BioNTech ends CAR-T program in testicular cancer, lays off 63 staffers

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Today’s Big News

Jun 18, 2025

US accused of denying R&D grants for biotechs based on international investor links


Marty Makary talks DOGE cuts, new voucher program and why FDA still 'on track' to meet all PDUFA dates


BioNTech to wind down cell therapy manufacturing in Maryland, lay off 63 as it ends development of CAR-T drug in testicular cancer


Scholar Rock's SMA drug helps weight loss patients on Zepbound retain muscle in phase 2 trial


Taxes, tariffs and interest rates hold key to biotech's future amid uncertain outlook: EY


Neuropsychiatry biotech Draig Therapeutics hatches with red-hot $140M series A


China's rapid rise creates 'heightened risks' for pharma: PwC


Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker '25: Actio raises $66M series B; Draig draws in $140M


Bavarian Nordic sells FDA priority review voucher from chikungunya vaccine approval for $160M

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Featured

US accused of denying R&D grants for biotechs based on international investor links

The Department of Health and Human Services is allegedly canceling clinical trial funding for biotechs with ties to certain foreign investors, Fierce Biotech has learned.
 

Top Stories

Marty Makary talks DOGE cuts, new voucher program and why FDA still 'on track' to meet all PDUFA dates

“I'm proud to report that we're on track to meet all the PDUFA targets, and that morale is good and improving at the agency,” FDA's Marty Makary said at this year’s BIO, an international convention that has attracted 23,000 attendees.

BioNTech to wind down cell therapy manufacturing in Maryland, lay off 63 as it ends development of CAR-T drug in testicular cancer

Following a disappointing performance from the company’s CAR-T candidate in an early-stage cancer trial, BioNTech is winding down cell therapy manufacturing at its inaugural U.S. plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In turn, the German company is laying off 63 technical operations staffers at the site.

Precision medicine’s next frontier: unlocking the power of biospecimens

Austin Read of Thermo Fisher Scientific discusses how combining biospecimens with real-world data is advancing diagnostics, treatment and the future of patient care.

Scholar Rock's SMA drug helps weight loss patients on Zepbound retain muscle in phase 2 trial

Scholar Rock’s investigational spinal muscular atrophy drug helped patients taking Eli Lilly’s obesity blockbuster Zepbound maintain muscle mass, offering another avenue to reach a key goal for the obesity market.

Taxes, tariffs and interest rates hold key to biotech's future amid uncertain outlook: EY

“This is probably one of the toughest years to predict,” Arda Ural, Ph.D., EY Americas Life Sciences Sector Leader, said on a conference call last week.

Neuropsychiatry biotech Draig Therapeutics hatches with red-hot $140M series A

A new biotech has come roaring to life in Wales with a $140 million series A and a lead candidate ready for phase 2 trials in major depressive disorder. Draig Therapeutics has emerged from a partnership between Cardiff University’s Medicine Discovery Institute and SV Health Investors to tackle unmet needs in neuropsychiatry.

China's rapid rise creates 'heightened risks' for pharma: PwC

PwC analysts have warned the speedy evolution of the Chinese biotech sector is creating “heightened risks related to IP security, regulatory compliance and strategic alignment.”

Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker '25: Actio raises $66M series B; Draig draws in $140M

The Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker records venture capital rounds of $50 million or more secured by biotechs.

Bavarian Nordic sells FDA priority review voucher from chikungunya vaccine approval for $160M

The value of priority review vouchers (PRVs) appears to be on the rise as concerns mount over declining supplies following the sunset of the rare pediatric disease PRV program.

Ousted ACIP members fire back at RFK Jr.'s 'destabilizing' decisions for US vaccine policy

Following HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision last week to purge the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and appoint his own replacements, the 17 ousted experts are hitting back at the arguments behind the cull.

UK professional organizations call for actions to improve diverse participation in clinical trials

A pair of professional organizations in the U.K. is calling for the biopharma industry and national government to take action to improve diversity in clinical trials. The call comes after the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Association of Medical Research Charities held an event with industry stakeholders to identify barriers to increasing diversity in clinical research.
 
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We analyzed ~300 launches to identify the factors most correlated with commercial success & built a framework for peak go-to-market performance.
 

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