The first phase of the U.K. synthetic human genome project has successfully completed, realizing key steps in chromosome synthesis. The work has demonstrated a multistep method for transfecting mouse stem cells with native human chromosomes, where they are stably maintained and can be manipulated to replace native DNA with synthetic DNA. The engineered chromosomes can then be transferred into a human cell in place of the native chromosomes.

On Dec. 2, 2025, the FDA released draft guidance that could reduce the use of nonhuman primates (NHPs) in preclinical testing of monoclonal antibodies. According to the guidance, which the FDA released for the purpose of soliciting comments, “In general, studies longer than 3 months in nonrodent species (e.g., NHPs, dogs, and mini-pigs) are not warranted to evaluate toxicities … when data from 3-month studies are supplemented with a weight-of-evidence (WoE) risk assessment.”

Myrio Therapeutics Pty Ltd. has been able to accomplish something no other company has yet been able to crack: to develop binders where both the affinity and the specificity can be increased.

AI Proteins Inc. has closed a $41.5 million series A financing round to accelerate AI-driven design and development of purpose-built miniprotein medicines across therapeutic applications.

Signet Therapeutics founder Haisheng Zhang is betting on organoids and AI to outsmart diffuse gastric cancer and the limits of traditional “clean” drug design.

GSK plc and the Fleming Initiative have announced six major new research programs to find new ways to slow the progress of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Fleming Initiative is a collaboration established by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to help tackle AMR. Each of the new programs will begin by early next year and are fully funded for 3 years.

By transplanting a pig kidney into a brain-dead person, researchers have been able to conduct the first long-term study of the physiological processes occurring in both the transplant recipient and the pig organ for 61 days. The findings were published in the Nov. 14, 2025, issue of Nature in two papers – one focusing on physiological and immunological measurements, the other on multiomics.

The U.K. government has published a road map for phasing out animal testing in life sciences research and announced £75 million (US$98.6 million) for work to develop nonanimal models, leaving scientists concerned because they say, in many cases, there can never be meaningful alternatives to using live animals.

Evotec SE has received a $5 million milestone payment from Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (BMS), following the acceptance of an IND application by the FDA in the companies’ strategic protein degradation partnership.