U.S. tariffs on biopharmaceuticals have advanced beyond administration talking points.As a precursor to tariffs, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initiated an investigation under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to determine the effects on national security of importing prescription drugs, according to a request for public comments scheduled to be published in the April 16 Federal Register. Publication of the notice will kick off a 21-day comment period. Read More
Oral peptide delivery specialist Cyprumed GmbH is about to find out if the high bioavailability of its tablet formulations seen in animal models will translate across to humans, after signing a $493 million license and option agreement with Merck & Co. Inc. Read More
Hightide Therapeutics Inc.’s berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD-1801) met primary and secondary endpoints in the Symphony 1 and Symphony 2 phase III trials in type 2 diabetes in Chinese patients. Based on the data, Shenzhen-based Hightide will submit an NDA to China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) later this year. Read More
After dropping development in December of its lead program, Spruce Biosciences Inc. has found new life by acquiring a BLA-ready enzyme replacement therapy for the rare genetic neurodegenerative disease Sanfilippo syndrome type B. If approved, the therapy, tralesinidase alfa, could bring Spruce a priority review voucher. Read More
Researchers from Pretzel Therapeutics Inc. and the University of Gothenburg have published new insights on how mutations in the POLG gene affect its functionality and are tied to PolG diseases. They have also presented a compound for its potential treatment, PZL-A. They published their results in Nature on April 9, 2025. Read More
Despite missing a phase II study’s primary endpoint in moderate to severe asthma, Sanofi SA sees a way forward to a phase III program in the crowded disease space. Preliminary results showed the annualized exacerbation rate endpoint wasn’t met at the highest dosage of amlitelimab. Those numbers, at week 48, showed nominal significance at the medium dose. Read More
Phase I/II trial results of sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT; Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd.) published in Nature Medicine came a month after China’s National Medical Products Administration gave clearance to Kelun-Biotech’s supplemental NDA of sac-TMT to treat advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Accord, Amgen, Coherus, Intas, Kinnate, Sandoz, Sumitomo, Third Harmonic, Xoma Royalty. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: BMS, Cellenkos, Fate, Genentech, Ironwood, Mirum, Roche, Synox. Read More