pharma industry trends Archives - Medical Design Sourcing

Oncology deals return to center stage as miopharma M&A remains strong in 2024

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In the first few weeks of 2024, oncology remained a central focus area for M&A deals. Two major acquisitions, Johnson & Johnson’s purchase of Ambrx Biopharma and Merck & Co.’s acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics, both focus on the segment. The trend is long-standing and was also apparent in 2023, as E&Y has noted. Merck was also active in 2023, bagging Prometheus for $11B.

2024 pharma M&A trends: Strategic expansions beyond oncology

But a number of therapeutic areas are also in the mix. Sanofi kicked off the yera by scooping up rare disease biotech Inhibrx for $1.7 billion. The crown jewel is Inhibrx’s INBRX-101, a potential treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder that can cause lung and liver disease. Phase 1 data is positive.

In the generics space, Sun Pharma finally finalized its long-sought deal for generic specialist Taro…

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics are discovering health data’s hidden gems: Here’s how

In episode 2 of AI Meets Life Sci, DeviceTalks Managing Editor Kayleen Brown, and Pharma Editor Brian Buntz explore how Big Tech is developing artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in a variety of healthcare organizations.

Elena Bonfiglioli, global business leader for Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft, weighs in on the subject, also sharing that she found her passion for technology while programming welfare policy simulations and being continually intrigued by finding the insightful hidden gems held within population data. She explains that changing the DNA of an organization and shifting mindsets are imperative for future businesses to enable the responsible use of AI in healthcare.

Jen Nwankwo, founder and CEO of 1910 Genetics and a Microsoft collaborator, holds an impressive pedigree in biochemistry and biophysics, eventually earning her PhD in pharmacology. She emphasizes that her goals with AI and machine learning (ML) are to solve longstanding p…

Unlocking generative AI requires reshaping culture, operations, and talent dynamics

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In drug discovery and development, generative AI and natural-language processing (NLP) tools promise more than incremental productivity gains. For companies that can integrate such tools strategically into their workflows, the tools open the door to a fundamental rethinking of operational processes. For instance, generative AI tools can accelerate drafting of research articles, novel target identification, and the creation of SOPs for recipe and formulation. NLP, conversely, can mine unstructured scientific data and complex research papers. Because roughly 80% of healthcare data is unstructured, NLP promises to unlock previously inaccessible insights, transforming raw data into actionable knowledge.

But deploying such tools at scale requires a mix of strategic thinking, curiosity and new approaches to cultivating talent. As we enter 2024, life science organizations must rethink their approach to ad…

Forecast 2024: Pharma industry grapples with regulatory hurdles and AI opportunities

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Heading into 2024, the pharma industry finds itself in uncharted waters. On the one hand, the sector’s commitment to R&D investment and innovation output is likely to remain strong, with tools based on AI, automation and real-world data promising more streamlined drug candidate optimization. Additionally, the pharma sector is typically resilient in economic downturns. Financial stability in 2024 is likely to be elusive. While Goldman Sachs remains largely upbeat, analysts at UBS forecast significant economic headwinds for the U.S., including the looming threat of a recession, but characterize the pharma sector as “defensive” — along with software, staple goods, electric utilities, reinsurance and defense companies.

Several factors, however, could complicate matters. First, the pharma sector continues to grapple with increased regulatory burdens from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),…

A glimpse at Big Pharma’s upper echelon in the first three quarters of 2023

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In 2023, demand for GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Lilly’s tirzepatitde and Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide surged just as demand for COVID-19 therapies waned. As a result, Novo Nordisk had 33% growth at constant exchange rates over the first nine months of the year. Similarly, Lilly experienced a 37% jump in revenue in the third quarter, with strong sales of Mounjaro (tirzepatitde) helping lead the way.

Below is a roundup of the year-to-date revenue for several Big Pharma companies that have publicly shared third-quarter financial data. For J&J and Roche, the companies’ non-pharma sales were excluded. Merck’s figures also include sales from its veterinary business.

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Pfizer and Moderna win FDA nod for XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine boosters, but projected sales pale in comparison to 2022’s

As Pfizer and Moderna receive the FDA nod for COVID-19 boosters, their 2023 global sales projections appear to be just a fraction of the previous year’s. In 2022, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech jointly sold $56 billion worth of their Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine, marking the best-selling drug of the year. Moderna’s Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine wasn’t far behind, registering sales of $18.4 billion, signifying the fifth best-selling drug.

After the FDA nod for COVID-19 boosters, market projections remain subdued

Demand for COVID-19 vaccines, however, appears to be relatively weak, a reality reflected in revenue guidance from Pfizer and Moderna. The former announced in its Q2 2023 revenue guidance that it projects its COVID-19 vaccine sales of approximately $13.5 billion — a 64% slide from its respective 2022 global sales of $37.8 billion. Meanwhile, Moderna expects its 2023 COVID-19 vaccine sales in the range of $6 billion to $8 billion.

A simple li…

Moderna leans on RSV vaccine, AI and a diversified pipeline to regain competitive edge

Moderna surged to prominence thanks to its rapid development of a competitive COVID-19 vaccine. Since the early days of the pandemic, however, the company has struggled to maintain its momentum. Year-to-date, its stock is down close to 40%, trading around $110 per share.

Adapting to COVID-19 variants

The company hopes that its development of vaccines for the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 variant will help bolster financial performance. “We are now awaiting approval to start for our updated COVID-19 vaccine applications to regulators globally,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said.

Developing a robust pipeline

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel has stressed in the past that Moderna is more than a COVID-19 company. “Our commercial team is also preparing for the 2024 launch of our next respiratory commercial product,” Bancel said. This product in question, a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could potentially compete against products from GSK and Pfizer, among others.

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Pharma 2023 half-year review reveals winners and losers

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In many ways, the economic landscape of 2023 has been turbulent. High inflation? Talent shortages? Rising costs of doing business? Volatile currency markets? New regulatory hurdles? Check, check, check. To navigate the choppy waters, a significant number of companies have turned to strategic M&A to drive growth and strengthen product pipelines. Despite these challenges, a handful of pharma companies have managed to thrive, while others have seen steep drops in sales. Here’s an analysis of the leaders and laggards among top Big Pharma pharma companies in the first half of 2023.

The analysis centers on the companies with the highest overall revenue. We looked at companies with the largest percentage change in stock prices from the start of the year to June 27, 2023. For context, the NASDAQ Composite Index is up about 30% so far this year.

Pharma 2023 half-year review: Top 5 w…