It was a positive and productive second quarter as far as biopharma's innovation engine was concerned. Following the six new molecular entities (NMEs) approved in the first quarter, the period saw 14 products receive the agency's green light. At the halfway point last year, 23 NMEs had been approved and the industry appears to be on pace, with the current 20 approvals, to test its recent high watermark for new drug approvals established last year at 46, a total that ranks as the second highest number of approvals all time, just behind 1996 when 53 new medicines were approved.