Breast Cancer Remains the World’s Most Studied Disease
Summary:
Breast cancer ranked as the world’s most-studied disease for the fifth consecutive year, according to Phesi’s analysis of nearly 66,000 recruiting clinical trials, with the rest of the top five unchanged from 2024. The report also highlights persistent phase 2 trial attrition – especially in triple-negative breast cancer – and a rapid expansion of clinical trial activity in China, underscoring the need for better data-driven trial design and stronger U.S. competitiveness.
China Biotech Deal Value Surges Despite Geopolitical Headwinds
Summary:
Despite escalating geopolitical tensions and regulatory uncertainty, the pace of China biotech licensing and acquisition deals in 2025 remained steady, roughly matching recent years with more than 140 agreements recorded. However, the total potential value of these deals soared to a record level – driven by higher average deal sizes – cementing China’s growing role as a major global source of biopharma innovation.
Drug Pricing Agreements with White House Seen as Largely Neutral for Biopharma
Summary:
Analysts say the recent drug pricing agreements between the White House and nine pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to materially affect sales or profitability, as the discounts focus on select products with limited commercial impact while providing companies relief from tariff-related uncertainty. Market response has remained positive, with investors viewing the deals as easing political pressure without significantly altering industry growth trajectories.
FDA Faces Push for Stability as Rare Disease Reforms Enter Testing Phase
Summary:
After a disruptive 2025 marked by workforce cuts and leadership turnover, experts are calling for greater stability at the FDA to restore confidence, meet review timelines and safeguard regulatory consistency. At the same time, 2026 is expected to reveal the first tangible outcomes of new expedited approval pathways – particularly for rare disease therapies – alongside deeper integration of AI into regulatory workflows.
Five High-Impact Clinical Readouts to Watch in Early 2026
Summary:
The first half of 2026 will feature several pivotal clinical trial readouts with the potential to reshape major therapeutic markets, led by Novartis’ Phase III pelacarsen study that could validate Lp(a) as a new cardiovascular target. Other closely watched data – from Eli Lilly’s next-generation Alzheimer’s antibody and Vertex’s autoimmune contender to long-acting wet AMD therapies and Wave Life Sciences’ novel obesity approach – may influence competitive dynamics, acquisition activity and future drug development strategies across biopharma.
