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  • Biotech & Pharma Updates | October 15 - 16, 2025

Biotech & Pharma Updates | October 15 - 16, 2025

🧬 Veradermics' $150M Series C for hair regrowth (the second $100+ hair-focused biotech raise this week), Kite Pharma goes deeper on in-vivo with up to $1.64B deal with Pregene Biotech, Dianthus Tx's up to $1B deal for Nanjing Leads Biolabs' bispecific, Adcytherix's $122M Series A powering ADC ambitions, Aicuris preps FDA filing after Ph3 win in treating immunocompromised patients with herpes, Merck & Co. delivers another Keytruda win with statistically significant OS benefit in platinum resistant ovarian cancer

All the top Biotech & Pharma news in one daily newsletter.

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✅ The Good News ✅ 

THE GOOD
Approvals & Labels

SALVAT receives FDA approval for clotic targeting fungal infections for otomycosis with orphan drug designation
Small molecule, infectious disease, antifungal, otomycosis, orphan drug designation - Read more

THE GOOD
Business Development & Partnerships

Kite Pharma, Pregene partner on in vivo CAR-T development worth up to $1.64B
Research collaboration, oncology, cell therapy, milestone payments, global - Read more

Dianthus Therapeutics, Nanjing Leads Biolabs partner on autoimmune bispecific antibody, $1B potential deal value
Licensing deal, autoimmune, antibody, milestone payments - Read more

AstraZeneca, Immunai partner on AI-driven IBD target discovery worth $85M
Research collaboration, autoimmune, AI/ML, milestone payments - Read more

Sanofi, EVOQ partner on NanoDisc autoimmune platform in $500M deal
Research collaboration, autoimmune, milestone payments, global - Read more

ME Therapeutics, National Research Council of Canada license CD22 nanobody for CAR therapy development
Licensing deal, oncology, cell therapy, nanobody technology - Read more

Taiho Pharma licenses Haihe's PI3Kα inhibitor risovalisib for Japan commercialization
Licensing deal, oncology, small molecule, milestone payments, rare disease - Read more

Jacobio Pharma, Oceanpine Capital partner; Oceanpine acquires 80% Jacoray equity for RMB 200M ($28M)
Equity investment, oncology, small molecule, milestone payments - Read more

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 More Good News 

THE GOOD
Clinical Trials

Merck & Co.'s Keytruda shows overall survival benefit in Ph3 trial for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer
Antibody, cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitor, ovarian cancer, PD-1, combination therapy - Read more

Praxis reports positive Ph3 results for ulixacaltamide targeting T-type calcium channels in essential tremor, plans FDA filing
Small molecule, neurological, calcium channel blocker, essential tremor - Read more

Johnson & Johnson's Tecvayli-Darzalex combination meets Ph3 endpoints in earlier-line multiple myeloma, halting trial early
Antibody, cancer, monoclonal antibody, multiple myeloma, combination therapy, BCMA target - Read more

Novartis Fabhalta shows kidney function benefits in Ph3 IgA nephropathy trial, eyes full FDA approval
Small molecule, kidney disease, complement inhibitor, IgA nephropathy, rare disease - Read more

Aicuris prepares FDA filing for Pritelivir targeting helicase-primase after Ph3 success in herpes simplex virus
Small molecule, infectious disease, helicase primase inhibitor, herpes simplex virus, immunocompromised patients - Read more

THE GOOD
Fundraises

Adcytherix raises $122M Series A, antibody drug conjugates targeting cancer
Antibody drug conjugate, oncology, clinical-stage, platform technology - Read more

Veradermics raises $150M Series C, advancing hair regrowth pill through regulatory submissions
Hair regrowth, small molecule, clinical-stage, extended-release formulation - Read more

BridGene Biosciences raises $28M Series B+, advancing TEAD inhibitor BGC-515 clinical development
Small molecule, oncology, autoimmune, platform technology, clinical-stage - Read more

Peptilogics raises $78M Series B for prosthetic joint infection treatment program
Infectious disease, clinical-stage, prosthetic joint infection, antimicrobial - Read more [Paywall]

C4 Therapeutics raises $125M public offering, advancing targeted protein degradation science
Clinical-stage, targeted protein degradation, platform technology, biopharmaceutical - Read more

THE GOOD
Investments

Next Gen Diagnostics relocates lab to Kendall Square to expand genomics-based infection tracking capabilities
Genomic sequencing, infectious disease, operational, strategic - Read more

THE GOOD
Politics & Policy

California Governor Newsom signs laws restricting PBM practices, banning spread pricing and pharmacy steering
Regulatory, operational, financial, strategic - Read more

THE GOOD
Product Launches

Genentech launches direct-to-consumer program offering Xofluza flu treatment at 70% discount for flu season
Small molecule, infectious disease, strategic, operational, cost reduction - Read more

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❌ The Bad News

THE BAD
Regulatory

FDA orphan drug Director Sandra Retzky departs amid staffing shuffle under Kennedy leadership
Orphan drugs, rare disease, regulatory, operational - Read more

THE BAD
Strategic Plans

Kezar Life Sciences initiates strategic review after FDA clash delays zetomipzomib autoimmune hepatitis program by two years
Immunoproteasome inhibitor, autoimmune, regulatory, strategic, operational - Read more

👹 The Ugly News 👹

THE UGLY
No Ugly News Today!

You’re all caught up on the latest Pharma & Biotech News!

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