All articles tagged with #pharma
Novo Nordisk is partnering with Vivtex, a biotech co-founded by MIT’s Robert Langer, to develop oral obesity therapies, expanding the pharmaceutical giant’s push into obesity drugs.
At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, pharma executives signaled that 2026 could begin a recovery as pricing deals reduce uncertainty and patent expirations drive more dealmaking; leaders from Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca and Pfizer outlined plans to offset price pressure with new products and BD activity, while vaccine policy shifts add political headwinds.
At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and other pharma leaders publicly rebuked RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine campaign, calling it politically driven and scientifically unfounded as Kennedy overhauls the childhood vaccine schedule. Executives warned the rhetoric could spill into other vaccines, raise litigation risks, and fuel misinformation, while emphasizing the need for evidence-based policy and maintaining vaccine confidence during a challenging flu season and in the run-up to elections.
The FDA asked manufacturers of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda) to remove label warnings about suicidal thoughts after reviewing 91 trials with 107,910 patients and finding no evidence of increased suicidal thoughts, behavior, or other psychiatric effects versus placebo, though earlier data could not completely rule out a small risk.
AI is significantly improving the pharmaceutical industry by addressing the high failure rate and lengthy, costly process of drug development, which can take over a decade and cost nearly $3 billion per successful drug.
Employers like HCA Healthcare are dropping coverage for weight loss drugs such as Zepbound and Wegovy due to rising costs and are directing employees to manufacturer discount programs, which may be cheaper than insurance coverage. The growth of direct-to-consumer programs by pharma companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk is contributing to this shift, potentially making these drugs less affordable for the general public despite expanding access.
The article highlights the outstanding CEOs of 2025 in the biotech and pharma industries, emphasizing a record year for mergers and acquisitions, with nearly $240 billion in deals, and recognizing various leaders including dealmakers, underdogs, and mavericks.
Moderna's stock is experiencing its best single-day performance in over a year, largely due to an analyst at Oppenheimer upgrading the stock. This positive shift comes after a challenging 2023 for the company, suggesting a potentially more favorable outlook for Moderna in the current year.
Israel has issued warnings to more residents in Gaza to evacuate as the conflict with Hamas continues, while the Israeli Supreme Court is set to hear a case involving the country's pharmaceutical industry.
As the stock market opens on Tuesday, investors are cautious amid a mixed session on Monday and the surging yield on the 10-year Treasury note. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella testified in federal court, accusing Google of monopolizing the online search market. Pharma companies have agreed to participate in the first round of Medicare drug price negotiations. Flexport, a supply chain management platform, experienced internal strife as CEO Dave Clark clashed with the founder. Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a motion to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, following a short-term spending deal.
Drugs initially approved to treat Type 2 diabetes are now being used for cosmetic weight loss, with social media hype around drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro exploding. More than 40% of American adults are obese, making it a massive target market for pharmaceutical companies. However, concerns have been raised over the side effects of these drugs and the fact that they need to be taken indefinitely.
Commercial real estate is facing a crisis due to the pandemic, with many businesses struggling to pay rent and vacancies increasing. Meanwhile, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers warns of rising inflation, and an ex-Fed official argues for continued interest rate hikes. The CEO of a pharma giant explains why they are cutting the cost of insulin. A journalist shares a creepy encounter with new technology, and CNN tries out an AI flirt app with shocking results.