Representing the fourth largest biopharma M&A announced in 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. offered $85 per share in cash, or about $10 billion, to buy endocrine specialist Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc., adding the acromegaly drug Palsonify and a phase III asset, atumelnant, for congenital adrenocorticotropic hyperplasia (CAH).
Vera Therapeutics Inc. looks to get an almost five-month head start over a competitor, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., as the U.S. FDA cleared its Trutakna (atacicept) as the first dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor for treating immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The accelerated approval, which came on the July 7 PDUFA date, indicates Trutakna for use in reducing proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN at risk for disease progression. The drug is administered once weekly via auto-injector.
China Pharmaceutical University has patented new isochromanone compounds acting as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors. As such, they are described as potentially useful for the treatment of atherosclerosis, obesity, hepatic steatosis, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia.
In a recent study, researchers from Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine and collaborators aimed to identify novel insulinotropic small molecules related to ion channel modulation.
Mira Pharmaceuticals Inc. has reported results from preclinical studies evaluating an optimized oral formulation of SKNY-1, an oral drug candidate being developed for obesity and addiction-related disorders.
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive neurodegeneration resulting from loss of arylsulfatase A (ARSA) activity. Researchers at Kazan Federal University reported preclinical efficacy data for a gene therapy candidate in a porcine model of MLD.
Alebund Pharmaceuticals (Jiangsu) Ltd. was the third Chinese biotech company to debut in Hong Kong this month, with June IPO proceeds from Alebund, Longbio Pharma Co. Ltd. and Shaanxi Micot Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. totaling about HK$4.7 billion (US$600 million).
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. is buying Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $85 per share in cash, which translates to about $10 billion in equity value. Both boards approved the transaction, expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Ascletis Pharma Inc. has submitted two IND applications to the FDA for ASC-36 once-monthly injection and ASC-36_35 once-monthly injection co-formulation for the treatment of obesity.
Brightgene Bio-Medical Technology Co. Ltd. has patented new calcitonin receptor (CALCR; CT-R) and amylin AMY3 receptor agonists potentially useful for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders.
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