Joseph Haas

With positive Phase II data for its amisulpride reformulation, LB is planning a Phase III program to show safety and convenience with a lower dose that passes more easily through the blood-brain barrier.

Plus deals involving Synaffix/Mitsubishi Tanabe/Boehringer Ingelheim, Newron/Myung In, Vividion/Tavros, Novo Nordisk/Variant, Vertex/Orna, Sanofi/Alloy and more.

With financial and political unknowns largely resolved, and $1.27tn to spend, EY thinks biopharma will address the coming patent cliff with increased merger-and-acquisition activity.

Johnson & Johnson started the M&A year with a bang at the J.P. Morgan meeting, unveiling its $14.6bn bid for Intra-Cellular. The deal would bolster its neuroscience portfolio and pipeline.

Daily notebook from the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference: J&J's Duato talks about Intra-Cellular deal; GSK's Wood explains how IDRx fits its BD strategy; and Senator Burr says industry needs to look at the long term.

With positive Phase IIb/III data for IGF-1r inhibitor linsitinib, privately held Sling plans to move into Phase III and compete in thyroid eye disease on convenience and safety.

Plus deals involving Lantheus/Life Molecular Imaging, Teva/Klinge/Formycon, X4/Norgine, Biohaven/Merus, Lilly/Mediar and more.

Semaglutide 7.2mg bests placebo for weight loss at 72 weeks, but with efficacy lower than seen with Novo Nordisk's CagriSema or Lilly's Zepbound.

On the US market since 2019 for treatment-resistant depression in tandem with oral antidepressants, J&J's new indication allows for more flexibility.

Innovative medicine grew 4% during Q4 2024 and brought in $57bn during the full year, one year ahead of internal projections. Spravato topped the blockbuster mark in its fifth year on market.