Get the Daily Brief
Latest Biotech News
Merck seeks label expansion for Welireg in kidney cancer combinations
Merck has filed to expand Welireg’s label to include two combination regimens in kidney cancer pairing the HIF-2α inhibitor with Keytruda and with Lenvima, despite not yet having overall survival...
Researchers uncover viral 'kill switch' targeting critical bacterial protein
Scientists discovered that diverse bacteriophages produce proteins that disable MurJ, an essential bacterial lipid II flippase, locking it in a single conformation and halting cell-wall synthesis....
X-ray–activated platinum complex enhances radiotherapy immune effects
Researchers reported a novel platinum complex that is activated by X‑rays to boost cancer radiotherapy efficacy through mechanisms distinct from conventional radiosensitizers. Preclinical work...
IRB Barcelona launches Spain’s first end-to-end spatial omics platform
IRB Barcelona consolidated core facilities to unveil Spain’s first end-to-end spatial omics workflow, offering integrated sample processing, spatial transcriptomics, imaging, and data analysis...
Foundation models reshape spatial multi-omic analysis
New work highlights how foundation-style multimodal models are transforming spatial multi-omic studies by integrating histopathology images with molecular maps to reveal cellular phenotypes in...
Microfluidic chemiluminescent chip predicts embryo implantation potential
Researchers developed chemiluminescent microfluidic chips with dielectric wetting valves that noninvasively analyze embryo metabolites to predict implantation potential during IVF. The device...
Belzutifan–pembrolizumab combo extends disease‑free survival in high‑risk kidney cancer
A phase 3 trial (LITESPARK‑022) reported that adding the HIF‑2α inhibitor belzutifan to pembrolizumab improved disease‑free survival in patients with clear‑cell renal cell carcinoma at high risk...
FDA offers bonus pay for faster drug reviews: pilot program unveiled
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced a pilot program to award bonus payments to drug reviewers who complete reviews ahead of schedule, marking an operational shift in how the agency...
Atrium launches with $270M — RNA therapies target rare inherited cardiac disorders
Atrium Therapeutics spun out of Avidity Biosciences with a $270 million launch financing to advance RNA‑based therapeutic candidates for rare inherited cardiomyopathies. The new company inherits...
Merck seeks Welireg label expansion — filings target Keytruda and Lenvima combos
Merck is pursuing regulatory expansions for its HIF‑2α inhibitor Welireg (belzutifan) by seeking approvals for combination regimens with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and lenvatinib (Lenvima) in kidney...
Health Gorilla fights Epic suit — frames case as attack on interoperability
Health Gorilla moved to dismiss litigation from Epic and several health systems that accuses the company of inappropriate access to nearly 300,000 patient records. In its motion Health Gorilla...
X‑ray‑activated platinum complex boosts radiotherapy and immune response
Researchers reported a platinum‑based complex that becomes active under X‑ray exposure and enhances radiotherapy efficacy by mechanisms distinct from traditional radiosensitizers. Preclinical...
Dual‑receptor knockout amplifies CAR‑T potency against solid tumours
A preclinical study demonstrated that knocking out two prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptors in CAR‑T cells markedly improves their activity against solid tumours. The engineered cells showed enhanced...
Viral proteins expose bacterial 'kill switch' — MurJ locked to stop cell‑wall assembly
Scientists discovered that unrelated viruses produce proteins that bind and lock the bacterial membrane flippase MurJ, halting peptidoglycan assembly and triggering bacterial death....
Archaeon reads stop codon as sense codon — rule‑bending genetic code discovered
UC Berkeley scientists reported an archaeon that occasionally translates a canonical stop codon as an amino acid, producing alternate protein isoforms in a context‑dependent manner. The work shows...
Novartis explores Rhapsido for food allergy — Phase 2 shows promising signals
Novartis presented Phase 2 data indicating its recently approved urticaria drug Rhapsido produced favorable immunologic responses in food allergy patients across three dose levels. Company...
Belzutifan–pembrolizumab combo cuts recurrence risk in kidney cancer
A phase 3 trial (LITESPARK-022) reported that adding belzutifan, a HIF‑2α inhibitor, to pembrolizumab significantly improved disease‑free survival in patients with clear‑cell renal cell carcinoma...
FDA to pay bonuses for faster drug reviews — pilot sparks debate
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced a pilot program to issue quarterly bonus payments to drug reviewers who complete reviews ahead of schedule, according to slides and a staff presentation...
FDA approves Ascendis' weekly achondroplasia drug — EU decision pending
The FDA approved Ascendis Pharma’s once‑weekly TransCon CNP (navepegritide) for achondroplasia, the company announced; the approval establishes a new branded treatment option for the genetic...
EMA panel backs three orphan drugs — rebuffs two FDA programs
The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended three new orphan drugs and declined approval for two programs previously cleared by the FDA, BioCentury...