FirstWord Pharma

💊 This week in #pharma: #Oncology takes center stage, TIGIT shows signs of life, and #biotech funding gets a jolt. From major readouts at #ESMO to billion-dollar venture bets and a bold move from Novo Nordisk, this week’s #FridayFive highlights the top developments shaping the industry: 1️⃣ The ESMO - European Society for Medical Oncology (#ESMO2025) kicks off in Berlin — with AstraZeneca leading the charge. Expect data drops on Enhertu, Datroway, and a fierce ADC showdown in #breastcancer. 2️⃣ #Biotech funding surges back to life — over $1.6B raised across just six startups, led by a massive $600M round for obesity-focused Kailera Therapeutics. 3️⃣ Novo Nordisk broadens its #raredisease focus with a $340M upfront deal for Omeros Corporation’s PNH candidate zaltenibart — signaling that not all bets are on #obesity. 4️⃣ After a string of disappointments, Arcus Biosciences and Gilead Sciences’ domvanalimab shows a survival signal in #gastriccancer — could this mark a TIGIT turnaround? 5️⃣ Johnson & Johnson ups its #myeloma game as Tecvayli plus Darzalex Faspro delivers Phase III success, setting the stage for a potential second-line expansion. Read the full rundown 👉 https://lnkd.in/djFxZnWM #biotechnology #cancer #clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #drugdevelopment #ESMO #licensing #pharmaceuticals

Adcytherix said it raised €105 million ($122 million) in a series A round to advance its pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (#ADCs), particularly its lead candidate ADCX-020. https://lnkd.in/dkNQG8mv #biotechnology #pharmaceuticals

🚨 Amgen’s Repatha (evolocumab) just scored a major win in the Phase III VESALIUS-CV trial, showing a significant drop in major #cardiovascular events among patients without prior heart attacks or strokes. With full data due at next month’s American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, the magnitude of benefit could redefine how primary prevention is approached. To gain insights into how physicians are interpreting these findings, we launched a snap-poll to US cardiologists, PCPs, and endocrinologists. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/d43TVxdn 💡 What do you think? Take the poll below or share your thoughts in the comments. #AHA #biopharma #cardiology #clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #drugdevelopment #industryexperts #pharmaceuticals #pharmainsights #pharmatrends #physicianviews

Boehringer Ingelheim bolstered its portfolio of antibody-drug conjugates (#ADCs) by #licensing a preclinical candidate from Aimed Bio Inc. https://lnkd.in/d3ipgpgC #biotechnology #corporateaffairs #pharmaceuticals

Five months after Omeros Corporation paused its Phase III plans for monoclonal antibody zaltenibart (OMS906) to conserve cash, Novo Nordisk has agreed to buy the asset in a deal worth up to $2.1 billion. https://lnkd.in/dC6r-_p4 #biotechnology #licensing #orphandrugs #pharmaceuticals #rarediseases

Eli Lilly and Company reported another success in a study pitting its once-daily oral #GLP1 therapy orforglipron against a competing #type2diabetes therapy, this time AstraZeneca's SGLT2 inhibitor Farxiga (dapagliflozin). https://lnkd.in/dHsUxeka #clinicalresearch #clinicaltrials #diabetes #drugdevelopment #pharmaceuticals

With muted investor enthusiasm for its unique viral-based #immunotherapy, Candel Therapeutics has turned to Trinity Capital for a $130-million loan to fund development of CAN-2409. https://lnkd.in/dDxC6EGq #biotechnology #corporateaffairs #cancer #drugdevelopment #financing #oncology #pharmaceuticals

🚀 Big Pharma Moves: Who Nailed the Best #MASH Deal of the Year? Three pharma giants — Novo Nordisk, Roche, and GSK — have all gone shopping for FGF21 analogues to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). But which one walked away with the best deal? Dive into the details of the year’s biggest M&A moves in MASH, comparing each company’s strategy, valuation, and how far along their respective assets are — from Akero Therapeutics’ Phase III edge to Roche’s FDA pathway advantage and GSK’s earlier-stage play. With potential accelerated approvals, shifting regulatory winds, and billion-dollar bets on the table, the question isn’t just who paid more — it’s who will win the race to market. Learn more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dXAA_TvP 🔒 This article is exclusive to FirstWord Pharma+ subscribers. If you're not yet a Pharma+ subscriber, contact us to learn how you can gain access to these timely, in-depth insights. #biopharma #biotechnology #drugdevelopment #mergersandacquisitions #pharmaceuticals #pharmainsights #pharmatrends #regulatoryaffairs

Kardigan closed its second megaround of the year, bagging a $254-million series B to advance three mid-to-late–stage programmes in-licensed from separate #biopharma partners. https://lnkd.in/dQcV_FcA #biotechnology #cardiology #corporateaffairs #financing #pharmaceuticals

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is broadening its reach in hereditary angioedema (HAE) with a deal to buy Astria Therapeutics, Inc., gaining a late-stage injectable therapy to complement its existing oral drug Orladeyo (berotralstat). https://lnkd.in/dt9M-YDG #biotechnology #mergersandacquisitions #pharmaceuticals