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.
South Korea Streamlines Biosimilar Review, Clinical Trials
BioWorld Asia’s April 7 2026 briefing highlighted three emerging biotech developments. Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui patented selective Nav1.8 blockers that deliver strong analgesic effects with minimal off‑target activity, positioning them as potential first‑in‑class chronic pain therapies. New research linked chronic inflammation in the bone‑marrow microenvironment to early leukemic transformation of hematopoietic stem cells, suggesting preventive diagnostic avenues. Infinimmune presented preclinical data showing its anti‑IL‑22 antibody IFX‑101 markedly reduces skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis models, paving the way for further development.
Amplia Halts Enrollment in Phase II Pancreatic Cancer Trial
Amplia Therapeutics announced it is halting enrollment in its phase II trial of the investigational pancreatic cancer agent after an interim safety review revealed concerning signals and modest efficacy. The study, which began enrolling patients in early 2025, was designed to...
Development of Emerging Modalities: Challenges and Strategies
The article outlines that emerging therapeutic modalities—such as antibody‑drug conjugates, multispecific antibodies, viral vectors, gene‑editing and RNA‑based medicines—present far greater molecular and manufacturing complexity than traditional biologics. Four primary hurdles are identified: structural heterogeneity, absence of universal platform processes, difficulty...
In the Clinic for April 7, 2026
BioWorld’s April 7, 2026 clinic roundup compiles a broad set of data snapshots, special reports and infographics spanning biopharma, medical technology, and emerging therapeutic areas. The collection links to analyses on M&A activity, GLP‑1 developments in China, mRNA vaccine research, pulsed‑field ablation...
Financings for April 7, 2026
Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that alleviate pain in rodent models without motor side effects, and plan IND‑enabling studies later this year. Parallel research highlights chronic inflammation’s role in reshaping hematopoietic stem cells, fostering leukemic...
ARPA-H Selects Three Teams in $100M Effort to Repair and Regrow Ailing Joints
ARPA-H announced a $100 million program to fund clinical trials for joint regeneration. Three leading academic centers were selected to test innovative therapies aimed at repairing and regrowing damaged cartilage and bone. The projects will explore senolytic drugs, engineered tissue scaffolds,...
Gilead Continues M&A Surge with $3.1B Deal for ADC Specialist Tubulis
Gilead Sciences announced a deal to acquire German biotech Tubulis for $3.15 billion upfront, potentially rising to $5 billion with milestones. The purchase adds a next‑generation antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) platform and two clinical candidates, TUB‑040 and TUB‑030, to Gilead’s oncology pipeline. This...
Terns Sold to Merck for 13% Lower than Pharma's Initial Offer because of Clinical Data
Merck agreed to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals for $6.7 billion, a price roughly 13% lower than its initial offer after new clinical data raised concerns. The renegotiated deal reflects the impact of late‑stage trial results on valuation in the biotech M&A wave....
Snailing Colorectal Cancer Drug Delivery, Once and for All
University of Manchester researchers have secured roughly $1.27 million from UKRI to develop snail‑inspired soft‑robotic carriers for colorectal cancer drugs. The project aims to create centimeter‑scale, peptide‑based robots that travel through the gastrointestinal tract and release protein kinase inhibitors directly at...
Novo Launches High-Dose Wegovy in the US; Evotec Pressured to List Its US Unit
Novo Nordisk has introduced a high‑dose 7.2 mg version of its obesity drug Wegovy in the United States, expanding the GLP‑1 portfolio beyond the standard 2.4 mg dose. The new formulation targets patients with severe obesity who need greater weight‑loss efficacy. Pricing...
Robin Weiss Obituary
Robin Weiss, a pioneering virologist who died at 86, led the 1984 discovery that CD4 is the cellular receptor for HIV and created the first UK HIV antibody test with Richard Tedder. The test enabled large‑scale, accurate detection of HIV,...
Sector Tariff Now More than a Threat – for some Rx Companies
Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented selective Nav1.8 blockers that demonstrate potent pre‑clinical analgesic activity for chronic neuropathic pain. New research links chronic inflammatory signaling to early leukemic transformation in hematopoietic stem cells, suggesting anti‑inflammatory approaches could intervene before disease...
Biopharma Financings Nearly Double Vs. 2025 to $25.1B
Biopharma financing in 2026 surged to $25.1 billion, almost twice the amount raised in 2025. The jump reflects a wave of venture‑capital commitments, a robust IPO market, and heightened merger‑and‑acquisition activity. Public offerings alone added roughly $8 billion, while private rounds supplied...
Five-Drug VIPOR Regimen Shows Promise in Aggressive Blood Cancer
Researchers at Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that alleviate pain in rodent models without cardiac or CNS effects, and plan IND‑enabling toxicology studies in 2026 with Phase I trials slated for 2027. Parallel advances in hematopoietic...
Autoimmune Disease-Related Inflammation Reduced with ENDOtollins Drug
A study in *Nature Chemical Biology* reports a new class of compounds called ENDOtollins that selectively block the Munc13‑4–syntaxin 7 interaction, dampening endosomal Toll‑like receptor activation and systemic inflammation. Screening of roughly 32,000 molecules identified ENDO12 as the most potent candidate,...
Why Timelines Break Down in Rare Kidney Drug Development
Enrollment bottlenecks are the dominant cause of delays in kidney‑focused drug development. GlobalData data show low accrual rates drive 47% of nephrology trial suspensions, while median enrollment stretches beyond 15 months—far longer than cardiovascular or metabolic studies. Typical renal trials...
Gilead Outlays $5bn to Acquire ADC Specialist Tubulis
Gilead announced a deal to acquire German ADC specialist Tubulis for up to $5 bn, with $3.15 bn paid upfront and up to $1.85 bn in milestones. The transaction, slated to close in Q2 2026, brings Tubulis' lead candidate TUB‑040—a NaPi2b‑directed topoisomerase‑I inhibitor in...
Can Amylin Weight-Loss Drugs Compete in a World of GLP-1s?
GLP‑1 drugs have dominated obesity and diabetes treatment, but side effects and muscle loss are prompting a search for alternatives. Amylin analogs—long‑acting peptides that mimic the hormone amylin—are re‑emerging, with Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema, Lilly’s eloralintide, Roche’s petrelintide and others showing...
HexemBio Raises $10.4M Seed for Stem Cell Rejuvenation
HexemBio announced a $10.4 million seed round, led by Draper Associates with participation from SOSV, Seraphim and other investors. The biotech is developing a Synthetic Human Yolk Sac that temporarily houses a patient’s blood stem cells to rejuvenate their function before...
Wegovy HD Now Available in the U.S.
Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy HD, a 7.2 mg semaglutide injection, across the United States. Clinical data from the Phase III Step Up trial showed an average 21% weight loss under ideal conditions and 19% in real‑world adherence, with nearly one‑third achieving ≥25% loss....
A Common Antidepressant Shows Promise in Treating Methamphetamine Dependence
A new JAMA Psychiatry study shows the antidepressant mirtazapine can modestly reduce methamphetamine use. In the double‑blind Tina Trial, 339 Australian participants received either 30 mg daily mirtazapine or placebo for 12 weeks. Those on mirtazapine cut meth use by an...
TNO155
TNO155, also known as batoprotafib, is an oral, allosteric SHP2 inhibitor that stabilizes the phosphatase in its inactive conformation. Developed by Novartis in Cambridge, MA, it emerged from a 1.5 million‑compound high‑throughput screen combined with structure‑based drug design, becoming the first...
Tech Transfer Powered by Dual Site Precision
Rentschler BioPharma uses a coordinated dual‑site manufacturing model to streamline tech transfers from development to GMP production. By aligning timelines early, defining critical parameters, and managing equipment differences, the company accelerates transfer schedules while preserving product quality. The approach leverages...
The Price Americans Pay for Medicine Has Gotten Horribly Out of Control. Here’s How to Fix It.
Humira, AbbVie’s adalimumab used by over 300,000 Americans, continues to dominate the market even after its patent expired, keeping prices sky‑high. The drug’s outsized share illustrates systemic flaws in U.S. pharmaceutical distribution, where limited biosimilar competition and opaque pricing inflate...
AbbVie Puts Humira on TrumpRx at Steep Discount as Tariff Threat Solidifies
AbbVie has agreed to sell its blockbuster arthritis drug Humira on the Trump administration’s direct‑to‑consumer platform TrumpRx for about $950, an 86 % cut from the typical $6,900 out‑of‑pocket price. The deal, announced after AbbVie pledged $100 billion in R&D and manufacturing...
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About FDA Backing Domestic Production, Another Gilead Deal, and More
The FDA, leveraging the Trump administration’s budget, unveiled proposals to boost domestic drug development and manufacturing, including streamlined early‑stage trials and a rule letting U.S. generic makers challenge brand patents a month before foreign competitors. Commissioner Marty Makary framed the...
Gilead Acquires German ADC Specialist Tubulis in US$5bn Deal
Gilead Sciences agreed to acquire German ADC specialist Tubulis for up to US$5 bn, including a US$3.15 bn cash upfront payment and up to US$1.85 bn in milestones. The deal brings Tubulis’s proprietary antibody‑drug conjugate platforms and two late‑stage assets—TUB‑040, a NaPi2b‑targeted topoisomerase‑I...
Fund NIH Trials to Validate Unapproved Peptide Safety
I thought this was an excellent, balanced article on the current state of unapproved peptides from a safety and regulatory perspective by @AnjeanetteDamon in @propublica https://t.co/DbA8cdvTY5 The fundamental problem is that we don't have quality data on safety or efficacy for...
Gilead's $3.1B Deal Expands ADC Portfolio
Gilead continues M&A surge with $3.1B deal for ADC specialist Tubulis https://t.co/xEMXvDq2LL by @gwendolynawu $GILD #biotech
Lest We "Off" Ourselves (Cautionary Examples)
Investigative videos reveal that wellness influencers Mark Hyman and Jordan Peterson suffered severe sepsis after undergoing experimental stem‑cell and regenerative‑medicine procedures at Dr. Adil Khan’s unregulated clinics. The series links spinal injections and intravenous therapies to bacterial infections, highlighting the...
Peptide Vials Contaminated, Underdosed, and Unsafe
Besides the lack of data for safety or efficacy on peptides, or any assurance of sterility, here's what an independent lab found of samples: —The vial of BPC-157 contained lead —The vial of TB-500 contained endotoxins —The vial of CJC-1295 contained <42% of...
Key Biosimilars Events of March 2026
March 2026 saw a surge of biosimilar activity, highlighted by Celltrion’s launch of Remsima IV in the EU and Avtozma SC in the United States, expanding both IV and sub‑cutaneous options for infliximab and tocilizumab. Samsung Bioepis inked a global...
Oxytocin Reverses Isolation‑induced Neuropsychiatric Deficits via Brain, Immune, Microbiome
Oxytocin attenuates isolation-evoked emotional and social behavioral dysregulation through neural, immune, and microbiota mechanisms "Our study confirms the therapeutic effects of OXT in reversing isolation-induced neuropsychiatric disorders and elucidates its potential regulatory mechanisms, offering important implications for clinical interventions." https://t.co/hXkWRD1gMV
FDA-Approved Drug Manufacturing Deals Shift to Europe
In 2025, U.S. contract manufacturing deals for FDA‑approved drugs fell sharply, while Europe recorded more than three times the U.S. volume. Despite a 15% U.S. tariff on EU pharmaceuticals, major U.S. firms such as Johnson & Johnson and Vertex invested...
SNY's Atopic Dermatitis Candidate Fails; NKTR Rem
$SNY next-gen atopic dermatitis drug failed in P2b. Missed primary endpoint. MOA was IL13xTSLP. Now what have they got to follow up dupi if (when?) they discontinue amlitelimab? $NKTR 👀 🤷🏻♂️ Remains the only new MoA...
Matcha Model Makes Drug Candidate Screening More than 30 Times Faster
Ligand Pro’s Matcha model, an AI‑driven molecular docking system, can screen drug candidates more than 30 times faster than AlphaFold 3 while maintaining comparable accuracy and greater physical realism. The algorithm processes a protein‑ligand complex in just 13 seconds, turning months‑long virtual screens into...
FDA Recalls Over 3 Million Eye‑Drop Bottles Over Sterility Concerns
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall of more than 3 million eye‑drop bottles after sterility concerns were identified. The products, manufactured by K.C. Pharmaceuticals in Pomona, California, span eight categories and are sold under a wide range...
University of Arizona Launches $12 Million Rapamycin Clinical Trial
The University of Arizona’s R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy is launching a double‑blind, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial to test low‑dose rapamycin’s ability to boost resilience and immune function in adults aged 65 and older. The six‑year study, funded by a $12 million...
HexemBio Raises $10.4M for a Stem Cell Rejuvenation Therapy
HexemBio announced a $10.4 million seed round led by Draper Associates to develop a blood‑stem‑cell rejuvenation therapy built on its Synthetic Human Yolk Sac platform. The technology temporarily places a patient’s own haematopoietic cells into a recreated embryonic niche, then returns...
FDA Seeks Expanded Authority To Regulate Postapproval Manufacturing Changes
The FDA is requesting new legislative authority to enforce post‑approval manufacturing changes, including major facility or active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) supplier switches. The proposal, part of the FY 2027 budget, would amend the 1997 FD&C Act to require validation and approval...
The Future of Cell & Gene Therapy: Key Trends to Watch
Cell and gene therapy is transitioning from ex vivo manufacturing toward in vivo delivery, driven by advances in vector engineering and lipid‑nanoparticle platforms. Major pharma players have launched billion‑dollar acquisitions to secure in vivo CAR‑T and RNA technologies, while the stem‑cell market is...
From Low Yields to High Efficiency: Modernizing Complex Biologics Manufacturing
WuXi Biologics hosted a webcast detailing an integrated platform that can boost yields of complex biologics up to six‑fold while cutting manufacturing costs by as much as 80%. The approach combines platform‑based media optimization, cell‑culture intensification via WuXiUI™, downstream capacity...
From PC to CPV: Preserving Process Knowledge Through Late‑Phase Tech Transfer
Catalent’s Danielle Wittenwyler, PhD, will host a webinar on preserving years of process characterization (PC) during late‑phase tech transfers. She outlines a structured, risk‑based methodology that translates sponsor‑generated PC into Catalent’s Madison facility while maintaining design‑space intent. The approach identifies...
CEO Kazimi Explores Computation, Chemistry, Culture in Drug Discovery
Computation, Chemistry & Culture for Drug Discovery: Nimbus Therapeutics CEO Abbas Kazimi is the latest guest on The Long Run. Sponsored by @AlphaSenseInc and Dash Bio. https://t.co/XCysW6El1o
Cell‑Replacement Trials Edge Closer to Type 1 Diabetes Cure, Researchers Say
Late‑stage cell‑replacement trials are expected to read out within the next few years, bringing a functional cure for type 1 diabetes into view. Researchers cite stem‑cell transplants and immune‑shielding strategies as the next frontier, while patients and advocates stress the life‑changing...
The Role of Class of Trade Research in Pharmaceutical Market Access
Manasi Salgaonkar highlights that class of trade (CoT) research is essential for precise pharmaceutical pricing, contract eligibility, and regulatory compliance. Accurate CoT classification links dispensing settings—retail, hospital, specialty, mail‑order, and IDNs—to specific pricing tiers and rebate agreements. Continuous updates are...
Optimization of Brain-Permeable SGK1 Inhibitors for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceuticals have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that alleviate inflammatory and neuropathic pain in rodent studies and are slated for IND‑enabling toxicology this year, aiming for Phase I trials in 2027. Parallel research highlights chronic inflammation’s role...
Acadia Pharmaceuticals Presents GPR88 Agonists
Researchers at Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented Nav1.8 blockers that deliver strong analgesic effects while sparing off‑target channels, opening a new avenue for chronic pain therapy. Parallel studies reveal that chronic inflammation can reprogram hematopoietic stem cells, driving early...
Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceutical Patents New Lipoprotein(a)-Lowering Agents
Researchers at Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that relieve neuropathic and inflammatory pain in rodents without impairing motor function, with filings in China and the United States and IND‑enabling work slated for later this year....
Emory University Synthesizes New Prostaglandin EP2 Receptor Antagonists
Researchers at Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that deliver potent analgesic effects with minimal off‑target activity, opening a new avenue for chronic pain therapy. Parallel studies highlight how chronic inflammatory signals remodel hematopoietic stem cells,...