An AI proof-of-concept study from Dandelion Health has identified an additional 44 million lower-risk cardiovascular patients who could benefit from a GLP-1 treatment. Using inclusion criteria similar to the Novo Nordisk-sponsored trial that helped convince the FDA that Wegovy had heart benefits, Dandelion examined whether GLP-1 use might reduce the risk of major adverse cardiac events such as heart attack or stroke in overweight and obese patients in lower-risk patients that didn’t have severe pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Pfizer’s experimental drug, ponsegromab, has shown promising results in a Phase 2 clinical trial aimed at treating cancer cachexia - a serious condition characterized by muscle and weight loss. Presented at the 2024 ESMO conference, the candidate achieved weight gains of up to 5.6% in patients suffering from cachexia due to lung, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer, surpassing the 5% threshold deemed clinically significant. Pfizer is planning to commence Phase 3 trials by 2025, and aims to provide the first FDA-approved treatment for this life-threatening condition, which currently relies on nutritional support and anti-inflammatory treatments.

The 2024 Lasker Award, given to the living person or persons considered to have made the greatest contribution to medical science, has been awarded to scientists Joel Habener, Jens Juul Holst, and Dr. Gojko Mojsov for their discovery of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). Their groundbreaking work has paved the way for life-changing treatments for diabetes and obesity, revolutionizing the management of these conditions through drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, resulting in a wave of new medications entering the market.

Amgen is advancing its next-generation obesity drug, MariTide, into a Phase 3 clinical program aimed at addressing obesity in conjunction with other weight-related conditions such as heart, liver, and kidney diseases. The injectable therapy, which activates the GLP-1 receptor while blocking the GIP receptor, demonstrated a 14.5% reduction in body weight during Phase 1 trials.

Hong Kong biopharmaceutical company, Everest Medicines, has initiated an investigator-initiated clinical trial (IIT) to explore a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine targeting specific tumor mutations. The study aims to evaluate the vaccine's safety, immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy, and represents a significant step in the development of mRNA-based therapies for cancer treatment.

Lexaria Bioscience announced positive results from an 8-week study on its GLP-1 drug delivery platform, DehydraTECH. The study demonstrated significant body weight reduction in test subjects, marking a promising development for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.

The UK-based DNA manufacturing company, Touchlight, has announced a partnership with the University of Nottingham to supply scientists at the university with its GMP-grade doggybone DNA (dbDNA) for pre-clinical research and development focused on developing a next-generation vaccine for the Zika virus.

Nanoform, the Finland-based medicine performance-enhancing company, has entered into a pre-clinical development agreement with a business unit of Takeda Pharma focused on innovative plasma-derived therapy formulations for the treatment of rare conditions.

Halda Therapeutics has secured $126mn to further develop and advance its innovative therapies targeting solid tumors. The therapies are designed to "hold and kill" tumor cells, whereby a heterobifunctional molecule is designed to target two proteins - a cancer-specific protein and a protein with an essential function - which can kill a cancer cell without damaging non-cancerous tissue.

Shapiro Administration Invests Nearly $3 Million to Bring Adare Pharma Solutions’ Headquarters to Pennsylvania, Creating 115 New, Well-Paying Jobs in Philadelphia. The life sciences company is investing at least $16.8 million to relocate its headquarters to PA from New Jersey and upgrade its two current Philadelphia facilities, building on Pennsylvania’s reputation as a life sciences leader.

Viking Therapeutics is the latest company to demonstrate positive results with its weight loss drugs after announcing its candidate, VK2735, will enter Phase 3 trials following results demonstrating a 15% reduction in body weight following 13 weeks of dosing during its Phase 2 study. Separately, the company is set to advance an oral tablet formulation of VK2735, with initial results demonstrating a mean weight loss of 5.3% following 28 days of dosing.

Roche is fast-tracking the development of its newly acquired obesity treatments from Carmot Therapeutics as it looks for an entry point within the already competitive obesity market. Key assets including CT-388 and CT-996 have both been highlighted as promising candidates with mechanisms targeting GLP-1 and GIP receptors, with data already demonstrating significant promise in weight loss results.

Formation Bio has raised $372mn in series-D funding to enhance its drug development pipeline and expand its AI-driven platform, with plans to deploy the new capital to continue acquiring and in-licensing clinical stage assets from biotech and pharma partners.

The latest product for automated lab integration, Heracell VIOS 250i AxD CO₂ Incubators feature automated door control for robotic handling and are designed to support optimal cell growth conditions and minimal contamination risk and support large-scale and automated cell therapy production for efficiency and safety.

Tourmaline Bio has dosed the first patient in its Phase 2 TRANQUILITY trial for TOUR006, an anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody aimed at treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and other cardiovascular conditions.

GRI Bio, Inc. has announced positive preclinical data for its lead program, GRI-0621, in treating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).

Novo’s proposed acquisition of Catalent, with the immediate goal of adding capacity for its weight-loss drugs, has rarely been out of the news, whilst a raft of expansions elsewhere has been announced at Thermo Fisher, Alcami, Lonza and Vetter, to list but a few.

Engineers from MIT have developed a novel technique that uses MRI to detect bioluminescence deep in the brain, uncovering blood vessel engineering that dilates in response to light.

Sartorius has partnered with Sanofi to develop an integrated continuous biomanufacturing (ICB) platform to enhance downstream bioprocessing through the combination of Sartorius' engineering expertise with Sanofi's ICB prototypes and patents.

Google DeepMind, in collaboration with Isomorphic Labs, has introduced AlphaFold 3 - the latest iteration of its AI model for biological research and drug discovery.