In one of the biggest deals of the waning year, Novo Nordisk A/S is buying Akero Therapeutics Inc. to bolster its MASH-treatment portfolio. In the $4.7 billion deal, Akero brings its fibroblast growth factor 21 analogue efruxifermin, which is in a phase III study for treating those with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis and those with cirrhosis. Should efruxifermin be approved, Novo believes it could become a cornerstone therapy, alone or together with Wegovy, part of the company’s mega-blockbuster semaglutide franchise. Akero’s stock (NASDAQ:AKRO) had taken a strong upward turn at midday, with shares up 16.5% to $54.15 each.

Stock skyrockets after Turn goes public

Shares of Turn Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:TTRX) were trading at $17.34, up $10.34, or 147%, after going public by way of a direct listing Oct. 8. The firm is advancing late-stage clinical programs in eczema and onychomycosis. Also in the works are global health initiatives in thermostable vaccine delivery to target underserved areas.

US Congress seeks to undo IP damage wrought by Supreme Court

A yearslong bipartisan effort to end the patent-eligibility chaos the Supreme Court created more than a decade ago could finally come to fruition with the current Congress. In concluding a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing yesterday on the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA), Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., subcommittee chair and a sponsor of the bill, said the next step is a markup of the bill that’s intended to narrow the Supreme Court’s broad interpretation of what isn’t eligible for a patent in the U.S. If finally enacted, PERA could restore many of the intellectual property (IP) rights the court struck down in a series of rulings affecting diagnostics and personalized medicine.

Bio Japan 2025: Investors riff about what they look for in Japan

Japan’s investor community is ramping up both inbound and outbound investment to create a cross-border fertile hub of innovation in Japan, investors said during a panel discussion at Bio Japan 2025 held in Yokohama Oct. 8 to 10. Japan is a leader in the Asia Pacific region and will help provide global access to companies like startup Beren Therapeutics, which plans to build out its R&D and regulatory and commercial teams in Japan as an APAC hub.

At ESGCT, emerging technologies for in vivo therapies

The transition from complex and costly ex vivo strategies to platforms that enable direct cellular intervention within the body, known as in vivo therapies, is marking a paradigm change in the field of gene and cell therapies by simplifying manufacturing, improving tissue targeting and expanding clinical access to treatments. However, reaching the therapeutic target requires navigating a long journey. The 32nd Annual Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy meeting is covering a wide range of emerging technologies that are redefining how these therapies are designed, delivered and activated.

Biopharma financings climb to $18.7B in Q3 2025

Total biopharma financings reached $18.69 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, rising 14% from $16.41 billion in Q2 and 42% from $13.12 billion in Q1. While still far below the pandemic-era peaks, when quarterly totals often surpassed $30 billion, Q3’s raise stands among the strongest since 2022. It also exceeds quarterly averages from 2022 ($15.2 billion) and 2023 ($17.74 billion), reflecting a continued pickup in market activity despite a drop from last year’s quarterly average ($25.54 billion). The steady gains through 2025 point to a measured recovery in investor confidence.

Also in the news

Aardvark, Aarvik, Accent, Alligator, Apotex, Arthrosi, Bavarian Nordic, Benchsci, Biovaxys, Boehringer Ingelheim, Carsgen, Catalent, Cervomed, Citius, Create, Evaxion, Fairjourney, Gain, Herantis, Hope, Immunovec, Innocare, ITM, Karyopharm, Klotho, Lisata, Lumen, Medivir, Nasus, Nilo, Oncoinvent, Sanofi, Searchlight, Silo, Soufflé, Spruce, Transcode, Trio, Turn, Vivace, Werewolf, Zenas