Johnson & Johnson’s attempt to develop a $5 billion-a-year Alzheimer’s disease drug has been rocked by a phase 2 flop. $JNJ

Moderna has binned three more clinical mRNA programs as it aims to reduce R&D spend. $mRNA

Henry Gosebruch was officially the CEO of Galapagos' planned spinout “for a grand total of two weeks” before he was asked to take over running Galapagos itself from Stoffels, who had just announced his retirement. https://t.co/oNgyYQ23XX

Study: Recent NIH grant terminations have disrupted at least 383 clinical trials, collectively impacting more than 74,000 patients. From @FierceBiotech:

Special report: 2025's Fiercest Women in Life Sciences

Johnson & Johnson is paying $3.05 billion to acquire Halda Therapeutics, obtaining a novel cell death platform while strengthening its prostate cancer franchise built on Erleada. $JNJ https://t.co/4j5WqAGm50

BMS and J&J have stopped a phase 3 anticoagulant trial early for futility, closing off one avenue to market for a molecule tipped to generate multibillion-dollar sales. $BMY $JNJ https://t.co/aDAsBtKj6V

In a highly anticipated article, FDA officials Vinay Prasad and Martin Makary outlined a novel regulatory pathway that could trigger a seismic shift in how bespoke gene editing therapies are developed and approved. https://t.co/BYjrNKcQDM

Novo Nordisk is winding down a range of early-stage programs for liver disease, oncology and stem cells as part of the Danish Pharma’s ambitious restructuring. $NVO https://t.co/sV5ZoVWE7j

Following a middling late-stage readout for gastric cancer candidate bemarituzumab, Amgen has now stopped a separate phase 1b/3 trial of the molecule. $AMGN https://t.co/HhRN1QRqnw

Novo Nordisk’s CEO won’t comment on whether the Danish company will go even higher in its bidding war for Metsera but is confident that Novo will close the deal.

The FDA has rejected Biohaven’s request for approval of a neurological disorder therapy, prompting the biopharma to reprioritize its pipeline in order to shrink its annual R&D spend by 60%. $BHVN

Pfizer has approached Metsera with a reworked offer that increases upfront cash consideration for the acquisition from $47.50 to $60 per share for the biotech. $PFE

After Intellia Therapeutics paused a pair of phase 3 trials for its CRISPR therapy in response to a liver safety signal, the FDA has made things official by placing the studies under a clinical hold. $NTLA https://t.co/Zs83oss8cN

GSK once dreamed of harnessing the CD226 axis to create a new generation of blockbuster cancer drugs. But that dream appears to be over as the pharma shutters the last programs related to this modality. $GSK

Chinese life science contracting giant WuXi AppTec is taking another step to zero in on its core offerings by hiving off two China-based subsidiaries.

Aldeyra Therapeutics has shaken up its drug development pipeline, stopping work on one asset in the wake of phase 2 data and swapping out two other molecules in response to recent results.

Intellia has temporarily paused dosing and screening in a pair of phase 3 trials after receiving a report of grade 4 liver enzymes and increased total bilirubin in a patient. The patient was hospitalized and is being closely monitored. $NTLA https://t.co/ZBx5PtHGkK

Biogen pens $1B deal for Vanqua's preclinical C5aR1 antagonist

Just as Adverum’s cash reserves were running dry, Eli Lilly has swooped in to buy the biotech and its phase 3-stage eye disease gene therapy.