Swiss-British pharma giant focused on oncology, cardiovascular and more
GSK has announced a three-year plan to cut costs by £1.9bn and relocate its Cambridge R&D hub, housing 1,000+ scientists, with Stevenage to close by 2029. Some staff will move to Ware, which will be upgraded, while overall spend on R&D will be redirected to late-stage trials and new drugs.
Regulators are reviewing a BMJ study linking GLP-1 receptor agonists to a higher risk of alopecia. The study compares hair-loss rates in GLP-1 users against SGLT-2 and DPP-4 inhibitors, with findings suggesting a 37% higher risk versus SGLT-2 and 68% higher versus DPP-4. Hair loss appears non-scarring and potentially reversible, often tied to weight loss and nutritional factors.
The White House has proposed phased tariffs on imported generic medicines, arguing for a U.S.-based manufacturing boost. The plan starts with two years of zero tariffs, followed by 100% and then 200% levies, to spur domestic production. Industry groups warn the move could raise prices for patients while onshoring efforts face structural hurdles. Major manufacturers say margins are thin and shifting production could take years.
A roundup of recent cancer breakthroughs highlights new immunotherapies, targeted drugs and surgical-sparing treatments. The Independent reports on Scolyer’s pioneering work and a landmark NICE decision; The Guardian covers durvalumab’s promise in bladder cancer; Business Insider UK and Reuters summarize ASCO findings on pancreatic and colon cancers, among others.
Weight-loss GLP-1 drugs are expanding beyond injections to pills in the US, UK and UAE. Major manufacturers report rising uptake and ongoing development, with Medicare and NHS access shaping pace and affordability. Private prescriptions and new formulations are widening access while competition accelerates.
Anthropic is launching an internal drug-discovery program to develop AI tools for life sciences, focusing on neglected diseases. The effort aims to create drug-discovery capabilities in-house and partner with industry, while navigating the costly regulatory path and uncertain clinical development timelines.
The UK–US pharmaceutical deal has led to a BMJ analysis predicting the NHS will divert billions to fund new medicines, risking hundreds of thousands of excess deaths by 2036, with the toll higher if social care funding is included.
AstraZeneca has announced that Wainua, its gene-silencer drug for transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy, did not meet its primary endpoint in a phase 3 trial. The news triggers a sharp stock drop and prompts investors to rethink the company’s long-term growth targets and the strength of its pipeline.
Oxford-led trials have begun in the UK to test a new Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine using the same tech as the Covid jab. Volunteers aged 18-55 are receiving the first doses as researchers assess safety and immune response amid an ongoing outbreak in the DRC.