Merck's Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor and Nurix's BTK Degrader Among ACS First Disclosures

Drug Hunter has sifted through news articles, press releases, financial disclosures, SEC filings and more to bring you a roundup of 2023's biggest mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the drug discovery world. In this 4-part series we will give you an open-access overview of the M&A landscape, and then for Drug Hunter members in the coming weeks, we will be providing in-depth coverage and analysis of the small molecule-focused (parts 2 & 3) and biologics-based deals (part 4). This premium content includes background on the targets, chemical/biological matter and clinical data driving these deals.

In June, we saw several FDA approvals for treatments targeting primary biliary cholangitis and COPD. The industry witnessed multibillion- and multimillion-dollar deals across various therapeutic areas. Advances were made in obesity therapeutics, with novel targets and clinical readouts for GLP-1 agonists and NLRP3 inhibitors. Alkermes and Takeda reported results for OX2R agonists in narcolepsy, while an antimalarial drug showed promise in PCOS. Despite these advancements, there were clinical trial failures for key molecules. Here's a recap of the most notable news highlights from June 2024!

Drug Hunter has sifted through news articles, press releases, financial disclosures, SEC filings, and more to bring you a roundup of 2023’s biggest mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the drug discovery world. In part 3 of this 4-part series, we bring you the top-ranked small molecule-focused deals by value. Covering a range of targets and modalities, this article gives Drug Hunter members in-depth background and analysis of the hottest science opening checkbooks in 2023.

In the aftermath of the thalidomide tragedy, the FDA advised excluding females in the childbearing age from early-stage clinical trials. However, this policy resulted in the prolonged underrepresentation of women in clinical research, limiting knowledge about how drugs affect genders differently. Recent policy changes, including the NIH's emphasis on considering sex as a biological variable, aim to reduce these disparities by promoting more diverse clinical trial participation. This article explores the current landscape of endometriosis therapies and how it relates to women’s healthcare.

In case you missed August’s business news, here’s a quick recap of five headlines, including an acquisition, three funding rounds, and a notable company closure.