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.
GSK Plans Five Phase 3 Studies for Gynecological Cancer ADC From Hansoh
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced it will initiate five Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate an antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) for gynecological cancers, a candidate licensed from Chinese partner Hansoh Pharma. Early-stage data presented on Sunday showed encouraging tumor responses in ovarian and endometrial patient subsets. The trials will assess efficacy and safety across multiple indications, targeting regulatory submissions later this decade. The move expands GSK’s oncology portfolio while leveraging Hansoh’s innovative platform.
HDFC Securities Flags Ongoing Margin Pressure for Indian Pharma and Healthcare Firms
HDFC Securities warned that Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare companies will see flat EBITDA margins in the March quarter despite 11% YoY sales growth, as input costs rise and US pricing pressure deepens. The brokerage projects a 10% YoY sales rise...
University of Michigan Nanoparticle Therapy Stops Tick‑Borne Red Meat Allergy in Mice
On Aug. 12, 2024, University of Michigan scientists, with University of Virginia collaborators, reported that an intravenously delivered nanoparticle formulation prevented the tick‑borne red‑meat allergy (alpha‑gal syndrome) in 10 of 12 mice. The pre‑clinical result highlights a new nanotech route...
Belantamab Mafodotin Plus Lenalidomide Shows 96.7% Response in Transplant‑Ineligible Myeloma
The BelaRd phase 1/2 study found that belantamab mafodotin at 1.9 mg/kg every eight weeks combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone produced a 96.7% overall response rate in transplant‑ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. High 18‑month progression‑free survival rates and a tolerable...
Why Ozempic Doesn’t Work for Everyone: Scientists Just Found a Hidden Reason
Researchers at Stanford Medicine and international partners identified a genetic basis for reduced effectiveness of GLP‑1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic, in about 10% of the population. The study links specific PAM gene variants to a newly described GLP‑1 resistance,...
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical: The Market Is Overlooking 2026 Catalysts
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE) remains a speculative conviction hold as its commercial base funds a late‑stage rare‑disease pipeline. The company expects multiple 2026‑2027 catalysts—including GTX‑102, DTX401 and UX111—to drive revenue growth. Conservative U.S.–only modeling projects $1.5 B‑$2.4 B peak annual revenue from these...
One Blood Test Detects Multiple Cancers and Diseases
Detecting multiple cancers and other diseases from a single blood sample https://t.co/6gjjYY50dm via @medical_xpress #cancer #research
Ukraine’s Wartime Healthcare: Inna Ivanenko on Access, PMG, and Medicines
Inna Ivanenko, executive director of the Patients of Ukraine foundation, detailed how Ukraine’s health system is coping with wartime devastation. Over 2,530 facilities have been damaged, 327 destroyed, yet 700 have been fully restored and mobile clinics are delivering care...
Pfizer's Oncology Portfolio Targets Growth Ahead of May 5 Earnings
Pfizer is positioning its cancer drug portfolio for a rebound in the first quarter, with sales of Xtandi, Lorbrena and the Braftovi‑Mektovi combo expected to offset declines in Ibrance and Inlyta. The company will update investors on late‑stage candidates and...
Neurocrine to Acquire Soleno for $2.9 B, Paying $53 per Share in Cash
Neurocrine Biosciences announced a definitive agreement to acquire Soleno Therapeutics for $53 per share in cash, valuing the transaction at roughly $2.9 billion. The offer represents a 34% premium to Soleno’s April 2 closing price and is expected to close within 90...
HKEX Slashes WVR Valuation to $2.6B, Aims to Lure Innovative Firms
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) unveiled its biggest listing reform since 2018, halving the minimum market capitalisation for weighted‑voting‑right (WVR) companies to HK$20 billion (about US$2.6 billion) and lowering the secondary‑listing threshold to HK$6 billion. The changes aim to make Hong Kong...
BioNTech‑DualityBio ADC Shows 48% Response in HER2‑Positive Endometrial Cancer
BioNTech and DualityBio announced that their antibody‑drug conjugate trastuzumab pamirtecan achieved a 48% objective response rate and an 8‑month median progression‑free survival in HER2‑expressing recurrent endometrial cancer. The Phase 2 data, presented at the 2026 SGO meeting, could reshape treatment for...
One Reporter’s Life-Altering Psychedelic Trip
In this episode of The Daily, host Natalie Kittrow discusses ibogaine—a powerful, illegal psychedelic—with veteran New York Times reporter Robert Draper, who recounts his recent ten‑hour treatment in Tijuana, Mexico. Draper explains ibogaine’s origins, its potential to trigger neuroplasticity and...
Weekly Reads: Federal Stem Cell Charges Disappear, SCBEM Ethics, Diet & MYCN Cancer, How to Make a Nose
The article examines the abrupt dismissal of former South Carolina lawmaker Stephen Goldfinch’s federal stem‑cell charge, underscoring the uneven enforcement of unapproved cellular therapies. It contrasts this with a pending federal indictment targeting peptide manufacturers, especially BPC‑157, highlighting regulatory blind...
How Pfizer Created More Depressed People
In the early 1990s Pfizer launched Zoloft and deliberately reshaped public and medical perceptions of depression to expand its market. The company promoted a view that ordinary sadness was a chemical imbalance requiring medication, targeting primary‑care physicians as prescribers. This...
High‑dose Dexamethasone Improves Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma
Lenalidomide + high-dose dexamethasone (RD) vs lenalidomide + low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) as initial therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: an open-label RCT [10/22/2009] @VincentRK et al. @TheLancetOncol https://t.co/hXxlFINejC #NCT00098475 #EAonc E4A03 #mmsm #caxtx #ctsm https://t.co/GnehXu71Td
Oricell Therapeutics Secures $110 Million to Push GPC3‑Targeted CAR‑T for Liver Cancer
Oricell Therapeutics announced a $110 million financing round to accelerate its GPC3‑targeted CAR‑T cell program for hepatocellular carcinoma. The capital infusion underscores strong investor belief in extending CAR‑T beyond blood cancers, even as the company faces stiff competition from major pharma.
Orbicular, Apotex Win FDA Tentative Approval for Generic Ozempic
Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies of Hyderabad, in partnership with Canadian drugmaker Apotex, received U.S. FDA tentative approval for a generic version of semaglutide injection (Ozempic). The clearance marks a rare regulatory win for a complex peptide drug and could broaden access...
Dual AAV8 Gene Therapy and RIPK1 Inhibitor Stop Retinal Degeneration in Preclinical Models
A team led by J.Y. Chien, P.Y. Woon and H.Y. Tsai reported that a dual approach—AAV8‑mediated gene correction plus pharmacologic RIPK1 inhibition—halted retinal degeneration in preclinical models. The study, published in Cell Death Discovery, identifies glycosylation‑driven necroptosis as a key...
Yale Zebrafish Screen Flags Three FDA‑Approved Drugs for Gene‑Specific Autism Therapy
Yale scientists have leveraged zebrafish behavioral assays to evaluate 774 FDA‑approved compounds, isolating three drugs—estropipate, paclitaxel and levocarnitine—as promising candidates for distinct genetic forms of autism. The study, published in PNAS, demonstrates a precision‑medicine approach that could accelerate repurposing of...
Researchers Unveil Sensor‑integrated Joint‑on‑chip Platforms for Real‑time Disease Monitoring
A team led by Mantegazza and Paola Occhetta published a paper describing how embedded optical, electrical, mechanical and biochemical sensors can turn joint‑on‑chip (JoC) systems into real‑time monitoring platforms. The breakthrough addresses the long‑standing reliance on endpoint analyses and promises...
New Drug Combination Doubles Down on Alzheimer's Treatments
University of Waterloo researchers have shown that pairing existing anti‑amyloid antibodies with nutraceutical small molecules such as resveratrol and curcumin dramatically reduces amyloid plaque formation in preclinical models. The combination neutralized protein clumping and allowed a 30 % reduction in antibody...
IDEXX (IDXX) Launches Canine Cancer Detection Panel in UK
IDEXX Laboratories announced the UK launch of its IDEXX Cancer Dx Panel, a blood‑based test for early detection of lymphoma in dogs. The assay delivers results in 3‑5 business days and boasts 79% sensitivity and 99% specificity, including B‑cell and...
Insmed (INSM): Top QQQ Stock to Buy Now
Insmed (NASDAQ: INSM) reported that its Phase 2b CEDAR study of brensocatib in moderate‑to‑severe hidradenitis suppurativa failed to meet both primary and secondary efficacy endpoints. The trial, which enrolled 214 patients across 72 sites, showed the drug underperformed placebo, with a...
AI‑Designed Enzymes Break Evolution’s Limits for Biomanufacturing
Nature never designed enzymes for industrial manufacturing. It designed them to survive. That mismatch is one of the biggest bottlenecks in biomanufacturing — and most of the industry has been working around it with incremental fixes for decades. Matthew Thompson from Biomatter...
Experimental Drug Cuts Parkinson's-Linked Protein up to 60% in Early Trial
Biogen’s experimental antisense oligonucleotide BIIB094 achieved up to a 59 % reduction in LRRK2 protein in a first‑in‑human Parkinson’s trial. The phase 1 study enrolled 82 patients, delivering the drug intrathecally in single‑dose and four‑dose cohorts, and reported only mild to moderate...
Implantable 'Living Pharmacy' Generates Therapeutic Proteins in Rats for a Month
Scientists from Northwestern University, Rice University and Carnegie Mellon have built a sub‑skin implant called HOBIT that continuously manufactures an anti‑HIV agent, a GLP‑1 peptide and a metabolic hormone in rats for a full month. The device’s built‑in oxygen generator...
Former Senator Ben Sasse Joins Daraxonrasib Trial, Tumors Shrink 76% in Pancreatic Cancer
Former Nebraska senator Ben Sasse entered a clinical trial of Revolution Medicines’ KRAS inhibitor daraxonrasib at MD Anderson. He says the drug has cut his tumor volume by 76% but caused severe skin bleeding, highlighting both promise and toxicity of...
Telix Pharma's TLX101-Px NDA Acceptance Boosts Shares, Eyes Sep 2026 FDA Decision
Telix Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted its resubmitted New Drug Application for the glioma PET imaging agent TLX101‑Px, sending the stock up roughly 7% in U.S. trading and about 5‑7% in Australian markets. The agency set a...
Cell‑free DNA Manufacturing Eliminates Cloning Bottlenecks
Your DNA synthesis workflow is probably slowing you down more than you think. Cloning introduces delays, contamination risk, and hard limits on what you can build. Most of the field is still living with these constraints — even as mRNA therapeutics,...
Seeking Experiences with GTWY Peptide From Β‑Lactolin
New smart drug peptide alert… (Possibly): who has experience with GTWY peptide isolated from β-lactolin? Research here: https://t.co/Sg7twStXvr
Eli Lilly Isn't Replacing Zepbound -- It's Building an Obesity Empire
Eli Lilly is building an obesity empire by adding retatrutide and the oral GLP‑1 pill Foundayo to its Zepbound franchise. Retatrutide delivered a 28.7% mean weight loss in a 68‑week Phase 3 trial, outpacing Zepbound’s 20.2% result. The company is targeting the...
Combating Rising Anti‑Vaccine Activism Through Science Advocacy
Many thanks @uiowa for hosting my lectures this week, on our vaccine development program and the dangers of accelerating antivaccine activism in America, also the history of American anti-science movements and latest book #ScienceUnderSiege with @MichaelEMann @PeterHotez https://t.co/3r0XH08iMu
Current and Future Strategies for Parkinson's Therapy
Parkinson disease therapy: current strategies and future research priorities https://t.co/5wq36T3ZQ4 Today is World Parkinson's Day 🧠https://t.co/XUVY6eSg61 Fig. 1: Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying Parkinson disease and possible disease-modifying therapies. 👇👨⚕️ https://t.co/0G7mqNA6nm
Letrozole Monotherapy Falls Short in Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial
The phase III NRG GY019 trial showed that letrozole monotherapy did not meet the non‑inferiority endpoint for progression‑free survival compared with the standard paclitaxel‑carboplatin followed by letrozole regimen in newly diagnosed low‑grade serous ovarian carcinoma. At a median 27.3‑month follow‑up, the hazard...
Poor Drug Selection Hampers Stroke Treatment Breakthroughs
1,026 experimental treatments in acute stroke (2006) "The results question whether the most efficacious drugs are being selected for stroke clinical trials. This may partially explain the slow progress in developing treatments..." https://t.co/WllAIz3Xul
Spatial Biology, Single‑cell Profiling, and AI Map T‑cell Immunity
Towards Spatial Medicine for individualized cancer immunotherapy @SciImmunology "The convergence of spatial biology platforms, single-cell immune profiling, and machine learning is positioning the community to decode how T cell immunity is spatially organized in human tissues and to exploit that organization...
Nanodisc Technology Improves Study of Viral Proteins for Vaccines
Scientists at Scripps Research, in partnership with IAVI, have unveiled a nanodisc‑based platform that embeds viral surface proteins in lipid‑like particles, preserving their native membrane context. Published in Nature Communications, the method was validated with HIV and Ebola glycoproteins, delivering...
Mezagitamab Shows Promise in Treating Immune Thrombocytopenia Patients
Mezagitamab, an anti‑CD38 antibody originally developed for oncology, achieved a 91% platelet‑response rate in a phase 2 trial of patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). In the 600 mg cohort, 10 of 11 participants reached the predefined platelet count threshold within 16 weeks,...
Stroke Research Stuck: Preclinical Successes Fail Clinically
Translational Block in Stroke: A Constructive and “Out-of-the-Box” Reappraisal 👉"The literature is saturated by >1000 effective preclinical studies in acute stroke research... yet almost none are successfully transferred to the acute clinical routine. This is the well-known translational failure or block...
Study Finds Intermittent Fasting Cuts Testosterone in PCOS Women via Weight Loss
A randomized controlled trial of 76 premenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome published in Nature Medicine found that six months of intermittent fasting lowered testosterone levels and the free androgen index, but only because participants shed at least 5% of...
CDC Acting Director Delays Release of Study Showing Covid Vaccines Cut Severe Illness by 50%
Acting CDC director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya postponed the March 19 release of a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showing that the 2025‑26 Covid‑19 vaccine reduced severe disease risk by roughly 50% among adults. The delay, justified by methodological concerns, has...
Chinese Researcher Sentenced for Smuggling E. Coli DNA as Gene‑Editing Trial Shows New Promise
Youhuang Xiang, a former post‑doctoral researcher at Indiana University, was sentenced to more than four months in prison and a $500 fine for illegally bringing E. coli DNA into the United States. The case arrives as a Chinese‑led collaboration reports a...
Nanomedicine Advances Offer Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy and Early Detection
Researchers have shown that nanocarrier formulations can increase oral bioavailability by more than 3.5‑fold and double tumor‑inhibition rates in pre‑clinical breast‑cancer models. The advances promise more precise drug delivery, reduced toxicity, and earlier detection, potentially changing standard care for the...
Iovance Biotherapeutics Seen as Small‑Cap Play for Healthcare Gains
Iovance Biotherapeutics reported $263.5 million in sales for its melanoma therapy Amtagvi, a 61% year‑over‑year increase, and analysts see the small‑cap biotech as a possible route to outsized returns despite steep manufacturing costs and regulatory uncertainty. The stock’s underperformance versus broader...
China's Biotech Surge Threatens Western Drug Dominance
Big Pharma Is Turning to China for the Newest Drug Ideas—China’s biotechs are faster and have lower costs, and its drug research threatens to soon overtake the West’s @Loftus https://t.co/YszgDfNlwc https://t.co/YszgDfNlwc
America Has a New GLP-1 Playbook
The latest GLP‑1 oral formulations—Eli Lilly’s Foundayo and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill—offer a needle‑free alternative but deliver modest weight‑loss results compared with their injectable counterparts. Clinical data show Foundayo can preserve most of the weight lost on injections over a year, while...
Amneal Sets $3.1B 2026 Revenue Target, Leverages GLP‑1 Manufacturing Partnership
Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced a 2026 revenue outlook of $3.05‑$3.10 billion, anchored by a manufacturing partnership with Pfizer for GLP‑1 therapies and a push toward complex injectables. The plan relies on a 20‑30 product launch cadence, margin discipline and a reduced net...
More Pharma Dealmaking; FDA’s Proposed Budget; Takeda Ends Partnership; and More
The pharma sector is seeing a wave of dealmaking, with Q1 2026 M&A volume up roughly 15% as companies chase high‑value oncology assets. The FDA released a proposed $5.6 billion budget that would raise review fees by about 8% and modestly...
Progesterone in MHT for Protection Against Endometrial Cancer
Recent analysis of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) highlights a tension between breast‑cancer safety and endometrial risk. Observational data from France’s E3N cohort found that women using oral micronized progesterone for five or more years faced a 2.7‑fold increase in endometrial...