Get the Daily Brief
Latest Biotech News
Abbott to close $23B Exact Sciences deal – Expands diagnostics footprint
Abbott prepared to close its $23 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences after securing regulatory clearances. The deal brings Cologuard, Oncotype DX, Oncodetect and multi‑cancer early detection...
Big pharma shutters muscle‑growth bets – Roche, Genentech scale back programs
Two major drugmakers halted late‑stage muscle‑growth and muscle‑preserving programs after trial data failed to show consistent benefit. Roche announced it would stop development of emugrobart...
FDA asks for sham‑surgery control in uniQure Huntington’s trial – Ethics and timing at stake
The U.S. FDA told uniQure to conduct a prospective, randomized, double‑blind, sham surgery‑controlled study to support marketing of AMT‑130, an AAV‑based gene‑editing therapy for Huntington’s...
Tumor whole‑genome sequencing: actionable biomarkers found in 73% of cases
A real‑world study of paired tumor‑normal whole‑genome sequencing (WGS) in 888 solid‑tumor patients demonstrated high technical success (89%), a median six‑day turnaround, and identified...
Scaling cell therapy: automation and light‑gated CARs aim to expand access
Two developments signal parallel moves to industrialize and better control cell therapies. Cellares executives discussed using automation, closed manufacturing systems and global networks to...
Generalist biological AI: Nature Biotechnology frames cross‑domain vision
Nature Biotechnology published a review outlining a vision for generalist biological AI—models that can perform diverse tasks across biological domains. The paper evaluates promises and pitfalls,...
ACIP turmoil: claims of disbanding follow judge’s injunction
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has been embroiled in upheaval after a federal judge issued a temporary injunction questioning the appointment process of newly installed...
Lab‑grown esophagus restores swallowing in pig models – Leap for pediatric repair
Researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL reported functional integration of an autologous engineered esophagus in a growing large‑animal model. Teams decellularized donor porcine...
Novartis pays $2B upfront for Synnovation PI3Kα program
Novartis agreed to acquire Synnovation Therapeutics’ PI3Kα program, paying $2 billion in cash up front to buy Pikavation Therapeutics and its mutation‑selective candidate SNV4818. The deal gives...
AI drugmaker Earendil raises $787M to scale biologics pipeline
Earendil Labs secured $787 million in private financing to accelerate a broad AI‑driven biologics pipeline and expand R&D capacity across the U.S. and China. Lead investors included Dimension and...
FDA clears high‑dose Wegovy under commissioner’s voucher
The FDA approved a 7.2 mg high‑dose formulation of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, granting a faster review under the commissioner’s voucher program that cut the evaluation to roughly two months. Novo...
Abbott closes $23B Exact Sciences acquisition — expands diagnostics
Abbott completed its $23 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences, adding Cologuard, Oncotype DX and other cancer‑screening and molecular diagnostics assets to its portfolio. Abbott expects the deal...
Tumor whole‑genome sequencing informs care in 41% of real‑world cases
A real‑world study of 888 solid‑tumor patients published in Nature Medicine found routine paired tumor‑normal whole‑genome sequencing (WGS) delivered actionable results with clinical consequences...
Engineered autologous esophagus integrates and restores function in growing pigs
Researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London reported functional integration of an autologous engineered esophagus in a large, growing porcine model. The 2.5‑cm...
ACIP turmoil: judge freezes appointments — membership status in flux
Confusion erupted after a member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices claimed the panel had been "disbanded" following a federal judge’s temporary injunction that blocked...
FDA asks uniQure for sham‑surgery controlled trial for Huntington’s gene therapy
The FDA told uniQure it expects a prospective, randomized, double‑blind, sham surgery‑controlled study to support marketing approval for AMT‑130, an AAV‑delivered huntingtin‑lowering therapy that...
Scaling cell therapy: industry maps automation, closed systems and manufacturing roadmaps
Industry leaders outlined practical paths to scale autologous and allogeneic cell therapies by combining automation, closed‑system manufacturing and global networks. Cellares executives described...
Roche and Genentech halt muscle‑building programs — raises questions for obesity efforts
Roche announced it would stop development of emugrobart after a key study failed to show consistent muscle growth and motor function benefits; separately, Genentech halted a muscle‑preserving...
Novartis pays $2B upfront — buys Synnovation’s PI3Kα program
Novartis agreed to acquire Pikavation Therapeutics, a Synnovation subsidiary, in a deal that pays $2 billion up front for SNV4818, a mutant‑selective PI3Kα inhibitor. The deal adds a...
Earendil Labs raises $787M — AI biotech scales toward clinic
Earendil Labs closed a $787 million financing to accelerate an AI‑driven biologics pipeline spanning autoimmune disease and oncology. Founder and CEO Jian Peng said the funding will let the...