Pharminent · Daily Brief
October 13, 2026
Regulatory & Approvals
FDA approves Asahi Kasei’s herpes antiviral Hovilpri
The FDA approved Asahi Kasei’s Hovilpri (pritelivir), a once-daily pill, for treating lesions caused by herpes simplex virus infection. The drug came from Asahi Kasei’s $919 million acquisition of AiCuris Anti-Infective Cures.
MedCity News →
Clinical Data
Syndax drops axatilimab in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Syndax said it has abandoned development of axatilimab for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis after the drug failed its trial. Shares fell 17% in pre-market trading.
Pharmaphorum →
Bristol Myers’ admilparant hits main goal at lower dose only
In a trial of Bristol Myers’ idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis drug admilparant, only the lower of two tested doses met the study’s main objective. Shares dipped on the results, which analysts described as confounding.
BioPharma Dive →
First Tracks shares climb on initial celiac disease data
First Tracks Biotherapeutics shares rose after initial study findings for its CD122-targeting drug in celiac disease, which some analysts called impressive and said supported “pipeline-in-a-product” potential.
BioPharma Dive →
Tridem starts phase Ib trial of Parkinson’s disease vaccine
Tridem Bioscience enrolled the first patients in a phase Ib trial of TRB-001, an intradermal therapeutic vaccine targeting misfolded alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease, evaluating safety, immunogenicity and preliminary efficacy biomarkers. Top-line results are expected in mid-2027.
PharmaFile →
Deals & Partnerships
Roche licenses Rona’s RNAi obesity program in $1B deal
Roche entered a licensing deal worth about $1 billion with Rona covering an RNAi approach to treating obesity.
Pharmaceutical Technology →$RHHBY
Sandoz and mAbxience partner on proposed emicizumab biosimilar
Sandoz announced on September 18, 2026 a licensing, development, manufacturing and commercialization agreement with mAbxience for a proposed biosimilar to Genentech’s Hemlibra (emicizumab), which is approved for hemophilia A. Sandoz said the collaboration would add its first hemophilia biosimilar to its pipeline.
Big Molecule Watch →$RHHBY$SDZNY
Business & Finance
Bausch + Lomb names Thomas Appio interim CEO as Saunders exits
Bausch + Lomb appointed Thomas Appio as interim CEO. According to a company statement, Bausch and Brent Saunders “mutually agreed” on his exit from the company.
BioPharma Dive →
Bambusa, Aspen and Tang join 2026 IPO queue
Three more companies joined the 2026 IPO queue: Bambusa, Aspen and blank check firm Tang.
Pharmaphorum →
Lilly battles online black market for retatrutide
Lilly is fighting a web of illicit online sellers offering its obesity candidate retatrutide, which remains in clinical development and has not launched.
PharmaVoice →$LLY
UnitedHealth beats estimates and raises 2026 profit outlook
UnitedHealth Group topped third-quarter estimates and said it now expects 2026 adjusted earnings of at least $20.50 per share, up from a previous outlook of $19.50 to $20.00 per share.
CNBC →
Bio-Techne opens GMP small-molecule plant in Bristol
Bio-Techne opened a 10,000-square-foot facility in Bristol producing GMP-grade small molecules for cell therapy developers, with five ISO-8 multifunctional cleanrooms and two ISO-7 cleanrooms. The site is fully operational and already manufacturing materials for customers.
PharmaFile →
Southern Research wins $8M NIH grant for THRIVE facility
Southern Research secured an $8 million grant from the US NIH to establish THRIVE, a national shared-use biomedical facility.
Pharmaceutical Technology →
Outro raises $7M for safe deprescribing platform
Outro raised $7 million to support safe deprescribing, with participation from Listen Ventures, Cake Ventures, Jason Calicanis’ LAUNCH, Actions Capital, Hannah Grey Ventures, SemperVirens, Brock Recovery Group and Pave Health Ventures.
MedCity News →
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