Sanofi R&D Head’s Words Of Wisdom For Biotechs

08 May 2025

Houman Ashrafian tells delegates at Swiss Biotech Day that ‘literally only two things matter in our industry – target credentialing and differentiated pharmacology. The rest is execution.’

Ashrafian_Houman — Houman Ashrafian • Source: Sanofi

Sanofi R&D chief Houman Ashrafian is very sympathetic to the plight of cash-strapped biotechs but has implored companies not to skimp financially on the design and development of their clinical programs.

Speaking to delegates at the Swiss Biotech Day event in Basel earlier this week, Ashrafian said that his take-home message...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

Start your 7-day free trial
Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
Access comprehensive global coverage
Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

BeBetter, Trinomab Advance IPOs On China’s STAR Market In Firsts Since Policy Easing

11 Aug 2025

• By Dexter Jie Yan

BeBetter becomes first unprofitable innovative drug maker to have application for an IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market cleared by China’s top securities regulator, while Trinomab becomes first among peers to have IPO filing accepted.

Aurigene Oncology CEO On Biotech Valuations, CAR-Ts And Reimbursement Models

05 Aug 2025

• By Anju Ghangurde

Aurigene Oncology CEO talks in this audio interview about the tough biotech funding environment, pipeline assets including a CAR-T therapy in Phase II, "hybrid" manufacturing, outcome-based reimbursement and the promise of bispecifics and multispecifics, including Akeso's PD-1/VEGF bispecific.

Finance Watch: Just As The XBI Began Turnaround, Trump Upped MFN Pricing Threats

01 Aug 2025

• By Mandy Jackson

Public Company Edition: The XBI fund attempted a correction midway through the week ending Aug. 1, but President Trump’s most favored nation drug pricing threats tanked valuations again. In financings, Leads Biolabs raised $189m in a Hong Kong IPO and Abivax closed a $747.5m FOPO.

Metabolic Disease-Focused Poxel Teeters On The Edge

01 Aug 2025

• By Andrew McConaghie

The Lyon, France-based company has filed for insolvency and is running out of time to find new funding for its metabolic disease pipeline.

Pipeline Watch: Five Approvals And Two Phase III Readouts

11 Aug 2025

Pipeline Watch is a weekly snapshot of selected late-stage clinical trial events and approvals announced by pharmaceutical and biotech companies at medical and industry conferences, in financial and company presentations, and in company releases and statements.