US Bets on AI and Quantum Leadership – Without a Big Funding Boost
Summary:
Trump administration has elevated AI and quantum science to top national priorities, leaning on modest budget increases, public – private partnerships, and workforce expansion rather than major new federal funding. Critics warn that limited investment, grant cancellations, and restrictive visa policies could undermine these ambitions by slowing research and driving talent away.
Drug Pricing Truce Signals Stability for Big Pharma
Summary:
Trump administration has reached Most Favored Nation pricing agreements with nine additional major drugmakers, extending Medicaid-focused pricing deals to cover nearly all large U.S. biopharma companies. Analysts view the agreements as easing pricing uncertainty and signaling a more stable, industry-friendly policy environment heading into 2026.
J&J Hit with Record $1.5B Talc Verdict in Baltimore
Summary:
A Baltimore jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $1.56 billion to a woman who said the company failed to warn that its baby powder contained asbestos linked to cancer – the largest-ever award to a single talc plaintiff. J&J plans to appeal as it continues to face tens of thousands of talc-related lawsuits, despite having removed talc-based baby powder from the global market.
Lilly’s Triple-Action Obesity Drug Resets the Weight-Loss Benchmark
Summary:
Eli Lilly’s experimental obesity drug retatrutide drove up to 28.7% average weight loss in a Phase 3 trial – the strongest results seen to date – while also significantly reducing knee osteoarthritis pain. By activating three metabolic pathways, the drug raises expectations for next-generation obesity treatments and intensifies competition across the rapidly expanding weight-loss market.
Biotech Deal-Making Continues as Windtree Exits Cardio and Vaccinex Lands $60M
Summary:
Windtree Therapeutics is divesting its cardiovascular pipeline to Seismic Pharmaceutical Holdings, stepping further away from traditional biotech R&D in favor of potential future revenue sharing and business diversification. Meanwhile, Vaccinex secured $60 million through a novel revenue-sharing deal to push its Alzheimer’s candidate pepinemab into a Phase 2b trial, highlighting continued deal activity despite year-end market uncertainty.
