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.
Novel Targets for Complex Cancer Revealed by Genetic Regulatory Node Mapping
Researchers at Rockefeller University unveiled PerturbFate, a single‑cell platform that maps how diverse genetic variations reshape cellular behavior over time. By profiling DNA accessibility, RNA output, and chromatin state in thousands of cells, the system identified common regulatory nodes that drive melanoma resistance to the drug vemurafenib. Targeting these shared nodes, including components of the Mediator complex that funnel signals to VEGFC, markedly reduced resistance, suggesting a path toward broader combination therapies. The tools and computational pipeline are now publicly available, with the team planning to apply the approach to aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
AI Designs Lab-Ready Antibodies From Text Prompts
Drug discovery has always meant finding. Screening libraries. Keeping what survives. Semiconductors don't work that way. Neither do aircraft. You design them computationally before anything gets built. @saakohl left @GoogleDeepMind after co-developing AlphaFold2 to do the same thing for biologics. @LatentLabs_ Latent-X2...
Chinese Biotechs Lead Licensing as M&A Surges
M&A is sizzling right along, with the Q1 numbers looking good for biotech. IPOs got started on the year with a spike in offerings and some mixed results on the Street. Dealmaking remains solid. And shall we just call it...
Compounding Quality Center of Excellence | Recorded Webinars
The requested article was not provided; only navigation links and a brief placeholder notice appeared. Consequently, there is no substantive news about a Compounding Quality Center of Excellence webinar to summarize. No author, date, or body content was available for...
FDA Peptide Meeting Signals $100B Market Boom
I wish this FDA meeting to discuss peptides was happening a little sooner but I'm glad it's finally on the calendar so we don't have to keep guessing. Looks like they're going to start with 7 peptides (BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, Mots-C,...
Outsourcing Facilities Annual Study
The FDA’s Compounding Quality Center of Excellence released its annual Outsourcing Facilities study, surveying registered 503B facilities to gauge perceptions of FDA engagement, quality practices, and industry challenges. Findings show a stable number of facilities since 2019, wide variation in...
Synthetic Biologists' Mirror‑image Microbe Dream Hits Complexity
Synthetic biologists were tantalized by the idea of making mirror images of microbes. Then things got complicated.
Organon’s VTAMA® (Tapinarof) Cream, 1%, Granted Strong Recommendation in the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Guidelines for Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis
Organon announced that its steroid‑free VTAMA® (tapinarof) 1% cream received a strong, evidence‑based recommendation in the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2026 pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) guidelines. The AAD highlighted VTAMA as the only topical treatment with high‑certainty evidence that is...
Pharma.Aero Studies Geopolitical Instability in the Gulf
Novo Nordisk’s flagship semaglutide drugs lost Indian patent protection, prompting a flood of low‑cost generics that slashed prices by up to 90%. At the same time, geopolitical turmoil in the Gulf has disrupted key air‑cargo corridors, affecting roughly 21.7% of...
Revolution Medicines Prices $2B Raise as XBI Reaches Heights Not Seen Since Pandemic
Revolution Medicines priced a $2 billion public offering, marking the biotech sector’s largest equity raise since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The capital raise follows a recent positive readout from the company’s late‑stage trial, boosting investor confidence. The move helped lift the SPDR...
Two‑Month Dosing Likely Beats Monthly in PK Trial
As I commented before, they have Phase 2 PK data and they still took both 2 months and 3 months into Ph 3. The primary endpoint is purely a PK non-inferiority one (AUC through week 24). That means that 2...
Pediatric Tracking Requirements Under FDAAA
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) now obligates the FDA to track and publicly release detailed pediatric data from clinical trials conducted under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act and the Pediatric Research Equity Act. The agency aggregates...
Pharma Finance Roundup: Platform Innovation Drives Biotech Investment Across Oncology and Immunology
This week’s biotech financing spotlighted platform‑driven innovation in oncology and immunology. Adcendo closed a $75 million Series C to expand its ADC pipeline, while Beeline Medicines launched with $300 million Series A to develop precision autoimmune therapies. Harbinger Health secured $100 million for its multi‑cancer...
Precision BioSciences Expands ELIMINATE-B Trial Following Clinical Trial Application Approval in Two European Countries
Precision BioSciences received Clinical Trial Application approval to add sites in France and Romania to its global ELIMINATE‑B study of PBGENE‑HBV, an in‑vivo gene‑editing therapy for chronic hepatitis B. The expansion joins existing locations in the United Kingdom, Moldova, New Zealand, Hong Kong...
Whitepaper: CDMOs at a Crossroads
The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) sector is undergoing a rapid transformation as pharma and biotech firms chase end‑to‑end solutions for biologics, cell and gene therapies. Demand for specialized partnerships is rising alongside U.S. policies that encourage domestic production....
WSJ Defends Replimune Drug Amid Mounting Criticism
@WSJ is not giving up the fight for Replimune's cancer drug. Second CRL draws another rebuke and a direct attack on @MartyMakary (Prasad gets another swipe as well, but he's about out the door now.) I often disagree with the...
Electromagnetic Gene Switch Extends Lifespan in Progeroid Mice
Wow, a technique that allows electromagnetic control of gene expression in vivo 🤯 And they tested their system with OSK partial reprogramming, showing it extends lifespan in progeroid mice. In normal mice, they report health improvements and a small reduction in mortality...
Life Biosciences Prepares First Human Trial of Partial Cellular Reprogramming for Glaucoma
Life Biosciences, co‑founded by David Sinclair, is preparing to launch the first human trial of partial cellular reprogramming, targeting retinal nerve cells in glaucoma patients. The study will use a three‑factor gene‑delivery system that can be switched on and off...
Liquid AI Launches Foundation Model for Drug Discovery
@semafor World Economy brought together most of the global CEOs to Washington, DC. And it is a pleasure and honor to meet our amazing partner @ramin_m_h of Liquid AI . We just published the Liquid Foundation Model capable...
Novo Nordisk Teams Up with OpenAI to Fast‑Track Obesity Drug Development
Novo Nordisk announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to embed advanced AI across its research pipeline, aiming to shorten development time for obesity and diabetes treatments. The deal, disclosed on April 14, sent Novo’s shares up 2.8% and underscores a...
Obsidian, Galera to Advance Cell Therapy Following Reverse Merger
Obsidian Therapeutics will go public on Nasdaq via a reverse merger with Galera Therapeutics, creating a combined entity focused on OBX-115, a tumor‑infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy. OBX-115 is in mid‑stage melanoma and early‑stage lung‑cancer trials and is designed to...
BMS Makes a Beeline, Bringing 5 Assets to Biotech's $300M Precision Immunology Debut
Bristol Myers Squibb has spun out a new biotech, Beeline Medicines, backed by $300 million from Bain Capital and an initial portfolio of five assets. The company, led by former SpringWorks CEO Saqib Islam, will focus on precision therapies for autoimmune...
Only 25% of GLP‑1 Users Stay on Treatment After One Year, 74% Plan to Restart
A JAMA‑published analysis of insurance claims shows fewer than 25% of patients stay on GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic and Zepbound after 12 months. A separate Kantar survey reveals that 74% of those who stop intend to resume, prompting clinicians...
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About FDA Seeking More Data on a Lilly Obesity Pill, a Pharma 340B Win, and More
U.S. FDA has asked Eli Lilly to provide additional safety data on its newly approved obesity drug Foundayo, mandating post‑marketing trials for cardiovascular events, delayed gastric emptying, and a lactation study. The pill, a GLP‑1 agonist, received accelerated approval through the...
Replimune Shares Tumble 64% After FDA Issues Second CRL on RP1 Vaccine
Replimune's shares dropped about 64% on April 10 after the FDA issued a second Complete Response Letter rejecting the RP1 vaccine. The setback forces the company into job cuts, raises questions about its pivotal IGNYTE‑3 trial, and slashes analyst price...
Eight Allergy Companies to Watch in 2026
The allergy‑treatment landscape is moving from symptom relief to disease‑modifying therapies, with eight biotech firms leading the charge in 2026. Allergy Therapeutics secured German approval for its short‑course Grassmuno vaccine, while Aravax bolstered its board ahead of a phase 3 launch...
Ads for GLP-1 Drugs Are Flooding the Internet – Here’s How to Know if It’s Safe to Buy Them Online
The surge in online advertisements for GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs, amplified by a high‑profile Super Bowl commercial, has led many consumers to seek cheaper, compounded versions of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The FDA warns that these non‑brand products often bypass...
New Technique Maps Cancer Drug Uptake Inside Living Cells
Researchers at the University of Surrey and King's College London have unveiled a new analytical workflow that maps metal‑based cancer drugs inside living cells. By pairing SEISMIC capillary sampling with laser‑ablation ICP‑MS, they detected trace thallium—used as a surrogate for...
ARS Pharmaceuticals Reports Health Canada Approval of Neffy 2mg to Treat Type I Allergic Reactions
Health Canada has approved ARS Pharma’s neffy 2 mg adrenaline nasal spray for adults and children weighing over 30 kg, marking the first needle‑free emergency treatment for anaphylaxis in the country. In November 2024, ARS granted ALK exclusive rights to commercialize neffy...
MRNA Nanoparticles Teach Beta Cells to Prevent Type 1 Diabetes
As a medical school professor, I can tell you: what we've been doing for type 1 diabetes is managing, not curing. University of Chicago scientists just changed the game. They developed mRNA-loaded nanoparticles that deliver genetic instructions directly to insulin-producing beta cells,...
Today's Teen Could Become First 150‑year‑old
David Sinclair says the first person to live to 150 is a teenager who's alive today. He's taken flak from colleagues for years over this prediction. He doesn't care. He still stands by it. "The first person to live to 150 has...
Takeda Continues to Prune Partnerships, Cuts Ties with mRNA-Targeting Veritas In Silico
Takeda announced the termination of its three‑year partnership with Veritas In Silico, a collaboration focused on small‑molecule drugs that target mRNA. The split, confirmed on April 13, follows a recent wave of collaborator cuts, including a break with Denali Therapeutics and...
Statins Don't Harm Muscle Health in Older Adults
Statin use does not impair muscle health in older adults: findings from the SCOPE study https://t.co/WKjk9Ov0rG https://t.co/xTo9mk3vbw
FDA Panel to Consider Expanding Peptide Access
FDA panel will meet to discuss allowing broader access to certain peptides https://t.co/PDWKvmvvUH via @LizzyLaw_
TOBY Secures US FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Urine-Based Multi-Cancer Test
TOBY has received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for its urine‑based Multi‑Cancer Early Detection (MCED) test. The non‑invasive platform analyzes volatile organic compounds in a single urine sample using spectroscopy and machine‑learning algorithms to identify multiple cancer types. The designation positions...
AI-Driven Global Collaboration Needed for Longevity Research
Great speaking with @SpeakerPelosi at @semafor . In my opinion, drug discovery for cancer and age-related diseases should be a global effort. Nations need to strive to collaborate to extend healthy productive life. Please through longevity. It is the best...
AI Agents and Next‑Gen Alzheimer’s Drugs Beyond CRISPR
Endpoints' Drug Discovery Day is today — our own @RLCscienceboss will be talking about beyond CRISPR & future of Alzheimer's drugs I'm excited to talk with Stanford's @james_y_zou on his escalating research in building AI agents into co-scientists, labs, and now biotechs...
Bioadhesive Scaffold for Dual Delivery of Methotrexate‐Loaded Liposomes and Chondrogenic miRNA in Advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy
Researchers have engineered a bioadhesive scaffold that couples inflammation‑responsive methotrexate‑loaded liposomes with miRNA‑140‑bearing nanoparticles to treat advanced rheumatoid arthritis. The scaffold, composed of collagen, polydopamine‑modified hyaluronic acid and PEGDE cross‑linker, adheres to joint tissue, releases methotrexate when matrix metalloproteinases are...
Advisory Committee Needed to Vet RP1/Replimmune Melanoma Data
I haven’t dug into the specifics of the RP1/Replimmune data in melanoma, but isn’t this an example of where a good old-fashioned Adcomm could help vet the data and overall risk-benefit? https://t.co/qAxtU9pUeF
Tumor Microenvironment‐Responsive Dual‐Enzymatic Flasklike Nanobots for Enhanced Chemotherapy
Researchers have engineered a flask‑shaped nanobot (GC‑M@FPNbot) that harnesses glucose oxidase and catalase to self‑propel in response to tumor‑specific proton and hydrogen peroxide gradients. Loaded with doxorubicin, the bots exhibit chemotactic motion that enables deep penetration of extracellular matrix and...
Navigated TMS Cuts Combat PTSD Symptoms for 85% in Landmark Trial
Researchers at UT Health San Antonio reported that a patented, MRI‑guided, robotic transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocol reduced PTSD symptoms in 85% of combat‑exposed service members and veterans when combined with intensive psychotherapy. The randomized trial, published in JAMA Network...
STAT+: New Bain Biotech Startup, Building on BMS Drugs, Gets a Name and a CEO
Bain Capital Life Sciences has launched a new biotech venture, Beeline Medicines, backed by a $300 million investment and five drug assets licensed from Bristol Myers Squibb. The startup will focus on inflammatory and immune‑mediated diseases, beginning with an oral candidate for...
Danish MinervaX Bolsters Executive Team Amid Transition to Pivotal Vaccine Trial Phase
Denmark‑based biotech MinervaX has hired Jamila Louahed, a former GSK vaccine R&D executive, as Chief Development Officer and veteran life‑science CFO Hans Henrik Chrois Christensen. The leadership changes come as the company prepares to launch a pivotal Phase III trial...
Texas A&M Nasal Spray Reverses Brain Aging in Preclinical Study
Researchers at Texas A&M University, led by Dr. Ashok Shetty, showed that a two‑dose extracellular‑vesicle nasal spray eliminated neuroinflammation and restored memory in aged rodents. The preclinical results, published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, suggest a non‑invasive route to...
FDA Grants Priority Review to Daiichi Sankyo, Merck’s B7‑H3 ADC for Small‑Cell Lung Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has placed Daiichi Sankyo and Merck’s ifinatamab deruxtecan (I‑DXd) on its Priority Review list for extensive‑stage small‑cell lung cancer (ES‑SCLC) that progressed after platinum chemotherapy. The agency set an October 10 2026 decision deadline and will...
QIAGEN Launches QIAstat-Dx BCID GPF Plus AMR Panel for Bloodstream Infection Syndromic Testing
QIAGEN has launched the CE‑IVDR‑certified QIAstat‑Dx BCID GPF Plus AMR Panel for rapid bloodstream‑infection syndromic testing. The assay detects 20 gram‑positive bacterial and fungal targets and ten antimicrobial‑resistance markers, delivering results in approximately one hour. Announced at the ESCMID Global...
AWS Unveils Amazon Bio Discovery AI Platform to Accelerate Early‑Stage Drug Development
Amazon Web Services launched Amazon Bio Discovery, an AI‑powered application that lets researchers run complex drug‑discovery workflows without coding. Early adopters include Bayer, the Broad Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the tool promises to shrink antibody‑design cycles from months...
J&J Targets $100B Revenue, Replimune Rebuffed Again and a “Revolution” In Pancreatic Cancer
Johnson & Johnson reported $24.1 billion in first‑quarter sales and set an ambitious $100 billion revenue target for 2026, underscoring its aggressive growth strategy amid a wave of biotech M&A. Replimune’s advanced melanoma therapy RP1 was denied again, with the FDA insisting...
Homoharringtonine as a Senotherapeutic Drug
Researchers used a large‑scale drug‑repositioning screen to identify homoharringtonine (HHT), an FDA‑approved anti‑leukemic agent, as a potent senotherapeutic. In vitro, HHT selectively eliminated senescent pre‑adipocytes while sparing healthy cells. In male mice, HHT cleared senescent adipocytes, restored white‑adipose tissue function,...
SynuSight’s Α‑syn PET Tracer SST001 Cleared by China’s NMPA for Phase I Trial
Mabwell’s incubated unit SynuSight Biotech announced that the National Medical Products Administration approved its α‑synuclein PET tracer SST001 for a Phase I trial in China. The non‑randomized study will enroll healthy volunteers, Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy patients at...