For the remainder of this decade, the biologics industry could experience significant growth driven by the incidence of chronic diseases and the rise of autoimmune disorders due to aging populations and lifestyle changes – likely to fuel the demand for biologics as treatment options.

Jan van de Winkel, CEO of one of Europe’s leading biotech companies, Genmab, highlighted the need for Western pharma companies to embrace Chinese biotech innovation, despite growing anti-Chinese sentiment in the US.

The collaboration will focus on advancing novel compounds through clinical development, targeting significant unmet needs in psychiatric health, and includes an option-to-license agreement to develop next-generation therapies.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca announced a combined c.$1 bn in investments in France ahead of the annual 'Choose France' summit. Pfizer will invest $538.5 mn to enhance research and development, while AstraZeneca will invest $388 mn at its Dunkirk site, with both announcements' positive news for President Macron’s efforts to position Paris as a major European business hub.

Takeda joins major pharmaceutical companies in restructuring to focus on late-stage assets to drive growth after CEO Christophe Weber announced the shift, emphasizing the need for prioritization and efficiency.

Following its FDA approval in February, Teva is set to launch Simlandi, a biosimilar to AbbVie's arthritis drug Humira, in the coming weeks. Separately, Teva reported earnings missing analysts' estimates, although revenue was up.

The biologics drug substance CDMO says it is letting go of around 100 employees at its Seattle HQ and Colorado site - nearly 4% of its workforce – blaming post-pandemic economic strains. 

Pfizer is launching a direct-to-consumer pharmacy service – like Lilly’s LillyDirect, launched at the beginning of 2024 - to sell some medicines directly to consumers. Pfizer claim the move will bypass industry middlemen to reduce expenses and simplify distribution.

AstraZeneca’s CEO, Pascal Soriot said he thinks it is in an FT interview, adding that, “investments in life sciences are taking place in the U.S. and, as a consequence, lots of the talent is based in the U.S.”

The Swiss-based pharma firm exceeded first-quarter forecasts and raised its financial outlook due to strong demand for its leading drugs, Entresto and Cosentyx. The company reported a core net income of $1.80 per share and a 9.5% increase in revenue to $11.83 bn, surpassing estimates.

A report recently published by Evaluate titled “Are Orphan Drugs Losing Their Sparkle” might sound apprehensive, but it highlights why pharma companies can still expect plenty of promise and activity within the orphan drug sector.

Primarily aimed at fostering early drug discovery programs in Japan, the three companies’ initiative aims to bridge academic discoveries to practical applications, enhancing the global pharmaceutical market's reach, focusing on incubating competitive drug discovery technologies and foster entrepreneurship, with a focus on creating high-caliber startup companies.

As the industry looks to find more effective ways to manage the rising burden of genetic, autoimmune, rare diseases, and cancers, the next 10 years could be significant for companies with an interest in biologics drug products. The sector – estimated to have been worth $460 bn in 2022 – is expected to grow significantly due to rising demand in emerging markets across Asia and Latin America.

Nanoform and PlusVitech have partnered to repurpose the anti-nausea drug aprepitant, as a treatment for lung cancer using Nanoform’s nanomedicine technology. This collaboration aims to enhance the drug's efficacy through nanoparticle engineering, and reduce pill size and dosage complexity. Initial trials are focusing on patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are unresponsive to standard treatments.

Head of R&D, Dr. Houman Ashrafian, announced a simplified structure aimed at reprioritizing the company’s pipeline and transforming Sanofi into an immunoscience leader by reallocating resources to accelerate high-potential programs.

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals has decided to withdraw its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug, Relyvrio, from the market after it failed to meet the primary and secondary endpoints in its phase 3 trial.

SCHOTT Pharma is set to open a new $371 mn manufacturing facility in Wilson, North Carolina, to produce prefillable syringes. The facility is aiming to commence operations in 2027, which will create 401 jobs and focuses on meeting U.S. demands for mRNA and GLP-1 therapy syringes to enhance the domestic supply chain.

Terumo Medical Corporation (TMC) is investing $30 mn to expand its manufacturing capabilities in Puerto Rico and meet the increasing global demand for its Angio-Seal vascular closure device.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought its fair share of disruption and uncertainty; propelling biopharma-related topics into the public consciousness.

Taiwan’s largest CDMO, Bora Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. has completed the acquisition of Minnesota-based Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC., a generics manufacturer and marketer.