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What’s in Today’s Brief? (November 2nd Preview)
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Thermo Fisher buys Clario: $9 billion bet on trial data software
Thermo Fisher Scientific agreed to acquire Clario for about $9 billion, moving to integrate Clario’s clinical-trial software that captures, manages and analyzes endpoint data with Thermo Fisher’s existing clinical services. The deal, reported by MedCity News, pairs Clario’s cloud-based eClinical platform with PPD, the contract research organization Thermo Fisher bought in 2021. The acquisition aims to consolidate trial data collection and operations, accelerating end-to-end digital workflows for sponsors running global studies. Analysts view the move as a strategic push to control both logistics and the data layer of clinical development, potentially reducing trial timelines and costs. Thermo Fisher said the software is highly complementary to its existing biopharma services, though the transaction will invite integration and regulatory-compliance work across global trial operations.
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Pfizer sues Metsera and Novo Nordisk... takeover fight turns legal
Pfizer filed suit in Delaware against Metsera’s board and Novo Nordisk after Novo launched a counterproposal for obesity developer Metsera, seeking to block Metsera from terminating an earlier merger agreement with Pfizer. Pfizer alleges the Novo offer violates the terms of the September deal and fiduciary duties, and asked the court for a temporary restraining order to preserve its rights. Novo’s unconventional proposal — a large up‑front cash payment structured to offset regulatory delay risk — prompted Metsera to reopen talks and Novo to disclose a bid valuing Metsera near $6 billion. Pfizer says Novo’s structure is designed to evade antitrust review and argues it cannot qualify as a superior proposal because of regulatory risk. The dispute highlights strategic competition for next‑generation obesity assets and may affect timelines for any sale or integration.
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Moderna’s retrenchment... Covid windfall fails to translate to wider pipeline
Moderna’s post‑pandemic strategy has faltered as Covid vaccine revenues decline and promised mRNA pipeline successes have yet to materialize, according to an expansive industry account. The company has cut costs, faced canceled government contracts and seen market value erode from its 2021 peak. CEO Stéphane Bancel and President Stephen Hoge have led restructurings as Moderna pivots from pandemic-era growth to a leaner organization. Sources cited in the report include former Moderna executives and public filings showing government contract cancellations and declining market capitalization. Despite a shrinking market value, Moderna retains significant cash reserves and several late‑stage assets, including an oncology vaccine program that investors still watch closely. The piece frames current moves as defensive repositioning while management seeks revenue diversification beyond Covid shots.
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Bird‑flu surge spurs phage therapy research: CDC and industry respond
Rising HPAI (H5N1) spillovers and mounting agricultural losses have renewed interest in bacteriophage therapies, researchers and public‑health agencies report. The U.S. CDC and USDA briefings show spillovers into livestock and rare human infections, while scientists argue phage platforms can address secondary bacterial infections and offer novel vaccine delivery approaches against avian influenza. The coverage synthesizes CDC case counts and APHIS poultry depopulation data with interviews of phage developers exploring phage precision to target antibiotic‑resistant pathogens in influenza‑complicated patients. Companies and public‑health groups are evaluating phage utility both as targeted antimicrobials and as modular platforms for vaccine conception — a two‑track response to zoonotic risk and bacterial co‑infections.
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Top 20 drugs hit patent cliff: $176.4 billion at risk through 2029
An analysis identified the top 20 blockbuster drugs facing key U.S. patent expirations between 2026 and 2029, representing roughly $176.4 billion in annual sales. The report links looming exclusivity losses to the recent surge in M&A and strategic deals as big pharma races to refill revenue gaps before generics and biosimilars arrive. GEN’s breakdown highlights major names and years of expiration and cites recent industry transactions—Johnson & Johnson’s Intra‑Cellular Therapies buy and Merck’s acquisition of Verona Pharma—as examples of how companies are reshaping pipelines to mitigate the cliff. The finding underscores a concentrated revenue exposure that is driving dealmaking, pipeline prioritization and lifecycle management strategies across biopharma.
...and 5 more selected Biotech stories in today’s full edition.
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