Research & Development

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    Chinese drugmaker becomes top trial sponsor — and other clinical trends

    The industry’s top indication areas for R&D and other shifts in the clinical trial landscape last year.

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Nov. 5, 2025
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    Biotech Spotlight

    Imunon’s non-viral DNA candidate may have cracked the code in frontline ovarian cancer

    Imunon is showing off promising phase 3 data at a gynecologic cancer conference this week.

    By Alexandra Pecci • Nov. 5, 2025
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    Trendline

    Oncology R&D

    Cancer research remains a prime focus for the industry and often leads to pharma’s most impactful breakthroughs.   

    By PharmaVoice staff
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    Biogen’s yearslong lupus R&D journey could soon pay off

    Following a lengthy R&D process, two new molecules from Biogen could add much-needed treatments for a disease that’s been difficult to pin down.

    By • Nov. 4, 2025
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    Roche taps an AI specialist to craft new brain drugs

    For $55 million, Roche gains access to Manifold Bio’s drug discovery technology, which will be used to develop new “shuttles” that can get medicines across the blood-brain barrier.

    By Jacob Bell • Nov. 4, 2025
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    One of the few late-stage ALS contenders hits a critical juncture

    MediciNova has launched a potentially pivotal trial for what it hopes is a disease-modifying ALS drug.

    By • Oct. 31, 2025
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    deliormanli via Getty Images
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    Corporate venture firms stepped in for drug startups during biotech funding pullback

    According to a new BioPharma Dive analysis, corporate-related funds such as Novo Holdings, Eli Lilly and Sanofi Ventures have been among the most active investors in biotech startups this year.

    By Gwendolyn Wu • Oct. 31, 2025
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    What comes next for Novo Nordisk?

    After losing its leading position in obesity, changing its CEO and triggering a major company reorganization, the pressure is on Novo to pull off a major about-face.

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Oct. 29, 2025
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    Novartis’ $12B Avidity deal shows a willingness to take big swings in neuroscience

    A premium paid for RNA candidates reflects what the pharma giant has sought to do for the last few years: aim at revolutionary technology that fits into their own expertise.

    By • Oct. 28, 2025
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    Merck’s oncology prospects could portend a post-Keytruda future

    Can the pharma giant offset potential losses from its megablockbuster with a strong suite of contenders?

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Oct. 27, 2025
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    Sponsored by Biogen

    How limited options for lupus patients and the challenge of a complex disease drove my mission for change

    Lupus is a complex disease – Biogen is seeking to develop potential new treatment options and new hope for patients.

    By Youmna Lahoud, MD, FACR, Medical Director, Clinical Development Immunology at Biogen • Oct. 27, 2025
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    Takeda stakes more than $11B on cancer drugs from China

    The Japanese pharma is licensing up to three next-generation cancer drugs from Innovent Biologics in a deal it believes to be “transformative” for its oncology portfolio.

    By Ben Fidler • Oct. 24, 2025
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    Alamy
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    AI giants Nvidia, Microsoft and Google are making critical moves in pharma R&D

    With market caps in the trillions, these tech behemoths are establishing a growing presence in drug development. Here’s what they’re up to.

    By Alexandra Pecci • Oct. 22, 2025
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    AstraZeneca, Daiichi’s Datroway excels in hard-to-treat breast cancer

    Presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology, study results showed Datroway extended survival in breast cancer patients for whom immunotherapy is not an option.

    By Delilah Alvarado • Oct. 21, 2025
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    Too much of a good thing? A flood of data is slowing clinical trials.

    Pharma companies want to know it all — but cutting out unnecessary data collection could speed drug R&D.

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Oct. 15, 2025
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    What a gene therapy win means for the Huntington’s disease pipeline

    Recent results for a Huntington’s gene therapy confer a hopeful sign for R&D in the space.

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Oct. 14, 2025
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    Beyond dire wolves: Could Colossal’s de-extinction work transform human health?

    While resurrected animal species grab headlines, Colossal’s behind-the-scenes R&D may be poised to make an impact for humans as well.

    By • Oct. 10, 2025
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    Nobel Prize victory spotlights immunology’s value in pharma

    While saturated with mature blockbusters, the immunology space is vibrating with new potential breadwinners from the top companies.

    By • Oct. 9, 2025
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    Ermath, Michael. (2020). "Individualized Therapies Workshop" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Dr. Peter Marks, former top FDA vaccine official, joins Eli Lilly

    Six months after his abrupt resignation as CBER director, Marks has been hired to run discovery and infectious disease work at the big Indianapolis drugmaker.

    By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 8, 2025
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    Vertex’s quest for a breakthrough in Type 1 diabetes

    The race is on for an insulin-producing treatment that doesn’t require immune suppressing drugs.

    By Kelly Bilodeau • Oct. 8, 2025
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    As setbacks plague other companies, MindMed becomes a front-runner in the psychedelics race

    Challenges faced by other drugmakers have reinforced, rather than discouraged, MindMed’s approach to psychedelic drug R&D for anxiety and other disorders.

    By Alexandra Pecci • Oct. 7, 2025
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    Q&A

    Overcoming past mistakes, generics powerhouse Teva embraces an innovative ‘mindset change’

    In the three years since a leadership change, Teva has evolved its R&D approach beyond a long history making copycat medicines.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
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    With Emma Walmsley exiting GSK, who will be pharma’s top women CEOs?

    The only woman to head up a company in Big Pharma is stepping down from the role at the end of the year.

    By • Oct. 3, 2025
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    Takeda, in reversal, abandons cell therapy research

    The Japanese pharmaceutical company, which had made cell therapy a priority a few years ago, aims to partner its work while prioritizing investments elsewhere.

    By Delilah Alvarado • Oct. 2, 2025
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    Half of Merck’s sales are in jeopardy. Can Keytruda’s sequel save the day?

    This week’s launch of subcutaneously administered Keytruda Qlex gives Merck a safety net for the cancer drug’s daunting patent cliff.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
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    AstraZeneca’s at-home flu vaccine is a breakthrough that could pave the way for others

    FluMist Home could be a test case for at-home vaccines against a backdrop of challenging regulatory shifts.

    By Alexandra Pecci • Oct. 1, 2025