drugmakers

Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the companies behind the leading GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, report early signs that the medications may slow biological aging as measured by epigenetic aging clocks. The claim, covered by MIT Technology Review, suggests benefits beyond weight loss and diabetes, though independent verification remains limited.

Johnson & Johnson is highlighting the science behind targeted oral peptides, a field of drug research focused on delivering peptide-based medicines by mouth so they can act on specific targets in the body. Oral peptides have long been difficult to develop because digestive enzymes break them down, so advances in this area are followed closely by pharmaceutical researchers and investors watching for new treatment options.

Japanese drugmaker Shionogi has agreed to acquire a rare disease-focused biotech startup in a deal worth roughly $2 billion. The acquisition, reported by BioPharma Dive, signals Shionogi's push to expand beyond its core infectious disease business into rare and specialty medicines, as larger pharma companies continue buying up innovative biotech pipelines.

Drugmakers claim their weight-loss drugs show signs of slowing biological aging, suggesting the medications may do more than reduce weight. The reports have drawn attention from scientists and the public, sparking debate over whether existing evidence supports claims of anti-aging effects and what that could mean for the future use of these widely popular treatments.

The FDA has outlined its plans for issuing guidance on artificial intelligence in 2027, according to reporting by STAT. The move signals how the agency intends to regulate AI tools in medical products and drug development in the coming years, a topic of growing interest among drugmakers, technology firms and regulators worldwide.

A new survey covered by BioSpace indicates that regulatory compliance worries are holding back the adoption of artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Drugmakers see potential in AI to improve efficiency and quality control, but uncertainty around meeting regulatory requirements and validation standards is delaying wider rollout across production facilities, according to the findings.

New commentary in the pharmaceutical industry focuses on moving beyond AI experimentation toward practical adoption that accelerates the path from clinical and real-world evidence to action. The discussion highlights how drugmakers can embed AI into evidence generation, decision-making and operations, arguing that incremental, use-case-driven adoption delivers more value than large-scale speculative projects as the sector faces pressure to speed development.

Chinese drugmaker Hansoh Pharmaceutical says it plans to submit a new marketing application to the European Medicines Agency after the EU approval of Aumseqa was revoked. The company is seeking to regain a foothold in the European market for the medicine, though details of the refiled application and its chances of success have not been disclosed.

Swiss drugmaker Novartis has agreed to a licensing deal worth up to $7.8 billion with China's Abogen Biosciences to develop mRNA-based therapies. The agreement gives Novartis access to Abogen's mRNA technology, highlighting growing Western pharmaceutical interest in Chinese biotech assets and keeping momentum behind mRNA platforms beyond vaccines.

AbbVie Inc. shares are being tracked by investors following market news on the pharmaceutical company. Traders are checking the stock's latest quote and price history to gauge momentum for the US-listed drugmaker, which markets major treatments including immunology and aesthetics products.

A health brief from The Washington Post reports that pharmaceutical companies have emerged largely unscathed from the Trump administration's drug price plan. The item suggests the plan has had minimal impact on drugmakers so far, contrary to expectations that pricing reforms would hurt the industry.

Northwestern University has won a bid to strike Moderna's government sales defense in their ongoing patent dispute. The ruling narrows Moderna's legal options in the closely watched case over vaccine technology. The fight is part of broader litigation between the university and the drugmaker over COVID-19 vaccine patents, and the decision could shape how similar government-use defenses are handled in other patent battles.

The European Union's pharmaceutical package legislation is drawing attention over proposed exemptions for specialty drugs, which could shape tariff treatment for high-cost therapies. Industry watchers are weighing how the rules would affect cross-border supply chains and pricing of advanced medicines, making it a live debate among pharma companies, regulators and trade policy experts.

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has agreed a deal worth $2.6 billion with China's Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, giving Novo rights to an obesity drug candidate. The agreement underscores fierce competition in the fast-growing weight-loss drug market, where Novo's Wegovy faces mounting rivalry from Eli Lilly and emerging Chinese developers.

Britain's Royal College of Nursing has ended its commercial partnership with Teva UK, the British arm of Israeli drugmaker Teva. The union said the decision followed the company's links to Israel's military and concerns over its corporate track record. The move adds to pressure on firms with Israeli ties amid the ongoing conflict.

Swiss drugmaker Novartis has agreed a deal worth about $7.8 billion with China's Abogen Biosciences, according to Reuters. The agreement centres on mRNA technology, marking a significant move by Novartis into the field and a landmark licensing arrangement for a Chinese biotech firm with a major Western pharmaceutical partner.

Novartis has agreed to acquire Chinese biotech Abogen in a deal worth $7.8bn, betting on bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) aimed at autoimmune diseases. The move signals the Swiss drugmaker's push into next-generation immunology therapies, expanding its pipeline beyond traditional treatments. Industry watchers see it as part of a broader wave of big pharma deals targeting autoimmune conditions with engineered antibody technologies.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Nature tested safiglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, in people with early type 2 diabetes. Unlike injectable GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide, safiglipron is taken as a pill, which could make treatment easier to access. The publication is drawing attention as drugmakers race to develop oral alternatives to popular injectable weight and diabetes medications.