July 2025
Merck Makes $10B Acquisition of Verona Pharma to Bolster Respiratory Portfolio
Merck; Verona Pharma; acquisition; Ohtuvayre; COPD; respiratory disease; Keytruda patent; biotech; pharmaceutical industry
FDA Approves Updated Dosing for Lilly’s Kisunla to Lower Brain Swelling Risk
FDA; Kisunla; Eli Lilly; Alzheimer’s disease; dosing regimen; brain swelling; ARIA; safety; label update; TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6
Rhythm’s Oral MC4R Agonist Bivamelagon Shows Promising Results in Rare Obesity Type
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals; oral weight-loss drug; bivamelagon; MC4R agonist; Phase 2 trial; hypothalamic obesity; BMI reduction; clinical trial results
Deal Roundup: Novartis Options Sironax’s Neuro Platform, Plus Moves from Revolution, Iambic, Sernova, and Eledon
Novartis; Sironax; Brain Delivery Module; neuroscience; blood-brain barrier; biotech; dealmaking; Revolution Medicines; Iambic; Sernova; Eledon
AstraZeneca’s Alexion Signs $825M AAV Capsid Deal with JCR Pharma
AstraZeneca; Alexion; JCR Pharmaceuticals; JUST-AAV; gene therapy; AAV capsid; rare disease; licensing deal; genomic medicines
Revolution Medicines and Iambic Announce $25M AI-Powered Drug Discovery Collaboration
Revolution Medicines; Iambic Therapeutics; AI drug discovery; NeuralPLexer; PropANE; oncology; RAS-addicted cancers; collaboration; pharmaceutical industry; milestone payments
Novartis Gains World-First Approval of Malaria Treatment for Babies
Novartis; malaria; Coartem Baby; Swissmedic; newborns; infants; Africa; approval; artemether-lumefantrine; Medicines for Malaria Venture; not-for-profit
Taiho’s Investigational DMD Therapy Misses Primary Endpoint in Phase 3 Trial
Taiho; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; DMD; pizuglanstat; TAS-205; Phase 3 trial; clinical trial failure; REACH-DMD study; Otsuka Holdings