More M&A to come, analysts say

Today's Big News

May 9, 2023

The most influential people in biopharma in 2023 


UPDATED: Novavax cuts head count by 25%, hitting hundreds of jobs, to align costs with dwindling COVID-19 market


Thermo Fisher, Pfizer team up on global access to cancer DNA testing


Let's make a deal: Conditions are right for biopharma M&A to break out, analysts say


Takeda confirms fallout from gene therapy R&D refocus: up to 186 layoffs

 

Featured

The most influential people in biopharma in 2023

The times are changing in biopharma. We hope our selections for this year's Most Influential People in Biopharma special report reflect the trends many of our readers are seeing in the industry.
 

Top Stories

UPDATED: Novavax cuts head count by 25%, hitting hundreds of jobs, to align costs with dwindling COVID-19 market

Novavax is reducing its head count by 25%. After trying to cut costs without laying off staff, the vaccine company has now accepted it will need to part ways with hundreds of employees to align its spending with the dwindling size of the COVID-19 opportunity.

Thermo Fisher, Pfizer team up on global access to cancer DNA testing

Genomic sequencing can help match cancer patients to the most effective treatments based on their specific genetic makeup—but only if they have access to the necessary testing. Thermo Fisher Scientific and Pfizer, which have joined forces to expand the global reach of next-generation sequencing technologies.

Let's make a deal: Conditions are right for biopharma M&A to break out, analysts say

Pfizer’s proposed $43 billion acquisition of Seagen two months ago was the largest deal in biopharma since 2019 but it came during a period when M&A activity has been limited. Analysts from EY and West Monroe however believe that the M&A market is about to grow because of a confluence of factors.

Takeda confirms fallout from gene therapy R&D refocus: up to 186 layoffs

Last month, Fierce Biotech told you about an unknown number of layoffs due to hit Takeda employees as the Japanese pharma moves away from early-stage R&D work in adeno-associated virus-based gene therapies and rare hematology. Now, we’ve got a better sense of the workforce impact.

Lilly exec blasts IRA's 'nonsensical' distinctions as pharma readies legal attacks elsewhere

Eli Lilly’s R&D chief is openly attacking a widely disputed clause in the Inflation Reduction Act that subjects small- and large-molecule medicines to different price negotiation timelines. Meanwhile, the drug industry is also preparing legal arguments to challenge how the U.S. government implements the new law, Reuters reports.

Guardant's colorectal cancer blood test accuracy closes in on other screening methods: study

First launched in May 2022, the company’s Shield test searches for evidence of the disease by analyzing small fragments of tumor DNA found floating in the bloodstream.

FibroGen snags sole ADC asset from small biotech for $280M in biobucks

FibroGen is taking on Fortis Therapeutics' sole asset, an antibody drug conjugate for prostate cancer and multiple myeloma, to fortify a pipeline that has to-date been mainly siloed towards anemia and fibrotic diseases.

With FDA nod, AstraZeneca's Farxiga gains ground in heart failure race with Jardiance

AstraZeneca’s heart, kidney and diabetes drug Farxiga lagged its Eli Lilly counterpart last year after Jardiance bagged an approval to treat a wider spectrum of heart failure patients. But a fresh green light for AstraZeneca’s med could put the SGLT2 rivals neck and neck once again.

EQRx abandons low cost drug plan, slashes programs down to 1 and cuts staff in 'reset'

EQRx is abandoning its plan to provide drugs that are typically expensive at lower prices. The biotech is also cutting ties with two of its partners, letting go of 170 staff members and slashing all assets from its pipeline except one.

Aegis, Northwell launch Optain with $12M for AI-powered disease detection

They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but a newly launched company is hoping they can also shed some light on early signs of disease.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don't miss an episode

'The Top Line': Part 2 of a series on Narcan, the lifesaving nasal spray

This week on "The Top Line," we're continuing our miniseries on Narcan the nasal spray. It is the first naloxone product to be approved for use without a prescription.
 

Resources

Whitepaper

ChatGPT in Drug Discovery: Rise of Large Language Models

ChatGPT shows promise in drug discovery for information extraction, scientific text authoring, hypothesis prediction, and chemical entity prediction. This whitepaper explores its potential to streamline research, delving into its technology, applications, and limitations.
Whitepaper

Discovering High-Affinity, Functional Anti-GLP-1R Antibodies

Learn how a GPCR-focused library with a cell-based biopanning strategy led to the discovery of 13 high-affinity and selective anti-GLP-1R antibodies with highly developable therapeutic properties.
eBook

Decentralized Clinical Trials: The Complete Guide for 2023

Discover a game-changing approach to clinical research with Hybrid and Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs). Learn about the benefits, challenges, and key elements for success.
Research

How Lilly’s Legal and Library Services Empower Teams Across the Drug Development Pipeline

What role do the Library and Legal teams play in the drug development pipeline at Lilly? An import one – find out how.
Whitepaper

Medical Affairs Metamorphosis VI: The Changing Face of Stakeholder Engagement

This paper focuses on stakeholder engagement and how Medical Affairs teams’ responsibilities, goals, tools, and techniques are changing.
Research

Maximizing Clinical Trial Success

Strategies for Optimal Site Selection and Feasibility Research in Novel Therapies and Geographies
Whitepaper

eConsent: Flexible Consent Through Enabling Technologies

How can eConsent provide a more flexible approach to informed consent?
Whitepaper

Plan for scalable process liquid and buffer preparation

Preparation of critical process liquids and buffer components shifts resources away from core activities and can be filled with inefficiencies and risks that can increase time and costs across your workflow. Learn about the framework to help reduce your total costs beyond capital and operational expenditures and set a solid foundation for successful scale-up of buffer preparation.
Whitepaper

Running Decentralized Trials at Scale

Explore how clinical supply can be scaled up as decentralized programs progress, and how technological solutions can accelerate trial deployment.
Whitepaper

Designing an Optimal APAC Clinical Supply Chain

Discover key considerations that every trial sponsor should know when navigating the complex clinical supply distribution landscape across Asia-Pacific.
Whitepaper

Key Clinical Supply Issues Sponsors Should Consider with their CRO

As sponsors increasingly look to CROs to support their clinical studies, making and addressing certain clinical supply considerations at the outset of the relationship can reduce the risk of potentially unforeseen impact to budget and time later. Discover key issues sponsors should consider to help their CRO or partner of choice better understand their clinical supply needs.

Whitepaper

Specialized Expertise for Management of Clinical Supply Budgets

For sponsors, cost is a key concern when it comes to managing the supply of their clinical trials. A financial project analyst (FPA) is a specialized expert who can help control clinical supply costs and keep the project within budget. Explore the critical role that a Financial Project Analyst plays in clinical trial supply and budget management.
Whitepaper

Clinical Supply Solutions for the Asia-Pacific Region

Learn how Catalent’s extensive network across APAC can meet a wide range of clinical supply needs for sponsors conducting trials within the region.
Whitepaper

Roles and Responsibilities of Specialized Clinical Supply Experts

How can specialized expertise help you optimize your clinical supply chain? Learn about the roles and responsibilities of unique experts such as clinical supply management, project management, and financial project analysis.
Whitepaper

Questions You Need to Ask Your CRO About Clinical Supply

Planning on using a CRO to support your next clinical study? This infographic outlines critical areas to address at the start of the relationship in order to ensure that budget and timelines keep on track for the duration of the trial.
Whitepaper

Supply Services to Support Clinical Trials in Japan & Beyond

Explore Catalent’s newest clinical supply facility in Japan, including the comprehensive services & solutions it offers to help support trials both in-country & around the world.
 

Industry Events

 

Upcoming Fierce Events

12-14
Jun
San Diego, CA
13
Jun
Free Virtual Event
20-22
Jun
Free Virtual Event
22
Jun
Free Virtual Event
18-19
Jul
July 18-19, 2023 | Jersey City, NJ

View all events