In November, the U.S. FDA approved a total of 12 drugs, a decrease from 27 the previous month that marked the highest number of approvals since June 2020, as reported by BioWorld. From January to November, FDA approvals reached 167, an increase of 21.9% from 137 drugs approved during the same time period the previous year.

The biopharma industry is still adjusting from the heady days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and nowhere is this so apparent as in financings. The value of financings has returned to what could be called a new normal, down from the surge of capital seen in 2020-2021. However, there are signs that the trend is heading back upward at a steady pace.

Biopharma deals totaled $18.97 billion in November, marking a notable decrease from October’s historic deal value of $44.91 billion. Even still, through the first 11 months of 2023 cumulative deal value reached $194.26 billion, an 18.65% gain over the $163.73 billion recorded in the same period in 2022.

October marked a milestone in biopharma history, with Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. and Merck & Co. Inc.’s $22 billion deal the largest in BioWorld’s records going back to 2014. Tokyo-based Daiichi is granting rights to three of its DXd antibody-drug conjugate candidates for the treatment of multiple solid tumors: ifinatamab deruxtecan, patritumab deruxtecan and raludotatug deruxtecan. The companies will co-develop and co-commercialize the three candidates worldwide, excluding Japan, where Daiichi retains exclusive rights.

More than 17,000 jobs losses were announced by 206 biopharma companies in 2023, down about 7% from the more than 18,400 workforce reductions attributed to biopharma last year. All told, there were 17,169 workforce reductions in 2023, not including undisclosed numbers.

Biopharma deals totaled $18.97 billion in November, marking a notable decrease from October’s historic deal value of $44.91 billion. Even still, through the first 11 months of 2023 cumulative deal value reached $194.26 billion, an 18.65% gain over the $163.73 billion recorded in the same period in 2022.

The BioWorld Biopharmaceutical Index (BBI) made an upward turn to end November with a 4.37% increase for the year. It has been a dynamic year for BBI, which reached a low point at the end of February (down 3.65%) and peaked at the end of August (up 7.87%). In October, BBI ended the month up 0.98% and outperformed both the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

In November, the biopharma industry raised $5.65 billion in total financings. While down from $11.6 billion tracked by BioWorld in October, overall financings are tracking ahead of last year. Biopharma funding has maintained an average of $6.1 billion per month in 2023, surpassing the $5.07 billion monthly average throughout 2022.