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Our ranking is out, and it has a few surprises. In pole position — predictably — is Wegovy, the weight-slashing GLP-1 agonist, with AI-hallucinated proteins a close second. These are followed by drugging options for RNA. The dark horses are virus-free gene therapies and a sweet protein.

The go-ahead for Vertex’s gene editing therapy in sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia is a historic milestone, but this one-time treatment is costly.

Armed with gene technologies and CAR-Ts, scientists are attempting to eliminate viruses that escape immune detection and lurk in tissues for years.

Biopharma companies debate whether to patent their algorithms for finding medicines.

Food tech companies are taking bacteria that capture CO₂ from air to make edible and nutritious food and drink.

A new era of brain-penetrant therapies is opening up, as companies hook up drugs to transferrin receptors or use viral capsids to hitch a ride into previously inaccessible regions.

Drugs commonly used in rheumatology, the JAK inhibitors, are opening up treatment options for people with autoimmune-driven hair loss, and new mechanistic knowledge is also helping scientists tackle androgenic alopecia, the commonest cause of baldness.

Aging is malleable, at least in animal models. But to prove the efficacy of interventions aimed at extending healthspan and to test life-extending approaches in humans, longevity researchers first need to agree on the best measuring tools. With the power of ’omics, AI and large biobanks, improved biomarkers may be forthcoming. Companies and academic researchers are rallying forces, but how far have they gotten?

A new generation of companies is pursuing insect larvae as a protein source for animal feed, fertilizer, biofuels and even as ingredients for burgers and shakes. The insects promise to deliver cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to soy and fishmeal, with the added benefit that larvae can be raised on organic waste.

The US Supreme Court decision in the Amgen vs. Sanofi patent dispute over PCSK9 inhibitors puts a decisive end to broad patents claiming rights over all molecules directed at a given target.

Bioorthogonal click chemistry is being used in patients to help target cancer medicines and diagnostic imaging agents

Biogen’s drug Qalsody is the first drug to gain approval for a genetically defined form of ALS, but there is more to come as developers zoom in on a wide range of disease targets.

Gene therapies have made spectacular progress in delivering new cures for previously intractable disease, but they remain the world’s most expensive treatments. Now companies are replacing the virus in gene therapies with new delivery technologies that promise not only to overcome the limitations of viral vectors but to slash production costs too.

The GLP-1 agonist Wegovy has re-energized the hunt for obesity treatments. Alternatives — ranging from bitter taste compounds to lean muscle boosters and bacteria — are already in the clinic.

Drugs targeting metabolic drivers of fatty liver disease show promise at resolving inflammation, reducing damage and reversing fibrosis.

Large language models are helping scientists to converse with artificial intelligence and even to generate potential drug targets.

Biotech companies are racing to test bacteriophages — some as found in nature, others armed with CRISPR–Cas — to destroy drug-resistant bacteria selectively while keeping the microbiome intact.