As the systematic dismantling of the U.S. vaccine schedule escalates, the demands to hold Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy accountable are growing. Claiming that Kennedy has turned his back on science and is endangering public health, Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., formally introduced articles of impeachment against him today. “His actions are reckless, his leadership is harmful, and his tenure has become a direct threat to our nation’s health and security,” Stevens said. “Congress cannot and will not stand by while one man dismantles decades of medical progress.” Her impeachment effort follows demands that Kennedy account for his actions before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as soon as possible.

Eight biopharmas tap markets for $3.24B in early holiday rally

Christmas came early for a number of biopharma companies this year as over the past two days, eight companies collectively raised $3.24 billion in public offerings. Both Structure Therapeutics Inc. and Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced public offerings of $650 million each, and Kymera Therapeutics Inc. raised $602 million, ranking in the top 10 follow-on offerings of the year.

UK cuts new drug rebate to 14.5% for 2026, down from 22.5%

The U.K. government has announced it will cut the rebate pharma companies have to pay on net sales of new drugs, reducing the rate from the record of 22.5% in 2025 to 14.5% for 2026. That is less than the 15% cap agreed earlier this month as part of a U.K./U.S. economic prosperity deal, which placed a requirement on the U.K. to improve the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies. Ironically, it was not necessary to enforce the cap. That is because there has been a 1.9% fall in sales of newer branded drugs to the National Health Service in 2025, meaning when calculated in accordance with the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, the rate fell below 15%.

ASH 2025: Ianalumab data offer break from chronic ITP therapy

Novartis AG’s monoclonal antibody, ianalumab (VAY-736), when added to standard-of-care eltrombopag, extended disease control of primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) by 45%, according to data presented Dec. 9 during a late-breaker abstract session at the 67th American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. The results came from the Vayhit2 phase III trial and were based on the 9-mg/kg dose of ianalumab and a time-to-treatment failure (TTF) primary endpoint in patients previously treated with corticosteroids. The median TTF for patients receiving ianalumab plus eltrombopag was 2.8 times longer than those on placebo plus eltrombopag (13 months vs. 4.7 months). The New England Journal of Medicine published the results simultaneously with the ASH presentation.

D3 Bio raises $108M series B to move KRAS G12C into phase III

D3 Bio Inc. secured $108 million in a series B financing round Dec. 9 to support its planned phase III program of lead oral KRAS G12C inhibitor, elisrasib (D3S-001). The funding round was backed by investors such as IDG Capital and Songqing Capital. Existing investors contributing to the round included Wuxi Apptec's Corporate Venture Fund, Temasek, HSG, MPCi and Medicxi. Proceeds will primarily support pivotal phase III trials of elisrasib as a monotherapy and combination therapies for patients with KRAS G12C-mutant cancer in key countries, including the U.S., China and the EU, as well as facilitate global regulatory submissions.

Epilepsygtx's $33M advances focal epilepsy gene therapy in clinic

Epilepsygtx Ltd. has raised a $33 million series A to fund a phase I/IIa trial of EPY-201, a gene therapy for treating drug-resistant focal epilepsy. EPY-201 uses an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver KCNA1, the gene encoding Kv1.1, a potassium ion channel that modulates neuronal excitability. The cargo also includes CamK2a, the gene coding for the alpha subunit calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, which acts as a promoter, selectively activating genes in excitatory neurons.

Vaccine produces DIY Xolair-like antibody, protects against anaphylaxis

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur have developed a vaccine that spurred the production of autoantibodies to immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, protecting vaccinated mice from anaphylaxis. In their paper, which they published in Science Translational Medicine on Dec. 3, 2025, the authors noted that the polyclonal antibodies generated by their vaccine lasted “for up to 12 months postvaccination with a similar avidity as the approved anti-IgE mAb omalizumab [Xolair, Roche AG].” When they are working as they should, IgE antibodies are important for antiparasitic immunity. But they also play an important role in allergies.

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