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Today’s Big News

Aug 6, 2024

Pfizer to create 500 new jobs as it upgrades Australia manufacturing plant to help fight antimicrobial resistance

Merck advances lung cancer attack, pocketing $170M from Daiichi and plotting ADC-trispecific combo

Incyte finds fun in pharma ad fatigue in self-deprecating Opzelura TV spot

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted its brain-computer chip in second patient

Bayer looks ahead to Nubeqa, Kerendia expansions amid Xarelto's downward sales spiral

Featured

Pfizer to create 500 new jobs as it upgrades Australia manufacturing plant to help fight antimicrobial resistance

By Fraiser Kansteiner

Pfizer announced Tuesday that it has invested 150 million Australian dollars (about $98 million) to build a new manufacturing facility at its Australian site in Melbourne, where the company will help produce new antimicrobial treatments aimed at addressing the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance.

Merck advances lung cancer attack, pocketing $170M from Daiichi and plotting ADC-trispecific combo

By Nick Paul Taylor

Merck & Co. has quickly recouped some of the costs of its Harpoon Therapeutics buyout, pulling in $170 million upfront by incorporating the lead candidate into a co-development deal with Daiichi Sankyo.

Incyte finds fun in pharma ad fatigue in self-deprecating Opzelura TV spot

By Nick Paul Taylor

Incyte is asking viewers to imagine a drug ad that provokes more excitement than eye rolls. Attaching a self-deprecating opening to an Opzelura TV spot, the biotech serves up a typical pharma ad while having a little fun with the responses such commercials can provoke.

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted its brain-computer chip in 2nd patient

By Heather Landi

Neuralink has implanted its device in a second patient, according to the startup's owner Elon Musk.

Bayer looks ahead to Nubeqa, Kerendia expansions amid Xarelto's downward sales spiral

By Zoey Becker

The company plans to keep building out blockbuster hopeful Nubeqa, popular eye drug Eylea and newer Kerendia as its top-selling Xarelto succumbs to generic competition.

BioMarin continues pipeline clearout by halting preclinical gene therapy for heart condition

By James Waldron

After BioMarin conducted a spring clean of its pipeline in April, the company has decided that it also needs to offload a preclinical gene therapy for a condition that causes heart muscles to thicken.

Novartis and Viatris sued by estate of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were extracted for research in 1951

By Kevin Dunleavy

The family of a Baltimore woman whose cells were extracted for medical research without her consent more than 70 years ago has filed another lawsuit against drugmakers that allegedly profited from the discoveries they made using her genetic material. The estate has sued Novartis and Viatris, seeking a jury trial and the “full amount” of profits obtained through their use of the “stolen” cells.

IBSA serves up new Licart endorsement from professional pickleball player James Ignatowich

By Andrea Park

In its latest promotional push, IBSA is hitching its wagon to the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.

Sangamo secures $50M upfront in neurodegenerative pact with Roche's Genentech

By Gabrielle Masson

After Biogen and Novartis walked away from partnerships with Sangamo Therapeutics in 2023, the biotech has secured a pact with Roche’s Genentech working on intravenous genomic medicines for neurodegenerative diseases.

BioMarin downsizes Roctavian efforts but keeps hemophilia gene therapy for 3 markets

By Angus Liu

After previously floating the possibility of divesting Roctavian, BioMarin has decided to keep the hemophilia A gene therapy—but with a narrowed focus. The reorg comes with cost cuts across the medicine's R&D, manufacturing and commercialization support functions.

Former journalist, pharma comms lead Sasha Damouni Ellis launches eponymous new life sciences agency

By Ben Adams

Meet the Damouni Group, a new comms and corporate affairs agency launching this month founded and led by Sasha Damouni Ellis.

Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': Fierce 15: Where are they now?

In this week’s episode of "The Top Line," Fierce Biotech’s Annalee Armstrong highlights some of the most promising companies that made our prestigious Fierce 15 list back in 2014.

'The Top Line': Former FTC director weighs in on Novo's $16.5B deal with Catalent

‘Podnosis’: Championing equity in skin of color dermatology

Resources

Whitepaper

Launching a Product in Europe: Understanding Supply Chain Cost Drivers

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Download the white paper to learn how this innovative solution can help optimize your mAb production processes. The findings demonstrate the system's robust capability to sustain strong cell growth and high productivity, facilitating a smooth transition from laboratory to production scale.

2024 Life Sciences Industry Outlook

The definitive report on the state of our industry. Readers will gain an understanding of key indicators to monitor, future predictions, and guidance for investors and founders navigating the therapeutic enabling tools and services, healthtech and techbio sectors through 2024 and beyond.