News of Eli Lilly and Co. purchasing Ventyx Biosciences Inc. for $14 per share, about $1.2 billion, arrived after market close Jan. 7, following unconfirmed rumors of the buyout that drove shares up by more than 52% at one point. “We believe that the acquisition reflects Lilly's view that Ventyx's NLRP3 inhibitors … could be best-in-class oral therapies capable of addressing chronic inflammation across multiple high-value therapeutic areas (cardiometabolic, autoimmune/inflammation and neurological),” noted H.C. Wainwright analyst Emily Bodnar, “and that the mid-to-late clinical-stage pipeline is differentiated in modulating residual inflammation relative to competitors.” The price tag is a 62% premium to a 30-day weighted average share price, and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026. Separately, Lilly also signed an oncology deal worth up to $950 million with Indupro Inc.

Immuneering reports phase IIa pancreatic data with MEK candidate

Immuneering Corp. updated overall survival (OS) and safety data from the ongoing phase IIa trial testing atebimetinib (IMM-1-104) in combination with modified gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (mGnP) in first-line pancreatic cancer patients (n=34), with more than 13 months median follow-up time. A deep cyclic inhibitor of MEK, atebimetinib yielded “impressive” OS when paired with mGnP at all time periods disclosed, the firm said, and median OS remained unreached as of the data cutoff. Shares (NASDAQ:IMRX) were trading at $5.10, down $3.23, or 38%.

Obesity meta-analysis provides important steer for next-gen drugs

There are two significant messages for companies developing and profiting from obesity drugs in a meta-analysis of clinical trials examining the extent of weight regain after treatment stops. First, people taking obesity medication regain weight four times faster on average than those who lose weight through behavioral diet and exercise programs; and second, poor tolerability leads to poor adherence. That points to the need for appetite suppressant drugs that are suitable for use long term, according to Susan Jebb, professor of diet and population health at Oxford University. Jebb is co-author of the paper setting out the findings of the review of 37 published trials involving 9,341 participants, published in the British Medical Journal, Jan 8, 2025.

Hutchmed plans China NDA filing of sovleplenib in rare anemia

Hutchmed Ltd. plans to file a second NDA in China for sovleplenib, a novel spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, based on positive phase II/III findings in warm antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA). According to top-line results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II/III Eslim-02 trial announced Jan. 7, sovleplenib met the primary endpoint defined as durable hemoglobin response rate within five to 24 weeks of treatment. The China-based trial enrolled 110 adult patients with primary or secondary wAIHA who had relapsed or were refractory to at least one prior line of standard treatment. Hutchmed also has plans to resubmit its NDA of sovleplenib as a second-line treatment for immune thrombocytopenia in the first half of 2026.

Takeda’s zasocitinib meets phase III psoriasis endpoints

Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s oral tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, zasocitinib (TAK-279), met the co-primary endpoints and all ranked secondary endpoints in two pivotal phase III studies in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO). Data show the potential of zasocitinib to deliver completely clear skin in a once-daily pill. More than half of patients treated with zasocitinib (zaso) achieved clear or almost clear skin (PASI 90), and on average about 30% achieved completely clear skin (PASI 100) by week 16. Zasocitinib demonstrated superiority not just vs. placebo, but also vs. apremilast, the longstanding oral comparator in psoriasis, positioning zaso as a potential next-generation oral upgrade.

Pandemic-era nonprofit funding fades from biopharma in 2025

Biopharma deal value involving nonprofit partners declined sharply over the past several years, falling to about $127.4 million in 2025 after exceeding $21.4 billion in 2021. The largest biopharma-nonprofit deal in 2025 was GSK plc’s $64.06 million investment in the University of Oxford in January to support the development of cancer vaccines.

Moonlake’s HS drug set for BLA on FDA word of no new trials

Removing investor worries over the need for another clinical trial prior to a regulatory package for Moonlake Immunotherapeutics AG’s sonelokimab to treat hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), the U.S. FDA signaled the company could submit the BLA with existing data – driving up shares (NASDAQ:MLTX) by 28%, or $3.15, to $14.44, in early trading Jan. 8. The shares had fallen 90% to $6.24 last September after the company rolled out data showing that one of its two phase III trials, Vela-2, narrowly missed statistical significance. The FDA requested the BLA package include data from the phase III Vela-1 trial and the phase II Mira trial, both of which met the primary endpoint, as well as from Vela-2 to provide information on the safety profile. Moonlake expects to file the BLA for sonelokimab, a Nanobody that inhibits IL-17A and IL-17F, in the second half of 2026.

FDA rejects Vanda’s Hetlioz for jet lag disorder

Debate over Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Hetlioz (tasimelteon) for use in jet lag disorder looks to continue after the U.S. FDA rejected the latest supplemental NDA submission, with the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research concluding the application cannot be approved in its current form.

BioWorld 2025 Year in Review

BioWorld looks back at the year’s biggest news. Find all of our 2025 Year in Review articles here.

Also in the news

3T, Akeso, Archeus, Arrowhead, Aspen, Astronautx, Basilea, Bridgebio, Cancervax, Cidara, Crinetics, Curadel, Curis, Cytora, Daiichi, Egle, Enliven, Evogene, Fibrogen, Genesis, Genfit, Gilgamesh, GSK, Hutchmed, Jazz, JJP Biologics, Lift, Made Scientific, Mediar, Merck, Monte Rosa, Nocion, Nuevocor, Oncolytics, Ono, Oramed, Oxeia, Palisade, Palvella, Poplar, Praxis, Prokaryotics, Pulmocide, Rakuten, Realta, Relation, Rezolute, Sab, Salarius, Scenic, Scilex, Sidewinder, Soley, Synaffix, Unravel, Vaxxas, Ventus, Viking, Vivavision, Volastra, Zeo Scientifix

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