN $GILD
Key Overlooked Factors in Clinical Trial Design
New presentation on things we often forget to consider when designing a clinical trial: https://t.co/BVlSCIHdLu #Statistics #clinicaltrials
Gilead Declines Another Arcus Option After Phase 3 TIGIT Fail
Gilead Sciences has declined another development option with Arcus Biosciences following the Phase 3 failure of their joint TIGIT immunotherapy. The setback ends a key pillar of a long‑standing collaboration and signals Gilead’s intent to trim external programs. Both companies will...
Inside the $3.25B Eli Lilly Acquisition: Memo and Deck
Read the memo and slide deck that led to th creation of the company Eli Lilly bought for $3.25 billion today https://t.co/cNoTs7M4YM
Nektar Jumps as Alopecia Drug Shows Promise
Nektar surges again as alopecia drug shows new promise in extension study https://t.co/UV0ccY4HiR @ByJonGardner $NKTR + 25% $LLY
Lilly Adds Gene Delivery Technology to CAR T in up to $7B Kelonia Deal
Eli Lilly announced an up‑to $7 billion acquisition of Kelonia Therapeutics, securing its Phase 1 lentiviral in‑vivo CAR‑T candidate KLN‑1010 and the iGPS gene‑delivery platform. iGPS uses lentiviral particles to program a patient’s own T‑cells, potentially eliminating ex‑vivo manufacturing and pre‑treatment chemotherapy. The deal...
All Major Psychedelics Produce Identical Brain Network Effects
@Nature published the most comprehensive brain scan study on psychedelics ever done. Psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca. Different compounds. Same effect on your brain networks. Every single time.
AACR 2026 Unveils Merck Breakthrough and Lung Cancer Hope
AACR 2026: Revolution’s next prospect, Merck’s reveal and a lung cancer battle https://t.co/u2iwCd3DKv #AACR26 $RVMD $MRK $NUVL $NUVB
Agenus Cancer Cocktail Records 0% Response Rate, Missing Midstage Goal
Agenus and its spin‑out MiNK Therapeutics reported a zero percent overall response rate in a Phase 2 trial of a three‑drug cocktail for advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. The regimen combined two experimental immunotherapies, botensilimab and balstilimab, with MiNK’s allogeneic iNKT cell therapy...
PSIL Surges as Trump Fast‑tracks Psychedelic Research
Far Out Man: The Psychedelics ETF $PSIL has destroyed its daily volume record in first 30min of trading.. Trump just signed ex order expediting research/access to psyche drugs to cure depression. The sector has been in dog house, waiting for...
Molecular Glue Daraxonrasib Shows Promise Against Pancreatic Cancer
Good summary of the marked benefit of the molecular glue drug (daraxonrasib) vs pancreatic cancer, from Revolution Medicines, and other progress (adds to the neoantigen vaccine with 6-year survival) gift link https://t.co/qk7Ar9dCAQ https://t.co/SMiA51fiwX
Novo’s Late-Stage Sickle Cell Win Piles Pressure on Competitors
Novo Nordisk reported that its oral pyruvate kinase‑R activator etavopivat reduced vaso‑occlusive crises by 27% in the Phase 3 HIBISCUS trial and more than doubled hemoglobin response rates versus placebo. The data support a regulatory filing slated for the second half...
Psychedelics Go Mainstream
President Donald Trump issued an executive order to speed up research and access to psychedelic therapies, allocating $50 million in federal funding and instructing regulators to dismantle long‑standing barriers. The move validates a growing investment thesis that the psychedelic sector will...
Beyond GLP-1Rs: Emerging Targets Poised to Gain Share of Obesity Market
The global obesity drug market is projected to reach $172.6 bn by 2031, up 139% from 2026, driven by GLP‑1R giants like Wegovy and Zepbound. Non‑GLP‑1R therapeutics, currently a niche at $310 m, are forecast to surge 50‑fold, hitting $15.5 bn by 2031....
STAT+: Finally Cracking KRAS as a Druggable Target
Revolution Medicines announced that its KRAS inhibitor daraxonrasib produced tumor shrinkage in a Phase 2 trial for pancreatic cancer, marking the first clear efficacy signal for an oral drug targeting the once‑undruggable KRAS protein. The result follows a wave of...
LLY Acquires Kelonia for $3.25bn After ASH25 Insights
It's official: $LLY buying Kelonia for $3.25bn + milestones. @ByMadeleineA take on the #ASH25 dataset that triggered this move: https://t.co/nVUNlq7YlO
Four‑Week Orange Trial Shows Lipid Shifts in Fatty‑Liver Patients
Researchers at Italy’s National Institute of Gastroenterology completed a randomized 4‑week trial in which 60 patients with metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease ate 400 g of Navelina oranges daily. The study documented measurable changes in serum lipid species without affecting weight...
Regeneron Expands Dupixent to Pediatric Immunology and Teams with Telix on Radiopharma
Regeneron announced a label expansion for Dupixent in Europe to cover pediatric chronic inflammatory diseases and disclosed a strategic partnership with Telix Pharmaceuticals to develop radiopharmaceutical oncology agents. The moves broaden the company's biologic footprint and add a new oncology...
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About Trump Boosting Psychedelic Treatment, the Future for Weight-Loss Drugs, and More
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks warned that GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs will likely reach only about half of the eligible overweight and obese population due to healthcare system complexities and cost barriers. Currently, just 10% of those who could benefit are...
Oregon Passes Bill to Support Medical Cannabis Among Hospice Patients
Oregon enacted Ryan’s Law, mandating hospice, residential and palliative care providers to permit qualified patients to use medical cannabis and to establish safety policies and staff training. The bill adds hospice and end‑of‑life care as a new qualifying condition for...
CStone Unveils Preclinical Data on Three Novel ADCs at AACR 2026
CStone Pharmaceuticals disclosed preclinical data for three proprietary antibody‑drug conjugates—CS5007, CS5006 and CS5008—at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. The bispecific EGFR/HER3 ADC, CS5007, demonstrated plasma stability better than the DS‑8201 benchmark, with free payload release under 0.5%...