EMJ GOLD

New contender enters oral weight loss drug race The study suggests that the novel compound may offer superior glycaemic control and weight reduction compared with current GLP-1 drugs.

A new challenger in the oral GLP-1 race 💊

Phase 3 data from the ACHIEVE-3 trial reveals that the investigational compound orforglipron outperformed oral semaglutide in both glycaemic control and weight reduction.

Read more on the results here: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

AI and digital twins offer hope for rare disease research Organisations like Phesi are leveraging digital patient profiles to create digital twins for even the rarest diseases.

How are digital twins transforming orphan drug trials?

Phesi's CEO Dr Gen Li explains how AI is revolutionising rare disease drug development, bypassing traditional trial hurdles and bringing bespoke therapies to patients faster.

Read more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Think you’re a pharma marketing buff?

Step back through 200 years of history with our new interactive quiz.

From 19th-century origins to the rise of modern transparency, see how much you know about the shifts that shaped the function.

Take the challenge: www.emjreviews.com/quiz-how-wel...

EU targets 11% clinical trial growth to reclaim R&D lead Meeting new EU targets for clinical trials could grant 35,000 additional patients access to novel treatments, according to a new report.

Is the tide turning on Europe's clinical trial slump?

In a report published by the EFPIA, health authorities have set a bold 11% growth target that hopes to catch up with global leaders and reclaim the regions competitive edge.

Read more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Gilead to acquire CAR-T biotech Arcellx for $7.8bn The deal is a unified effort to advance a CAR T-cell therapy currently under regulatory review for multiple myeloma.

What led Gilead to acquire Arcellx for $7.8bn?

The deal brings a late-stage CAR-T therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, alongside a next-generation synthetic binder technology platform to be used by Kite.

Find out more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

How can pharma help bridge the diagnostic gap in early-onset colorectal cancer?

James Van Der Beek’s death highlights a rise in cases under 50. Pharma must shift focus from late-stage care to robust early detection.
Learn more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

"Healthy ageing is not something we should postpone until retirement; it’s a lifelong process."

In our latest interview, Dr Stefanie Rau, Nestlé Health Science, shares why healthy ageing matters, and why it’s never too early to invest in long-term health.

🔗 www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/art...

Eli Lilly and USOPC launch athlete recovery programme The initiative aims to provide elite athletes with targeted rehabilitation and holistic care for complex or extended recovery needs.

How is one pharma company helping to bring athletes back from injury and become gold medal winners?

Eli Lilly has partnered with the USOPC on the Team USA Athlete Recovery Scheme, supporting athletes from MilanoCortina2026 to LA28.

Find out more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

ABPI launch report to bridge UK’s drug discovery gap As it stands, the pharmaceutical industry faces a significant technical bottleneck: only 10% of R&D ends in an approved medicine.

Did you know only 10% of R&D programmes result in an approved medicine?

A new ABPI review explores how the UK can close this gap by making advanced academic lab and AI models industry-ready.

Learn more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Sanofi names Belén Garijo as CEO to lead R&D growth Sanofi’s Board of Directors announced Belén Garijo as the company’s next CEO following the move to not renew the tenure of Paul Hudson.

Sanofi names Belén Garijo as new CEO 🧪

The Merck KGaA veteran, who previously had a 15-year career at Sanofi, is returning to the group on a mission to accelerate innovation and strengthen governance.

Read more on the latest pharma leadership shift: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Rare disease access remains uneven across the US A new report has found that for Americans living with rare conditions, access to the latest innovations can depend on their zip code.

Is rare disease care access in the US a "zip code lottery"?

NORD's 2025 State Report Card reveals that state-level legislation is now the primary driver for orphan drug access.

Learn more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Momentum grows for Europe’s ePI transition A landmark European report offers a comprehensive analysis of electronic Product Information (ePI) pilot projects across 31 countries.

Is Europe ready for the ePI transition?

A new report explores electronic Product Information (ePI) pilot programmes across 31 European countries, offering fresh insight into how digital leaflets could replace traditional paper versions.

Learn more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

India has launched Biopharma SHAKTI, a $1.1bn initiative to pivot the country from a generics to a high-value biologics leader and targets a 5% share of the $1.1tn global pharmaceutical market.

Read the full story: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Month in pharma news, explained – January 2026 In this monthly news roundup, we take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry. It’s time to reflect on January 2026.

Month in pharma: January 2026, explained 👇

From updated flu vaccine warnings driven by RWE, to a $15bn investment shift signalling China’s growing pull on global R&D, January highlighted how there is never a dull day in life sciences.

Read the round up: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

UK and Japan strengthen science and technology ties The UK and Japan have announced a sweeping pharmaceutical and technology partnership aimed at accelerating drug discovery.

The UK and Japan strengthen R&D ties with an £11m investment in gene therapy manufacturing and a national rare disease genomics pilot. The partnership leverages AI and quantum computing to accelerate drug discovery.

Learn more on the collaboration: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Nipah in West Bengal: a pharma call to action With two new Nipah virus cases confirmed, the pressure is mounting on the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture a vaccine.

Nipah in West Bengal: A Call for Pharma Readiness

Recent Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal underscore the urgent need for licensed countermeasures. With a 75% fatality rate, the industry is moving toward proactive intervention.

Learn more here: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

AstraZeneca bets big on China with $15bn investment Pascal Soriot, CEO, AZ, hailed the investment as the start of "an exciting next chapter" for the company in China.

Newsflash: AstraZeneca makes a multi-billion dollar investment in China.

CEO Pascal Soriot called it “an exciting next chapter” for the company. The announcement came during UK PM Keir Starmer’s visit, who highlighted the benefits for the UK.

Full story: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

TrumpRx: Guidance on DTC sales issued to industry The Office of Inspector General's bulletin provides a framework for pharma companies selling prescription drugs direct-to-consumers (DTC).

Could this open doors for pharma?

A new briefing from the @oigdc.bsky.social sheds light on how pharma can offer lower costs directly to patients while staying clear of anti-kickback pitfalls.

Learn more about the guidelines: hubs.la/Q040W8mQ0

US government negotiates Medicare part B drugs The CMS has unveiled the 15 high-cost medications selected for the next phase of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

US government names 15 drugs for the 3rd round of Medicare price negotiations.

This selection is a watershed moment for industry as it moves beyond retail pharmacy and into physician-prescribed treatments.

Learn what therapy areas are on the list: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

When ELNs fall short: why R&D is turning to AI A new study shows how limitations in electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) are driving pharma R&D teams to use AI tools, raising privacy concerns.

A new survey by @sapiosciences.bsky.social of 150 researchers shows that outdated digital tools are driving a surge in shadow AI, which is the use of unauthorised AI tools in pharma and biotech labs.

Is it time to rethink lab digitalisation?

Full report: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Gen Z increasingly turning to AI for STI advice A growing number of Gen Z are turning to AI chatbots for sexual health advice, including the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections.

Are more young adults turning to AI for sensitive health concerns?

A survey of 2,520 US adults aged 18–29 found that one in five have asked an AI chatbot about STIs, while one in 10 used AI to help identify a possible infection.

Discover more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Major philanthropies launch $60m AMR consortium This first-of-its-kind global consortium aims to accelerate the discovery of treatments for the world’s most resistant pathogens.

The Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome have launched Gr-ADI, a $60m consortium designed to bridge the market gap in antibiotic discovery.

Explore more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Paracetamol safety: New study finds no autism link A review has provided evidence debunking claims that acetaminophen (paracetamol) use during pregnancy increases the risk of ASD and ADHD.

Paracetamol safety profile reaffirmed?

A study has found no link between prenatal paracetamol use and neurodevelopmental risks. For industry stakeholders, this is a critical defence of a cornerstone analgesic.

Read the latest: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

FDA orders seizure warnings for major flu vaccines The FDA has directed pharma companies of influenza vaccines to update their product labelling to include the risk of fever-induced seizures.

The FDA is leveraging real-world evidence (RWE) to update flu vaccine labels. 💉

Following a BEST study, specific manufacturers must now note a small risk of febrile seizures in young children within 24 hours of vaccination.

Details here: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Lilly and NVIDIA: a $1bn leap for drug discovery Eli Lilly and NVIDIA have unveiled a first-of-its-kind AI co-innovation lab, aiming to solving the most complex bottlenecks in pharma.

$1bn. 5 years. One goal: Reinvent the R&D lifecycle 💻

Eli Lilly and NVIDIA are launching a first-of-its-kind AI co-innovation lab to solve some of the industry’s toughest bottlenecks.

Read more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Pharma to FDA: Upgrade cell and gene data sharing The pharmaceutical industry is calling on the FDA to modernise how it tracks the long-term safety and efficacy of cell and gene therapies.

Pharma urges the FDA to modernise cell and gene therapy tracking, adopting Federated Data Networks and ICH M14 standards to automate data collection and reduce clinic burden. 🧬
Read more: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

End of lifelong pills? GSK’s phase 3 success in hepatitis B GSK announced in January that its novel chronic hepatitis B successfully met primary goals in two pivotal phase 3 trials.

Can we bypass cancer resistance?

With the $3.05bn acquisition of Halda, J&J gains the "hold and kill" RIPTAC platform – a novel weapon against treatment-resistant tumors.

"Designed to work even when cancers no longer respond." – Prof John Reed, J&J.

Read more: www.emjreviews.com/en-us/amj/em...

US slashes vaccine schedule: a major shift for paediatrics CDC has formally reduced its routine childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 to 11, marking a major shift in US healthcare, read more.

In a landmark shift, the CDC has formally reduced its routine childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 down to 11.

The move marks a transition from decades of universal mandates towards shared clinical decision making.

Find out more on EMJ GOLD: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/new...

Pharma Year in Review 2025 🌍

2025 was a year of incredible healthcare momentum balanced by regulatory challenges.

Join Hanna Svanbäck, Jonathan Sackier, and Yacin Marzouki as they reflect on 2025.

🎧 Listen here: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/pod...

Welcome to Unwrapped! 🎄

We’re wrapping up 2025 with a special content series, reflecting on the past year in pharma. First up, try our tricky brain teaser challenge. What could it be?

🎁 Reveal the answer and explore more here: www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/art...