Roche Holding AG has rapidly developed a research use only molecular PCR test to detect the rare Ebola Bundibugyo virus, to support response efforts amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The test comes as commentary in The Lancet this week underscored the urgent need for a fit-for-purpose diagnostic test, as it warned that the absence of reliable testing is hampering efforts to ascertain the scale of the epidemic and understand the transmissibility of this strain of Bundibugyo virus.

FDA gets earful on CNPV pilot

The U.S. FDA’s year-old Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot program played to mixed reviews at the agency’s June 4 listening session intended to get various stakeholders’ perspective on the ultra-accelerated review process being offered to qualifying drugs. Rolled out June 17, 2025, via a journal article, the program offers enhanced communication between a sponsor and the review team and a one- to two-month review as opposed to the six-month priority or 10-month standard reviews. Among the criticisms raised during the session included the way it was unveiled.

UK Biobank seeks to recall downloads after health data breach

After a major breach of trust when its data were advertised for sale in China, the UK Biobank will now attempt to recall data previously downloaded by legitimate researchers and seek assurances information has been deleted from local servers. The move is one of a list of recommendations following a review of data security after genomic, health and lifestyle data of 500,000 participants in UK Biobank were listed for sale on the Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba.

‘Disciplined’ $665M deal moves Oscotec’s cevidoplenib to Agios

Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s potential $665 million deal for Oscotec Inc.’s cevidoplenib, a phase III-ready oral SYK inhibitor to treat immune thrombocytopenia, marks a new chapter of development focused on cancer therapy resistance for Oscotec, CEO Yoon Tae-young said. Agios announced June 1 that it gained exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize the SYK inhibitor from Oscotec for $25 million up front and up to $140 million in development and regulatory milestones for up to three indications in the U.S. and Europe, plus royalty payments ranging from high single-digit to midteens on future net sales. Oscotec is also eligible to receive up to $500 million in commercial milestone payments, Yoon told reporters in Seoul.

ASCO 2026: Chinese biopharma arrives at ASCO with pivotal wins

If the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago from May 30 to June 3 demonstrated anything about the evolution of China’s biotechnology sector, it was that the industry’s center of gravity is shifting. While Chinese companies once relied heavily on PD-1 antibodies and licensing deals to gain international visibility, this year’s oral presentations showcased a broader innovation base, spanning phase III registrational studies, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, precision oncology drugs and next-generation cell therapies.

TRIM21 marks viruses and bacteria for degradation via autophagy

TRIM21, an enzyme involved in intracellular substrate degradation, can recognize viruses and bacteria that enter the cytosol when they are coated with antibodies. Just as it tags complex molecules for elimination, it can direct these infectious microorganisms to lysosomes through a mechanism its discoverers have termed antibody-directed xenophagy. Scientists at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecualr Biology in Cambridge, U.K., have identified the genes involved in this antibody-dependent degradation pathway, which acts as an antimicrobial process, and reported their findings in Molecular Cell on June 4, 2026.

Hemab soars 89% on debut as biopharma IPOs stay strong in May

Total biopharma financing through the first five months of 2026 reached $49.46 billion, the third-highest total on record for the period and more than double 2025's $21.4 billion over the same stretch. Hemab Therapeutics Holdings Inc. led May's six IPOs with a $346.7 million raise and a first-day gain of 89%, as the coagulation-focused company's newly trading shares closed at $34 on their Nasdaq debut.

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