Spruce Pivots After Pipeline Failure With BioMarin Tralesinidase Deal

 

After dropping its lead program in December, Spruce has been exploring strategic options – and thinks it has a de-risked path for MPS IIIB therapy tralesinidase from BioMarin.

Finance Watch: Biopharma Sees An Early April VC Mega-Round Surge

 
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Private Company Edition: After Q1 venture capital investment slumped relative to 2024 totals due to declines in both smaller financings and mega-rounds, Q2 started off with six $100m-plus financings in the first half of April after there were only three in February and six in all off March.

Glycomine Funds Phase IIb Rare Disease Trial With $115m Series C

 
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Lead drug GLM101 will move into its first placebo-controlled trial based on positive results in adults and adolescents with PMM2-CDG in an open-label Phase IIa study.

US-China Tariff War Pressures Pharma’s Complex Supply Chain

 
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Although pharmaceuticals are exempt from the US reciprocal tariff policy, for now, the escalating global trade war is already posing practical on-the-ground problems for some companies, Scrip hears.


AstraZeneca Logs Japan Growth Despite Price Cuts

 
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AstraZeneca logs growth in Japan despite a big reimbursement price cut for one of its top sellers and expects 40 approvals in the country over the next six years.

The Silver Lining Of The US Pharma Security Investigation

 

An investigation by the US Secretary of Commerce into pharmaceutical imports gives industry an opportunity to comment. AAM CEO John Murphy talked to Scrip about the latest developments.

Deal Watch: Oak Hill Picks Up Where Roche Left Off In Angelman Syndrome

 
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Plus deals involving Spruce/BioMarin, Boehringer Ingelheim/Cue, Onconetix/Ocuvex, Allakos/Concentra, Sanofi/Nurix, Pfizer/Flagship Pioneering, Alcon/Aurion and more.

Taxes, Not Tariffs, Influence US Manufacturing, J&J CEO Says

 

The big pharma forecast a $400m expense this year related to tariffs, but those estimates only reflect medtech tariffs already announced, not potential pharma tariffs.


Stock Watch: Disappointing ACC Share Price Reactions For AstraZeneca And Lilly

 
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The end of the American College of Cardiology conference was a prelude to a volatile trading week for most stocks. Even before Liberation Day, reactions to the conference announcements were not encouraging.

Korean Biotech Roundup: GNT Set For First Direct Korean Biopharma IPO On Nasdaq

 
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GNT Pharma prepares for the first listing of a Korean biotech on Nasdaq, while others sign major global out-licensing deals with large multinational partners.

Ironwood To Consider All Options With Apraglutide Setback In SBS

 
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With the FDA asking for another Phase III trial, the short bowel syndrome drug apraglutide could be years away from market, while the Linzess patent expiry and near-term debt loom.

Pfizer’s Danuglipron Is Done, Sparking M&A Speculation

 

The company discontinued development of its oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight management due to a safety signal.


Scancell Signs UK Match-Making Pact For Melanoma Vaccine

 
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The Oxford group has linked up with the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.

Quick Listen: Scrip’s Five Must-Know Things

 
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In this week's episode: Trump’s tariff rollercoaster; regulatory, economic uncertainties hang over Q1 earnings; IPOs rise in Q1 but may slow; Chinese deal-making matures; and AstraZeneca talks about Chinese innovation.

Bristol’s Opdivo + Yervoy Gets FDA Liver, Colorectal Cancer Nods

 
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Bristol Myers Squibb notched two approvals in one week for its immuno-oncology combination, pitting the regimen head-to-head with Keytruda in a subset of CRC and with two combos in HCC.

Biotech Leaders Ponder Tariff Ramifications

 

Several biotech execs said they don’t expect much impact from the Trump administration’s threatened tariffs but are reviewing business practices to prepare.


Novartis $23bn US Investment Is Music To Trump’s Ears

 
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The Swiss major follows Lilly and J&J in committing to a significant spend on US manufacturing.

First Quarter M&A Activity Rose On The Strength Of Three Deals

 
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The biopharma sector made acquisitions with total potential value of $33.6bn during Q1, up substantially from the $9.5bn of Q4 2024, according to data from Evaluate.

Biotech Leaders Fear FDA Disruption Is Causing Delays

 

A letter to US Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassiday sounds an alarm about irreparable damage to the FDA, signed by more than 200 biotech executives and investors.

Ferring’s Faith In Bladder Cancer Gene Therapy Starts To Pay Off

 
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Adstiladrin sales hit €70m in first full year on the market