News archive.
Earlier AI news and analysis, kept for reference. Current coverage lives in News & Analysis.
Ionis Sells Zilganersen Rights Outside US to Recordati for $30M
Ionis Pharmaceuticals licensed its rare-disease RNA therapy to Recordati for $30M upfront, retaining US commercialization. The drug targets Alexander disease and has an FDA decision due September 22.
Absci Raises $100M on Phase I Hair Loss Data, Targets FDA Fast-Track
Absci banks $100M from Eli Lilly to advance ABS-201, an AI-designed antibody with a 65-day half-life. Early safety data shows no treatment-linked side effects. Two Phase III trials in male pattern hair loss planned for late 2027.
Ionis targets $2B peak sales as Tryngolza wins FDA approval for severe hypertriglyceridemia
Ionis won FDA approval for Tryngolza in severe hypertriglyceridemia, expanding beyond its rare-disease niche. The company forecasts $2 billion in peak sales—its first blockbuster from a wholly owned drug.
Immunai and Boehringer Partner on T-Cell Drug Targets
Immunai's AI platform will scan patient samples to identify T-cell targets for Boehringer Ingelheim's cancer and autoimmune pipelines. The $15M deal runs through 2027.
GemPharmatech builds mouse models to cut neurology drug failures
Neurology drugs fail in the clinic at stubbornly high rates. GemPharmatech is using proprietary mouse models for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and blood-brain barrier transport to catch translation gaps earlier.
FDA Hiring 2,200 Staff to Counter China Biotech Push and Regulatory Backlog
The FDA is filling 2,200 positions and revisiting rejected drug applications as it repositions itself as a 'beacon of innovation' amid workforce losses and Chinese competition. Leadership plans adaptive clinical trials and patient-centered review.
Merck KGaA buys Bio-Techne for $11.3B to span drug discovery to manufacturing
German Merck's $11.3 billion acquisition of Minneapolis-based Bio-Techne adds multiomics, protein analysis, and spatial biology tools. The deal closes by late 2026 and targets €140M in cost cuts.
Antibiotics Trigger Protein-Sharing Teamwork That Lets Bacteria Survive
Researchers at Baylor found bacteria exposed to antibiotics shift into two groups: some release protein-filled vesicles, others become dormant but absorb those proteins to survive. Understanding this mechanism could block persister infections.
Penn AI Framework Identifies GPNMB as Multi-Cancer CAR T Target
Researchers at UPenn used an LLM-guided search across single-cell RNA datasets to nominate GPNMB for CAR T therapy. Preclinical tests show activity in melanoma, leukemia, and colorectal cancer.
Circio and Tcelltech combine RNA and non-viral vectors for in vivo CAR-T
Two companies are pairing circular RNA with episomal DNA vectors to engineer T cells without viral delivery. Early-stage research will test durability and tumor-killing capacity.
Drug-resistant bacteria surge as antibiotic R&D funding stalls
Experts warn of rising superbug infections while pharmaceutical investment in new antibiotics remains critically low. Here's what's driving the gap and what it means for patients.
Study links low fibre intake to colorectal cancer microbiome signature
Meta-analysis of 6,779 microbiome profiles identifies reproducible bacterial patterns linked to cancer risk. Dietary fibre interventions lowered the signature in both patients and healthy individuals.