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Ex-NIH chief Collins returns as science adviser to Biden weeks into retirement

By Kyle LaHucik

Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., after exiting the top perch at the National Institutes of Health in the last weeks of 2021, is back in the upper echelons of U.S. scientific leadership as President Joe Biden's science adviser.

Innovent's phase 3 hits tee it up to challenge Amgen and Sanofi for Chinese PCSK9 market

By Nick Paul Taylor

Innovent Biologics is ready to make its play for the Chinese PCSK9 inhibitor market. Having racked up another two phase 3 wins, Innovent is preparing to file for an approval that would position it as a rival to Amgen’s Repatha and Sanofi’s Praluent in China.

After clinical hold, Yumanity to cut 60% of workforce by April and hunt for a buyer

By Max Bayer

Yumanity Therapeutics plans to cut 60% of its staff by April and is looking for buyers, the company announced Thursday. The news comes less than a month after the FDA placed a partial hold on its lead candidate for Parkinson's disease.

John Mascola, M.D., director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is retiring at the end of March after more than eight years at the helm, a stint that most notably included collaboration with Moderna on its COVID-19 vaccine.

Remix Therapeutics signs Janssen licensing deal that could top $1B

By Max Bayer

Remix Therapeutics is teaming up with Janssen Pharmaceuticals in a licensing deal that could exceed more than $1 billion in exchange for using its RNA reprogramming tech on three treatment targets.

Billionaire's fund backs Heidelberg to carve out niche in busy BCMA space

By Nick Paul Taylor

Dievini has dug into its sack of cash to keep the lights on at Heidelberg Pharma for another year. The 36 million euro ($41 million) commitment extends Heidelberg’s runway out to mid-2023, setting the biotech up to advance its anti-BCMA antibody-drug conjugate through a phase 1/2a clinical trial.

Outset Medical doubled 2021 revenue to $102M amid widening net loss

By Andrea Park

For the full year, the portable dialysis machine maker logged revenues of $102.6 million. That’s more than double the previous year’s tally—specifically, a 105.5% increase compared to the $49.9 million earned in 2020.

Applying mRNA to healing broken bones

By Angus Liu

mRNA technology could have broad applications beyond preventing COVID-19 with vaccines. Besides the infectious disease and cancer areas that industry leaders are already exploring, a research team at Mayo Clinic found mRNA holds promise for regenerating bones.

AHIP study claims hospitals charge double for specialty drugs compared to pharmacies

By Robert King

A new study funded by AHIP claims that hospitals charge patients double for certain pharmaceuticals compared to specialty pharmacies as the FTC considers a probe into pharmacy benefit managers.

Argenx's Vygart launch finds quick neurologist support over AstraZeneca's well-entrenched Soliris for myasthenia gravis

By Ben Adams

Argenx nabbed an FDA approval for its rare disease drug Vyvgart just before Christmas for its generalized myasthenia gravis med. While Soliris has several years of a head start on Vyvgart, a new report from Spherix found more than half (51%) of the surveyed U.S. neurologists perceived Vyvgart “to offer a substantial advance over other currently available therapies.”

Folx Health taps marketing executive as CEO as it eyes national expansion

By Heather Landi

Folx Health launched out of stealth mode in December 2020 as a telehealth platform designed specifically for the queer and transgender communities. The company has tapped marketing and operations executive Liana Douillet Guzmán to lead its continued strong growth as it eyes expansion to all 50 states.