FDA Proposal Would Exclude Bulk Compounding of Weight-Loss Drugs Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Liraglutide
The FDA announced a proposal to remove semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide from the 503B bulk drug list, concluding there is no clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound these GLP‑1 weight‑loss agents from bulk substances. Because FDA‑approved versions are already available, the agency says compounding from bulk would be unlawful except in a documented shortage. The proposal opens a public comment period that runs until June 29, 2026, after which a final determination will be made.
Lilly Reports 56% Q1 Revenue Growth, Touts Oral GLP-1 Pill Foundayo
Eli Lilly reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $19.8 billion, up 56% year‑over‑year, propelled by strong volume growth of its GLP‑1 drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound despite modest price declines. Reported EPS jumped 170% to $8.26 and non‑GAAP EPS to $8.55, prompting the...
Merck Beats Quarterly Sales Expectations as Keytruda Fuels Growth
Merck reported first‑quarter sales of $8 billion, driven by a 12% increase in Keytruda revenue, surpassing analyst estimates of $7.6 billion. The company posted a loss after taking a $3.62‑per‑share charge related to its acquisition of antiviral developer Cidara Therapeutics. Shares jumped...
Dr. Reddy’s Announces Health Canada Approval of Generic Semaglutide Injection
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories received a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada, becoming the first firm to secure market authorization for a generic semaglutide injection in Canada. The approval covers both 2 mg and 4 mg pen formulations, and the company is preparing...
Candel Therapeutics Announces Commercial Agreement with EVERSANA to Support U.S. Launch of Prostate Cancer Therapy
Candel Therapeutics announced a commercialization agreement with EVERSANA to support the potential U.S. launch of its gene‑therapy candidate aglatimagene besadenovec (CAN‑2409) for intermediate‑ to high‑risk localized prostate cancer. EVERSANA will deliver a full suite of services, including data analytics, medical...
Chiesi Expands Rare Disease Portfolio, Acquires KalVista for $1.9 Billion
Chiesi Group announced a $1.9 billion cash acquisition of KalVista Pharmaceuticals, its largest deal to date. The purchase adds EKTERLY (sebetralstat), the first oral, on‑demand therapy for hereditary angioedema (HAE), to Chiesi’s rare‑disease pipeline. EKTERLY is already approved in major markets...
Pfizer Settles with Generic Drugmakers to Protect Blockbuster Drug Until 2031
Pfizer reached settlements with three generic manufacturers—Dexcel Pharma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Cipla—to postpone the launch of off‑patent copies of its heart‑disease drug Vyndamax until mid‑2031. The agreement stabilizes U.S. sales, which hit $3.8 billion in 2025, and averts the steep revenue...
Med Ad Views Episode 07: Med Ad News 2026 Marketer on the Rise Recipient Dipa Sapre
Dipa Sapre, director of obesity HCP strategy at Novo Nordisk, was honored with the 2026 Marketer on the Rise Manny Award. In a Med Ad Views podcast, she discussed her career path across major pharma firms, the award‑winning obesity launch, and...
Lilly to Acquire Ajax Therapeutics
Eli Lilly announced a definitive agreement to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion in cash. Ajax’s lead candidate, AJ1-11095, is a first‑in‑class Type II JAK2 inhibitor currently in a Phase 1 study (AJX‑101) for myelofibrosis patients who have failed Type I JAK2...
Inizio Launches Next-Gen Hub Services at Asembia 2026
Inizio announced the launch of its next‑generation Patient Solutions hub, delivered by the Inizio Engage unit. The offering blends human expertise, intelligent technology, and pharmacy capabilities with advanced analytics to streamline benefit verification, prior authorizations, and copay coordination. Designed to...
Med Ad News Honors Winners of 37th Annual Manny Awards
Med Ad News announced the winners of its 37th Annual Manny Awards at a black‑tie gala in New York. Publicis Health CEO Matt McNally earned Industry Person of the Year after delivering double‑digit growth and investing in health‑specific AI tools....
Med Ad News 2026 Industry Person of the Year: Matt McNally
Matt McNally was honored as Med Ad News 2026 Industry Person of the Year, recognizing his impact as global CEO of Publicis Health. Since returning to the firm, he has tightened global connectivity, modernized operating models, and championed creative excellence....
Med Ad News 2026 Marketer on the Rise: Dipa Sapre
Dipa Sapre joined Novo Nordisk in early 2025 as director of HCP obesity strategy and spearheaded the launch of Wegovy, the first oral GLP‑1 weight‑loss pill, in Q4 2025. Within weeks, the product generated over 26,100 prescriptions, reaching 44,000 cumulative...
Notes & Methodology: Med Ad News 2026 Healthcare Communications Agencies Edition
Med Ad News released its 2026 Healthcare Communications Agencies Edition, outlining strict qualification criteria for inclusion. Agencies must demonstrate capabilities to develop marketing strategies for healthcare professionals, consumers, patients, or payers and hold a significant or growing share of healthcare...
Deerfield Group Launches Prismatiq for Life Sciences
Deerfield Group unveiled Prismatiq, a field‑enablement platform built specifically for life‑science companies. The solution ties together brand strategy, content, data and engagement insights in a single, CRM‑compatible workspace. By tracking every content interaction, Prismatiq gives reps real‑time analytics to personalize,...
Merck to Partner with Google Cloud on AI Initiatives
Merck & Co announced a partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate its artificial‑intelligence capabilities, allocating up to $1 billion over several years. The deal will fund AI infrastructure, licensing of Google’s Gemini Enterprise platform, and dedicated cloud engineers working alongside Merck...
Amneal Pharmaceuticals Acquires Kashiv BioSciences for up to $1.1 Billion
Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced a definitive agreement to acquire Kashiv BioSciences for up to $1.1 billion, comprising $375 million in cash, $375 million in equity at closing, and up to $350 million in milestone payments. Kashiv brings end‑to‑end biosimilar development and manufacturing capabilities, creating a...
The Intimacy Mandate: Why Getting Close Is the only Way to Win
Loren Levinson argues that pharmaceutical marketing must shift from algorithmic relevance to true intimacy with patients, talent, decision‑makers, and brands. By embedding marketers in real‑world contexts—such as living with patients or using anthropologists—companies uncover deeper insights that reshape product design...
Kelly Ofman Joins AbelsonTaylor Group as VP, Account Director
AbelsonTaylor Group announced Kelly Ofman as Vice President and account director, bringing more than 15 years of pharmaceutical marketing experience. Ofman most recently served as Senior Vice President at Havas Lynx/Life, where she led launch strategies for brands such as...
Merck-Eisai’s Kidney Cancer Drug Combo Fail to Improve Survival in Late-Stage Trial
Merck and Eisai reported that their late‑stage trial of Keytruda plus Lenvima with Welireg, as well as a Lenvima‑MK‑1308A combo, failed to improve overall survival or progression‑free survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The study enrolled 1,688 patients and...
AstraZeneca’s Ultomiris Cuts Urine Protein in Late-Stage Kidney Disease Trial
AstraZeneca announced that its rare‑blood‑disorder drug Ultomiris achieved the primary goal in a late‑stage trial for IgA nephropathy, a rare kidney disease. An interim analysis showed a statistically significant reduction in urine protein by week 34, with effects detectable as early...
Boehringer Ingelheim Launches AI Center for Pharma Research in London
Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of a new artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning centre in London, its fourth dedicated AI hub after sites in Austria, Germany and the United States. The company will invest £150 million (about $200 million) over the next ten years...
Lilly’s Obesity Pill Foundayo Gets 1,390 Prescriptions in Debut Week
Eli Lilly's newly launched oral obesity drug Foundayo filled 1,390 prescriptions in the United States during its debut week ending April 10, according to IQVIA data. By comparison, Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy recorded 3,071 prescriptions in its first four days...
Phase III Study of Lilly’s Foundayo, Reaffirms Cardiovascular and Overall Safety Profile, Plus Improvements to Cardiometabolic Health
Eli Lilly announced that its oral GLP‑1 drug Foundayo (orforglipron) achieved the primary endpoint in the Phase 3 ACHIEVE‑4 trial, demonstrating non‑inferior major adverse cardiovascular event risk versus insulin glargine. The study, the largest of its kind with over 2,700 participants...
US FDA to Convene Expert Panel to Review Wider Access to some Peptides
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it will convene an external advisory panel in July to decide whether licensed compounding pharmacies can resume manufacturing more than half a dozen peptides that were barred in 2023. The ban covered 14...
FCB Health New York Rebrands to Olixir New York
Omnicom Health announced that its award‑winning agency FCB Health New York has rebranded as Olixir New York, the first chapter of a new global brand. The change pairs the agency’s legacy of creative excellence with Omnicom’s scale, connectivity and AI‑enabled...
Teva Launches “Home Ground” Online Resource for People Living with Schizophrenia and Their Care Partners
Teva Pharmaceuticals has launched Home Ground, a free online community for people living with schizophrenia and their care partners. The platform, built with input from patients and caregivers, offers symptom‑tracking worksheets, emotional‑wellness videos, independent‑living toolkits, physical‑health checklists, and both virtual...
J&J’s First-Quarter Profit Beats Estimates Even as Stelara Sales Disappoint
Johnson & Johnson reported first‑quarter revenue of $24.1 billion, up nearly 10% year‑over‑year, and adjusted earnings of $2.70 per share, both topping analyst forecasts. Growth was propelled by strong demand for the cancer therapy Darzalex and the psoriasis drug Tremfya, which...
AbbVie Enters World of Pain in up to $715M Deal with China’s Haisco
AbbVie has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with China’s Haisco Pharmaceutical Group that could be worth up to $715 million. The deal grants AbbVie rights to a portfolio of pain‑related compounds ranging from preclinical to Phase 1 stages in China. This marks...
Q&A with Bond and Matter’s Deb Pan Dorner: Leading with Science, Creativity, and Mentorship
Deb Pan Dorner, a former Merck medicinal chemist with degrees from MIT and Johns Hopkins, co‑founded the healthcare communications agency Bond and Matter. The firm blends scientific rigor with creative storytelling, hiring scientists who want to move beyond the lab....
Pharma Firms Accelerate Regional Capacity Building to Secure GLP-1 Supply and Mitigate Geopolitical Risks
Pharma companies are reshaping supply chains by regionalizing GLP‑1 manufacturing to mitigate geopolitical risks and meet soaring demand for metabolic therapies. Eli Lilly announced a $3 billion investment in China and a ¥20 billion ($126 million) upgrade of its Kobe plant in Japan, targeting...
GSK Sees Blockbuster Potential in Targeted Cancer Therapy After Promising Early Data
GSK’s experimental targeted therapy Mo‑rez showed early signs of efficacy, shrinking tumors in a majority of patients with hard‑to‑treat cancers. In a trial, 62% of platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer patients and 67% of endometrial cancer patients achieved at least a 30%...
Amgen’s Lung Cancer Drug Tarlatamab Wins China Approval
Amgen’s bispecific antibody tarlatamab, marketed in the U.S. as Imdelltra, has received approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration. The drug is designed for adults with extensive‑stage small cell lung cancer that has progressed despite chemotherapy. Amgen will commercialize the...
McKinsey to Contribute $125 Million to Purdue Bankruptcy over Opioid Sales Advice
McKinsey & Co has agreed to contribute $125 million to Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy settlement, ending potential lawsuits over the consulting firm’s advice to aggressively market OxyContin. The payment is part of Purdue’s broader $7.4 billion restructuring plan approved in November, which aims...
Novartis Expands Community Health Programs to Close Gaps in Heart Disease and Cancer Care, Targeting 30+ Countries by 2030
Novartis announced a major expansion of its community health initiatives, aiming to operate in more than 30 countries by 2030. The rollout includes Inclusive Health Accelerators in five U.S. cities for breast and prostate cancer, Community Health Initiatives in at...
Amazon Pharmacy to Offer Eli Lilly’s Foundayo via Same-Day Delivery
Amazon Pharmacy announced it will dispense Eli Lilly’s newly approved oral GLP‑1 drug Foundayo, a once‑daily treatment for obesity and overweight adults. Customers can order the medication with a prescription, view real‑time availability and transparent pricing, and receive same‑day delivery...
AbbVie Files Lawsuit to Address ‘Outdated’ Drug Discount Eligibility Program
AbbVie has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Health and Human Services Department seeking updated guidance on the 340B drug discount program. The company argues that current rules allow hospitals and clinics to claim discounts for patients with minimal or...
Skipping the Line: The Rise of Personal Healthcare Agents and On-Demand Care
Personal health agents such as ChatGPT Health, Claude for Healthcare, Copilot Health and Doctronic are moving from pilot projects to mainstream consumer tools, promising instant, AI‑driven medical advice. Doctronic alone has logged over 15 million AI‑mediated conversations, achieving 99.2 % treatment‑plan alignment...
Insmed Discontinues Development of Skin Condition Drug After Mid-Stage Study Miss
Insmed announced it will discontinue development of brensocatib, its investigational therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa, after the drug failed to meet the primary efficacy endpoint in a mid‑stage trial. The study aimed to reduce painful nodules in patients with the chronic...
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...
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...
Rethinking eCOA: Why Earlier Input by Data Managers Is Needed
Electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) is a mature technology, yet its adoption lags behind other digital trial tools. The traditional siloed approach forces data managers to engage only after data collection, inflating costs and extending timelines. Involving data managers early...
Neurocrine Expands Into Metabolic Diseases with $2.9 Billion Soleno Buyout
Neurocrine Biosciences announced a $2.9 billion cash acquisition of Soleno Therapeutics, marking its first foray into metabolic diseases. The deal secures Vykat XR, the inaugural FDA‑approved treatment for hyperphagia in Prader‑Willi syndrome, expanding Neurocrine’s rare‑disease portfolio. Soleno shareholders receive $53 per share,...
Parkinson’s Awareness Month 2026: Alpha Synuclein Emerges as Leading Target in Disease Pipeline
During Parkinson’s Awareness Month 2026, GlobalData reports a clear shift in the drug development landscape toward alpha‑synuclein as the top therapeutic target. While 53% of the 64 approved Parkinson’s drugs still focus on dopamine receptors, the pipeline now includes 62...
Biopharma Catalysts in Q2 2026 Signal High-Profile Approval Decisions and Rising Competition
The Q2 2026 catalyst slate highlights several high‑profile FDA decisions that could reshape the breast‑cancer and obesity markets. Replimune plans a BLA resubmission for vusolimogene oderparevec with a PDUFA date of April 10, 2026, while Arvinas expects a June 5, 2026 decision on vepdegestrant, which showed...
Rare Disease Advocacy Group Urges Trump Administration to Restore FDA Clarity
A coalition of nearly 100 rare‑disease patient groups, biotech executives and investors wrote to President Trump, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Medicare administrator Mehmet Oz and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary urging the administration to restore regulatory clarity at the...
Longer-Term Real-World Data Needed to Compare Leqembi and Kisunla Opposing Treatment Strategies for Alzheimer’s
Eisai/Biogen’s Leqembi and Eli Lilly’s Kisunla are the only FDA‑approved disease‑modifying Alzheimer’s therapies, but they follow opposite treatment models—continuous dosing versus a finite course after amyloid clearance. Four‑year data presented at AD/PD 2026 showed Leqembi delayed disease progression by roughly 9.8 months, with...
AbelsonTaylor Group Adds Irene Westcott as VP, Creative Director
AbelsonTaylor Group announced the appointment of Irene Westcott as Vice President and Creative Director. Westcott arrives with nearly two decades of copy‑focused experience delivering omni‑channel campaigns for pharmaceutical and healthcare brands. Her background includes leading award‑winning product launches, Subpart H/Accelerated Approval...
The Likely Evolution of Generic Players in the U.S. Life Sciences Market
The U.S. generic drug market, long driven by the Hatch‑Waxman Act, now supplies about 90% of prescriptions but only 10% of drug spend. Price erosion of 70‑80% within two years and the entry of six to eight competitors have turned...
US FDA Approves Higher-Dose of Biogen’s Genetic Disorder Drug
The U.S. FDA has approved a higher‑dose version of Biogen’s gene‑replacement therapy for a rare genetic muscle‑weakening disorder, likely spinal muscular atrophy. The new regimen starts with two 50 mg loading doses two weeks apart, followed by a 28 mg maintenance dose...