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.
Stipple Launches with $100M for Novel Oncology Targets
Stipple, a new biotech focused on oncology, announced a $100 million Series A financing round to pursue novel, historically undruggable cancer targets. The round was led by top‑tier venture firms and includes strategic commitments from several large pharmaceutical partners. Stipple’s founding team combines deep academic expertise with prior drug‑development successes, positioning the company to accelerate early‑stage discovery. The capital will fund platform technology development, preclinical programs, and collaborative validation studies.
Dectisomes Show Potent Activity Against High-Priority Fungal Pathogens
Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui patented selective Nav1.8 blockers that show potent analgesic effects with minimal off‑target activity. New research links chronic inflammation in the bone‑marrow niche to epigenetic reprogramming of hematopoietic stem cells, suggesting early‑intervention strategies for leukemia prevention. Infinimmune...
Suzhou Spring-Sea Bio-Pharmaceuticals Identifies New GLP-1R Agonists
Suzhou Spring‑Sea Bio‑Pharmaceuticals announced the discovery of a novel series of glucagon‑like peptide‑1 receptor (GLP‑1R) agonists that demonstrate high potency and prolonged half‑life in pre‑clinical models. The compounds show superior glucose‑lowering efficacy compared with existing market leaders and exhibit favorable...
Orexin OX2 Receptor Agonists Disclosed in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Patent
Vertex Pharmaceuticals has filed a patent covering a new series of orexin OX2‑receptor agonists, marking the company’s first public foray into sleep‑modulating therapeutics. The disclosed molecules feature distinct heterocyclic cores and enhanced blood‑brain barrier penetration, aiming for improved potency and...
Holiday Notice
Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceuticals have patented selective Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers that demonstrate potent analgesic effects with minimal off‑target activity, opening a new avenue for chronic pain treatment. Parallel research highlights how chronic inflammation reshapes the bone‑marrow microenvironment, driving hematopoietic...
Next-Generation Anti-CD30 ADC Outperforms Brentuximab Vedotin
Biopharma X unveiled a next‑generation anti‑CD30 antibody‑drug conjugate that demonstrated superior efficacy and tolerability compared with the established therapy brentuximab vedotin. In preclinical models, the ADC achieved deeper tumor regressions and a broader therapeutic window, driven by an optimized linker...
Nrf2 Activator Counteracts Atopic Dermatitis Pathology
Researchers have identified a novel Nrf2 activator that mitigates key pathological features of atopic dermatitis in preclinical studies. The compound suppresses oxidative stress and downregulates pro‑inflammatory cytokines, leading to restored skin barrier integrity in murine models. Data presented at the...
New LRH-1 Antagonists Exhibit Antitumor Activity in Prostate Cancer Models
Researchers have identified a new class of liver receptor homolog‑1 (LRH‑1) antagonists that demonstrate potent antitumor activity in preclinical prostate cancer models. In mouse xenografts, oral administration of the compounds reduced tumor volume by up to 65% without notable adverse...
Boehringer Ingelheim’s Confident New Leap in the Obesity Market
Boehringer Ingelheim has created a new obesity and liver health unit led by senior vice president Vani Manja, targeting a rapidly expanding GLP‑1 market that could reach 25 million U.S. patients by 2030. The company’s pipeline features the dual glucagon/GLP‑1 agonist...
In the Face of Tariffs, FDA-Approved Drug Manufacturing Deals Are Shifting to Europe
US contract‑manufacturing (CM) deals for FDA‑approved drugs fell sharply last year, marking the biggest decline in five years. Despite a 15% import tariff on European pharmaceuticals, biopharma firms are increasingly outsourcing US‑bound production to European facilities, especially in Germany. By...
University of Arizona Launches $12 Million Rapamycin Clinical Trial
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 improve resilience and immune function in adults 65 and older. The $12 million study is fully funded by...
Sanofi Immune Drug Hopeful Posts Mixed Results in Mid-Stage Tests
Sanofi reported mixed Phase 2 results for its bispecific antibody lunsekig. The drug achieved its primary and key secondary endpoints in moderate‑to‑severe asthma and chronic rhinitis with nasal polyps, showing reduced exacerbations, improved lung function and smaller polyps. Conversely, lunsekig failed...
Biogen Collaborates with Alloy Therapeutics to Advance Antisense Therapeutics
Biogen has signed a collaboration and license agreement with Alloy Therapeutics to use the company’s AntiClastic antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) platform on multiple undisclosed targets. The deal provides Alloy with an upfront cash payment, additional milestone fees and tiered royalties on...
Gilead to Buy Germany’s Tubulis for up to $5 Billion to Boost Cancer Pipeline
Gilead Sciences announced it will acquire Germany‑based Tubulis GmbH for up to $5 billion, adding the biotech’s antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) platform to its portfolio. The deal follows Gilead’s recent $7.8 billion purchase of Arcellx and a $2 billion acquisition of Ouro Medicines, reflecting...
Gilead Continues Dealmaking Streak with $3.15B Tubulis Buy for ADCs
Gilead announced its third acquisition of 2026, agreeing to pay $3.15 billion upfront for Tubulis, a German startup that has built a next‑generation antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) platform. The deal includes a contingent earn‑out of up to $1.85 billion tied to future milestones....
Real Progress Lies in 0‑to‑PCC Data, Not AI Hype
Check out my article in @FastCompany on AI drug discovery revolution. From one perspective, it may feel like I am turning into a version of Derek Lowe - AI skeptic. And when I read another interview with the IT...
Gene Therapy Poised to Redefine Obesity Treatment Landscape
1/GLP-1 obesity and weight-loss drugs - such as $NVO Ozempic & Wegovy and $LLY Zepbound & Mounjaro have long become a household name - making Obesity the fastest growing market in the BioTech and Pharma ecosystem and generating unprecedented revenues....
Akeso Reports P-Ib/II Trial Data on Cadonilimab Combination to Treat NSCLC
Akeso presented Phase Ib/II data on its cadonilimab combination with anlotinib and docetaxel in patients whose advanced non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progressed after PD-(L)1 inhibitor therapy. At a median follow‑up of 21.5 months, the regimen achieved a 6‑month progression‑free...
DDW Highlights: 7 April 2026
In this episode, Bruno Quinney highlights several breakthrough developments in drug discovery: the FDA’s accelerated approval of Avlaya, the first brain‑penetrant biologic for Hunter syndrome; Eli Lilly’s $2 billion acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals to expand its orexin‑based sleep‑wake therapies; Mount Sinai’s AI‑powered...
Dr. Kaeberlein's Optispan Podcast Series - Rapamycin and More
AI modeling compares 6 mg rapamycin taken with grapefruit juice versus berberine 1000 mg daily. Grapefruit juice irreversibly destroys intestinal CYP3A4 and P‑gp, boosting rapamycin AUC 3‑4× and Cmax 2.5‑3.5×, effectively tripling the dose for up to three days. Berberine provides reversible...
FDA’s 2027 Budget Proposes Permanent Rare Disease Vouchers, Easier Entry to Clinic
President Trump’s FY 2027 budget proposes a $7.23 billion allocation for the FDA, a 3.2% increase over 2026, while the broader HHS budget shrinks by 12%. The agency plans to make the rare pediatric disease priority‑review voucher program permanent, averting an estimated...
Sanofi's Bispecific Lunsekimig Has Mixed Readouts in Phase 2
Sanofi reported mixed phase 2 results for its bispecific antibody lunsekimig, which targets IL‑13 and TSLP. The drug met primary endpoints in the AIRCULES asthma trial and the DUET study for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, showing reduced exacerbations and improved...
Sanofi Bispecific Sails Through Asthma, Sinusitis Trials, but Disappoints in Eczema
Sanofi announced mixed mid‑stage results for its bispecific nanobody aimed at treating multiple immune‑mediated diseases. The drug achieved its primary endpoints in Phase 2 trials for asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, demonstrating clinically meaningful improvements. Conversely, the same molecule...
Organogenesis Reports Trial Results on PuraPly AM for Wound Healing in Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Organogenesis completed a 170‑patient randomized trial of PuraPly AM, an antimicrobial collagen matrix, versus standard of care for non‑healing diabetic foot ulcers. The study met its primary endpoint, showing significantly higher wound‑closure rates at 12 weeks. PuraPly AM integrates cross‑linked...
BCL-2 and Cellular Senescence in Pulmonary Fibrosis
Researchers identified BCL-2 as a key blocker of fibroblast apoptosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Conditional over‑expression of BCL‑2 in PDGFRα‑positive fibroblasts generated senescent, pro‑fibrotic myofibroblasts that persisted in mouse lungs. Spatial transcriptomics confirmed BCL‑2‑positive senescent myofibroblasts in human IPF...
Metformin Raises Exercise‑Mimetic Metabolite in Prostate Cancer Patients
Researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center reported that metformin elevates N‑lactoyl‑phenylalanine (Lac‑Phe), a molecule that spikes after intense exercise, in men undergoing hormone therapy for prostate cancer. The finding, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, suggests a drug‑based route to...
Pfizer, BioNTech Drop Updated COVID‑19 Vaccine Study After Low Enrollment
Pfizer and BioNTech have scrapped a late‑stage trial of an updated COVID‑19 vaccine for adults aged 50‑64 because enrollment fell short of FDA‑required numbers. The move highlights the difficulty of conducting large‑scale studies in a post‑pandemic market and comes as...
UPAR Targeting to Enable CAR T Cell Therapies to Treat Solid Cancers
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering demonstrated that CAR T cells engineered to target the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) can eradicate solid‑tumor cells and metastases in multiple preclinical models. uPAR was found elevated in 12 of 14 examined cancer types,...
Apnimed Obtains up to $150m in Funds for Commercial Launch of AD109
Apnimed secured a senior secured credit facility of up to $150 million from HealthCare Royalty Partners to fund the commercial readiness and potential U.S. launch of AD109, an oral therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. The deal provides an initial $50 million at...
Generare Bags $21.6m for Nature-Derived Drug Leads
Paris‑based biotech Generare closed a €20 million Series A to expand its nature‑derived compound library. The company claims it uncovered more than 200 previously unknown microbial small molecules in 2025, outpacing the rest of the field combined. Generare’s platform scans microbial genomes,...
How Many GLP-1 Users Must Seek Medical Care for Side Effects?
Recent Phenomix and Mayo Clinic data reveal that 50‑60% of GLP‑1 users experience significant side effects, far higher than earlier estimates. About 10% of patients incur $5,000 in out‑of‑pocket expenses, while many spend roughly $1,000 managing symptoms. The high cost...
STAT+: Merck’s Experimental HIV Prevention Pill Could Be Made for Less than $5 a Year, Researchers Say
Merck’s experimental HIV‑prevention pill MK 8527 could be manufactured for less than $5 per patient annually, according to a recent cost‑analysis. The drug is in two late‑stage clinical trials that will report efficacy data in the second half of 2027. Earlier...
Amgen Scores with New Thyroid Eye Disease Formulation
Amgen’s Tepezza, the only FDA‑approved therapy for thyroid eye disease, generated about $1.9 billion in 2023 but its IV dosing schedule has limited broader adoption. The company has developed a subcutaneous formulation delivered twice weekly via a wearable injector, aiming to...
New CAR-T Approach May Extend Osteosarcoma Survival
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals have engineered a novel CAR‑T cell therapy, OSM CAR‑T, that targets oncostatin M receptors on osteosarcoma cells. Preclinical experiments demonstrated potent in‑vitro killing and significant tumor burden reduction in multiple mouse...
Standing up to Rising Prescription Drug Costs Increases Access to Breakthrough Medications
CVS Caremark negotiated a price reduction for Yeztugo, a long‑acting injectable PrEP drug with an original list price of $28,000 per year, to improve affordability and access. The medication offers twice‑yearly dosing, which can dramatically boost adherence compared with daily...
Allergan Aesthetics Finds Its Next Growth Engine in GLP-1s
Allergan Aesthetics presented new data at the 2026 AAD meeting linking the surge in GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug use to a growing demand for facial aesthetic treatments. A survey of U.S. clinicians showed that 52% of patients on GLP‑1 agonists express...
The Evolving Landscape of Subcutaneous Drug Administration
The pharmaceutical sector is rapidly moving toward subcutaneous (SC) delivery as biologic approvals outpace small‑molecule drugs. While SC administration cuts clinical‑site costs and boosts patient comfort, it suffers from 60‑80% lower bioavailability, demanding higher doses and larger volumes. Innovators are...
The Hollow Promise of Protection
A Singapore study led by Wee et al. examined thousands of cancer patients who were fully vaccinated with mRNA COVID‑19 shots. Despite high vaccination rates, most participants contracted COVID‑19 and developed long‑COVID symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, and cognitive impairment....
CGT’s Next Obstacle: Securing the Leukapheresis Supply Chain
Leukapheresis is emerging as a structural bottleneck as CAR‑T and other cell‑gene therapies expand beyond oncology into autoimmune, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The current model relies on a handful of academic centers, creating capacity constraints, geographic inequities, and variability in...
CuraTeQ Reports P-III Trial Data on BP11 (Biosimilar, Xolair) in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
CuraTeQ Biologics announced topline Phase‑III data showing its biosimilar BP11 matches Xolair in treating chronic spontaneous urticaria. The trial involved 608 patients at about 80 sites and met the primary endpoint of ISS7 score change at week 12 within predefined...
Neurocrine to Acquire Soleno in $2.9bn Transaction
Neurocrine Biosciences announced a definitive agreement to acquire Soleno Therapeutics for $53 per share, valuing the deal at $2.9 bn. The transaction brings Soleno’s FDA‑approved Vykat XR, a first‑in‑class treatment for hyperphagia in Prader‑Willi syndrome, into Neurocrine’s pipeline. Vykat XR posted $190 m revenue...
Digital Twins Simulate Psychedelic Effects for Consciousness Disorders
Digital twins allow virtual clinical trials of psychedelics for disorders of consciousness 🧠↔🧠 | Innovation | Tech for Good. 💬 Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scientists have developed personalized, whole-brain computational models of patients with disorders of consciousness. Using these...
Tubulis Secures $5B Gilead Acquisition After CEO Vision
Last year I visited @Tubulis_GmbH in Munich, Germany. Here's what CEO Dominik Schumacher told me they were aiming to do. Congrats on today's acquisition by @gilead for up to $5B, and congrats to @schroederthilo who raved to me about this...
Amgen Reports Topline P-III Trial Data for Tepezza (Teprotumumab-Trbw) in Active Thyroid Eye Disease
Amgen announced topline results from a phase‑3 trial of subcutaneous Tepezza (teprotumumab‑trbw) administered every two weeks for 12 doses in patients with moderate to severe active thyroid eye disease. The study met its primary endpoint, showing a 76.7% proptosis response...
Four‑Month MDF Cuts NAFLD Liver Fat by 24%
"The 4-month intervention with this MDF was effective in reducing IHTC in patients with NAFLD by an absolute reduction of −5.89% and a relative reduction of −24.30% after adjusting for weight loss. Such effect was partly mediated by altered composition...
Canagliflozin - Another Top Longevity Drug
Canagliflozin and other SGLT‑2 inhibitors are gaining attention as potential longevity agents due to their ability to cut cardiovascular events, renal decline, and COPD exacerbations in patients with type‑2 diabetes. Recent meta‑analyses show reduced emergency‑room visits and lower mortality among...
Self‐Assembled Carrier‐Free Nanomedicines Potentiate Chemo‐Photothermal Immunotherapy by Overcoming Prostaglandin E2‐Mediated Immunosuppression
Researchers have created a carrier‑free nanomedicine that self‑assembles indocyanine green, paclitaxel and celecoxib to treat triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC). The formulation delivers combined chemo‑photothermal therapy while inhibiting the COX‑2/PGE2 inflammatory axis that fuels immunosuppression. In preclinical models, the nanomedicine markedly...
Programmable Biohybrid Probiotics with Long‐Term Storage Stability for Enhanced Intestinal Microbiota Regulation and Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
Researchers unveiled a multilayer encapsulation platform that merges a metal‑polyphenol network, silica shell, and iron‑based metal‑organic framework to shield the anaerobic probiotic Bifidobacterium longum. The system achieved a 41‑fold boost in aerobic storage stability and an 871‑fold increase in gastric...
Sanofi Reports P-II Trial Results on Lunsekimig Across Multiple Immunology & Inflammatory Indications
Sanofi announced phase‑IIb results for its subcutaneous antibody lunsekimig across three inflammatory diseases. In the AIRCULES asthma study, the drug reduced exacerbations and improved pre‑bronchodilator FEV1 versus placebo, meeting both primary and key secondary endpoints. The DUET trial in chronic...
Decentralized Trials That Scale Globally Without Compliance Risks - with Emma Vitalini of Amgen
In this episode, Emma Vitalini, Head of Global Digital Health Technology Innovation at Amgen, discusses how AI and decentralized trial technologies are transforming patient recruitment, screening, and global trial accessibility. She explains that AI can rapidly parse unstructured genomic and...