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This Week

Mar 29, 2024

Bristol Myers Squibb cuts hundreds of Mirati staffers months after closing $5.8B buyout


After GSK acquisition, Bellus CEO seeks work opportunities for displaced staff


FDA blocks approval of Regeneron's blood cancer drug over confirmatory trial enrollment


Big Pharma CEOs gather in Beijing to show continued interest in China, offer policy advice


#FierceMadness: Lilly’s Mounjaro, Revance’s Daxxify notch major wins: Now vote in your Sweet 16 round


#FierceMadness: The Best Biotech Name Tournament—VOTE NOW for the Sweet 16 


In another step forward for AI, UW researchers deliver antibody-generating model 

 

Featured

Bristol Myers Squibb cuts hundreds of Mirati staffers months after closing $5.8B buyout

Two months after closing its multibillion-dollar acquisition of Mirati Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb is bidding adieu to more than 250 workers at the biotech's headquarters in California. 
 

Top Stories

After GSK acquisition, Bellus CEO seeks work opportunities for displaced staff

After GSK’s $2 billion buyout of Canada-based Bellus Health last summer, an undisclosed number of the biotech’s team members are out of a job.

FDA blocks approval of Regeneron's blood cancer drug over confirmatory trial enrollment

Regeneron may have gotten ahead of itself with the early filing of bispecific antibody odronextamab to regulators. In a move that might not surprise keen FDA watchers, the agency has issued two complete response letters over the timelines of ongoing phase 3 confirmatory trials for the drug.

Big Pharma CEOs gather in Beijing to ⁠show continued interest in China, offer policy advice

The CEOs of AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer and Takeda came together in Beijing to show the companies’ continued interest in China and to offer their advice for the country’s healthcare industry.

#FierceMadness: Lilly’s Mounjaro, Revance’s Daxxify notch major wins: Now vote in your Sweet 16 round

It’s March, so it’s time for some #FierceMadness. Last year, we channeled the NCAA tournament for the best pharma ad campaigns, but this year we’re looking for the best of the best in drug names.

#FierceMadness: The Best Biotech Name Tournament—VOTE NOW for the Sweet 16

What's the best biotech name? It's time to vote in the Fierce Madness #biotechbracket.

Novo Nordisk closes in on EU approval for its once-weekly insulin Awiqli

With a positive recommendation from Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), Novo has come a step closer to bringing its revolutionary Awiqli (once-weekly basal insulin icodec) to the market. It was one of several opinions handed down by the CHMP.

Moderna's next-gen COVID vax surpasses approved version in phase 3

Moderna's next-gen COVID vaccine beat its approved counterpart in phase 3, boasting a stronger immune response. The new data is critical to Moderna's combo ambitions.

In another step forward for AI, UW researchers deliver antibody-generating model

Researchers at the University of Washington's Baker Lab have shown that a generative AI program can help draw up atomically accurate antibodies from scratch—including those capable of binding to the proteins found in COVID-19, RSV and influenza.

AstraZeneca plans independent drug supply chains for US and China, CEO says

As geopolitical tensions threaten to disrupt pharmaceutical supply chains, AstraZeneca is making plans to manufacture drugs for the U.S. and China markets independently from one another.

Mouth microbe on the move may drive colorectal cancer progression

A common microbe that migrates from the mouth to the gut may be responsible for driving the progression of colorectal cancer, new findings from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center suggest.

NHS says Kate Middleton's cancer announcement sent symptom searches skyrocketing

Call it a silver lining: In addition to stopping the increasingly ludicrous theories for her absence from the public eye, Kate Middleton’s reveal last week that she’s fighting cancer may also be boosting awareness of the early signs and symptoms of the disease.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': A closer look at European biotech investment in 2024

This week on “The Top Line,” we explore the European biotech investment landscape. Fierce Biotech’s James Waldron sits down with Maina Bhaman, a Partner at Sofinnova Capital Strategy, who provides insights into how investors are approaching the European biotech sector. 
 

Resources

Whitepaper

Pediatric Clinical Trials: Considerations for Enrollment and Retention

Explore the nuanced approaches necessary for successful pediatric drug development.
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CNS Market Outlook, 2024

This paper assesses the current state of the broad CNS market, reviewing key expectations for 2024. It addresses Alzheimer’s disease, biomarkers, and advances in psychiatry in detail. It also provides a high-level look at the pain market and the evolving regulatory environment.

Whitepaper

Vaccine Development Challenges in Facing Influenza and COVID-19

Explore the complex considerations of vaccine development for influenza and COVID-19, including the challenges posed by viral evolution and the importance of ongoing research in this paper by vaccine expert, Dr. Lisa Kierstead.
Whitepaper

Industry Insights: The Evolution of the Manufacturer & Specialty Distributor Relationship

Amidst rapid change, it is crucial for specialty distributors to maintain a balance of service and quality for manufacturers, ensuring neither is sacrificed. Explore why this balance is paramount for success in the evolving landscape of pharma.
 

Industry Events

Drug Development Boot Camp® VIRTUAL | Spring 2024

April ‌10-11, ‌2024

On Helix

Date: ‌4 ‌July ‌2024 ‌- ‌Location: ‌Babraham ‌Research ‌Campus, ‌Cambridge ‌UK

 

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