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- Biotech & Pharma Updates | October 2 - 5, 2025
Biotech & Pharma Updates | October 2 - 5, 2025
🧬 Cidara lands up to $339M BARDA contract for non-vaccine flu prevention, Ovid reports positive Ph1 data in drug-resistant epilepsy, FDA launches generics priority review program for domestic manufacturing, GSK comes out on top in UK PMCPA marketing scuffle, Palisade Bio closes $138M public offering fuelling IBD ambitions

Cidara Tx, BARDA partner on flu prevention candidate CD388 development, up to $339M deal. | Gif: scoobydoo on Giphy
All the top Biotech & Pharma news in one daily newsletter.
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✅ The Good News ✅
THE GOOD
Business Development & Partnerships
Cidara Therapeutics, BARDA partner on flu prevention candidate CD388 development, up to $339M deal
Government funding, infectious disease, manufacturing agreement, milestone payments - Read more
European Commission, HIPRA sign COVID-19 vaccine procurement contract for 4 million doses
Manufacturing agreement, vaccine, infectious disease - Read more
THE GOOD
Clinical Trials
Ovid Therapeutics reports positive Ph1 data for OV329 GABA-aminotransferase inhibitor in drug-resistant epilepsy, advances to Ph2
Small molecule, neurological, GABA-AT inhibitor, epilepsy, biomarker study - Read more
Guard Therapeutics' RMC-035 shows renoprotective effects in Ph2a AKITA study for acute kidney injury after surgery
Small molecule, kidney disease, acute kidney injury, cardiac surgery, renoprotective therapy - Read more
Arvinas ARV-102 LRRK2-targeting PROTAC reduces Parkinson's disease biomarkers in Ph1 trial after 14 days
PROTAC, neurological, Parkinson's disease, LRRK2 target, protein degradation - Read more
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✅ More Good News ✅
THE GOOD
Fundraises
Kihealth raises $5M Seed, precision diagnostics for early diabetes detection
Precision diagnostics, biomarker discovery, diabetes, autoimmune, metabolic disease - Read more
Repairon raises undisclosed Series A, regenerative cell therapies for heart failure
Cell therapy, cardiovascular, regenerative medicine, clinical-stage - Read more
QuantHealth raises undisclosed strategic investment, AI-driven clinical trial simulation platform
AI/ML platform, clinical trial platform, data analytics, AI-driven - Read more
Egetis Therapeutics raises $19M directed share issue, tiratricol NDA development
Rare disease, clinical-stage, small molecule, regulatory approval - Read more
Palisade Bio raises $138M public offering for autoimmune/inflammatory disease therapeutics
Autoimmune, inflammatory, small molecule, clinical-stage - Read more
Enanta Pharmaceuticals raises $74.8M public offering, developing small molecule antiviral drugs
Small molecule, viral infections, immunological diseases, clinical-stage - Read more
THE GOOD
Regulatory
FDA launches pilot program offering priority review for generic drugmakers using domestic manufacturing and testing
Generic drugs, regulatory, strategic, operational - Read more
GSK successfully appeals UK PMCPA’s industry discredit ruling regarding COVID vaccine press releases
COVID-19 vaccine, infectious disease, regulatory, operational - Read more
❌ The Bad News ❌
THE BAD
Layoffs
CSL Vifor cuts 55 jobs at King of Prussia site as part of 15% global workforce reduction
Iron deficiency therapy, hematology, cost reduction, operational, workforce restructuring - Read more
THE BAD
Politics & Policy
CMS finalizes expanded orphan drug protections from IRA price negotiations, potentially delaying billions in savings
Rare disease, oncology, regulatory, strategic, financial - Read more
THE BAD
Strategic Plans
Rocket Pharmaceuticals withdraws FDA application for Fanca-cel gene therapy targeting fanconi anemia amid strategic reprioritization
Gene therapy, rare disease, lentiviral vector, fanconi anemia, bone marrow failure, FDA withdrawal - Read more
👹 The Ugly News 👹
THE UGLY
Politics & Policy
Former NIAID Director Marrazzo fired after filing whistleblower complaint against HHS leadership under RFK Jr.
Infectious disease, regulatory, operational, strategic - Read more
U.K. advocacy groups call for antitrust probe into Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Merck & Co. coordinated investment exodus
Regulatory, competitive, strategic, major transaction - Read more
You’re all caught up on the latest Pharma & Biotech News!

Fall is fully in swing out here. | Gif: Charlie Brown
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