The biopharma industry has shed tens of thousands over the past few years. This significant churn rate has created a breeding ground for intellectual property (IP) theft, leaving companies vulnerable both as they lose and gain employees. “Any time you have a situation where there are a lot of employees in a position where they…
How the latest AI executive order might impact drug development in the U.S.
The White House has released an executive order that contains what it hails as “the most sweeping actions ever taken to protect Americans from the potential risks of AI systems.” Relevant to drug development, a fact sheet on the order describes its aim to help further “the responsible use of AI in healthcare and the…
From FTC’s tightened grip to PULSE Coalition: A timeline of the life science M&A landscape
The biopharma industry is pushing back against increased scrutiny of mergers and acquisitions from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). More than 30 biopharma companies and industry associations announced the formation of the Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem (PULSE) to advocate for the role of M&A activity in the biopharma sector. A M&A landscape…
Illumina’s record EU fine could drive smaller M&A pharma deals
Illumina, the world’s largest gene sequencing company, faces a record fine from the E.U. for acquiring startup Grail without approval. The $8 billion deal closed in August 2021 despite ongoing EU. and U.S. investigations. A year later, the EU prohibited the merger, citing reduced innovation and choice. The expected $453 million fine, which would be…
Amgen v. Sanofi: A Supreme Court decision steers drug developers into uncharted waters
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in the case of Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi (No. 21-757) could chart a new course for both the pharmaceutical industry and patent law. In this decision, the Supreme Court provided clarity on what the Patent Act means by ‘enablement,’ raising the bar for the level of detail needed in certain…