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GSK has entered a new deal with Sino Biopharmaceutical to rollout a new chronic hepatitis B drug in China.

New US tariff measures and mounting, acute geopolitical tensions are reshaping the global pharmaceutical landscape, GlobalData reported.

The deal marks the company’s first acquisition since 2021 and a step forward in its mission to lead in brain health.

Here is your April 2026 pharma news roundup. It’s time to reflect on a big month for weight loss drugs and more.

The FDA, on 5 May, authorised the marketing of fruit-flavoured e-cigarettes – the first vapes allowed for sale that are not tobacco or menthol flavoured.

The Games bring together athletes with cognitive disabilities to compete in elite winter sports such as skiing.

The remote prescription of mifepristone is under threat from a lawsuit by Louisiana.

LEO Pharma has acquired Replay’s herpes simplex virus gene therapy platform for $50m upfront.

In good news for UK life sciences investment, two companies have made pledges to build new facilities.

The therapy survodutide works by reducing appetite while also targeting metabolism in the liver.

The EMJ Podcast is a finalist for Audio Content of the Year at the 2026 PPA Awards, shortlisted from more than 260 entries reviewed by a panel of experts.

The European Medical Journal has been shortlisted for The Drum Awards for Marketing 2026, for its interactive digital tool combatting COPD diagnostic delays.

Until now, there had been no approved malaria treatment for infants weighing less than 4.5kg.

A phase 3 trial has shown efficacy in type 2 diabetes for adolescents, positioning it as a potential first oral solution for this population.

A phase 3 study of Moderna’s investigational mRNA-based H5 pandemic influenza vaccine candidate has been initiated.

A US court issued a preliminary injunction last month to freeze ACIP appointments, raising vaccination concerns for the upcoming respiratory disease season.

Lilly will gain access to an experimental cancer therapy for multiple myeloma.

OpenAI has launched GPT-Rosalind, a domain-specific AI model aimed at improving efficiency in early-stage drug discovery.

The rivalry between Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide and Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide continues.

Amazon Web Services has launched a new AI platform to help drug developers identify and test potential candidates.

Novo Nordisk announced on 14 April 2026 a strategic partnership with OpenAI to boost drug development by streamlining manufacturing, supply chains and distribution.

A new fund has launched to tackle widening health inequalities among underserved men in England.

MMJ International Holdings has joined plaintiffs taking legal action against the CMS.

Novo Nordisk has launched a 7.2 mg semaglutide injection in the US, following FDA approval on 19 March.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease costs the equivalent of Sweden’s entire economy, a new report has revealed.

Healthcare is moving into a new phase in which trust, not just treatment, will shape success, says VML Health.

Eli Lilly won FDA approval on 1 April 2026 for a once-daily oral GLP-1, orforglipron.

Pharma companies are facing renewed pressure due to instability linked to the Middle East conflict.

In this roundup, we take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry from March.

The recent FDA letters to four biologics companies signal a continued rise in enforcement activity.

The collaboration marks one of the largest generative AI-driven partnerships in the pharmaceutical industry to date.

The study moves the non-hormonal endometriosis candidate into mid-stage testing in a field ripe for new options.

The company has announced a multi-year initiative aimed at delivering billions of annualised gross savings by 2028.

The company has selected a site for its new plant to meet what it describes as a “growing demand” for its biologics pipeline.

This collaboration marks the first of its kind for AbbVie and signals a massive national expansion of its ‘Striking Out Cancer’ initiative.

The NHS is sitting on a gold mine of patient data that could, in the ABPI’s view, help rescue the UK’s faltering clinical trials sector.

The FDA has released draft guidance aimed at helping drug developers shift away from traditional animal testing.

Nearly 5 million children die annually from preventable causes linked to poor access to medicines.

Roche is supercharging drug discovery with a major AI expansion to transform how new medicines are developed.

A new fridge-free vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria has shown early promise in human trials.

The share of Americans who feel financially secure about paying for basic healthcare has fallen to its lowest level since 2021.

Co-founders, Prof Ugur Sahin and Prof Özlem Türeci, will depart to establish a new, independent biotechnology company.

The appointment is tied to the company’s “focused innovator” strategy, seeking to combine human expertise with high-performance computing.

The UK Space Agency, MHRA and the CAA have announced a new regulatory roadmap for in-orbit manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.

The collaboration will leverage kyron.bio’s glycoengineering platform to optimise a specific antibody candidate selected by Servier.

The move aims to transform the nation into a strategic centre for global clinical trials and biotechnology innovation in Asia.

As International Women’s Day approaches, data on the global women’s health market paints a mixed picture.

The hunt for new cystic fibrosis therapies is going digital, as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation taps Antiverse for AI antibody design.

In this monthly news roundup, we take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry. It’s time to reflect on February 2026.

Novo Nordisk is refitting its facility in Athlone, Ireland, aimed at expanding GLP-1 manufacturing capacity.

The study suggests that the novel compound may offer superior glycaemic control and weight reduction compared with current GLP-1 drugs.

A new report suggests biotech took the lead in UK healthcare M&A in 2025, outpacing pharma and life sciences.

Organisations like Phesi are leveraging digital patient profiles to create digital twins for even the rarest diseases.

Meeting new EU targets for clinical trials could grant 35,000 additional patients access to novel treatments according to a new report.

UCB backs Refold Therapeutics to tackle light chain amyloidosis, a rare disease damaging the heart and kidneys.

The deal is a unified effort to advance a CAR T-cell therapy currently under regulatory review for multiple myeloma.

The FDA has announced that a single clinical trial will now be the default requirement for the approval of novel medicines.

James Van Der Beek’s death from bowel cancer has thrust rising colorectal cancer rates back into the spotlight.

The initiative aims to provide elite athletes with targeted rehabilitation and holistic care for complex or extended recovery needs.

The pharmaceutical industry faces a significant technical bottleneck: only 10% of R&D ends in an approved medicine.

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.

Bayer and VML Health have launched a campaign challenging the tendency to normalise pain in women’s health.

A new report has found that for Americans living with rare conditions, access to the latest innovations depends on their zip code.

A landmark European report offers a comprehensive analysis of electronic Product Information (ePI) pilot projects.

Researchers at Griffith University’s are on the cusp of a significant breakthrough in the development of a vaccine for the chikungunya virus.

India has unveiled Biopharma SHAKTI, a strategic roadmap backed by a $1.1bn financial investment over five years.

In this news roundup, take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry in January 2026.

The UK and Japanese governments have announced a sweeping pharmaceutical and technology partnership.

The programme will focus on pancreatic, ovarian and oesophageal cancers – three indications that often spread silently.

With two new Nipah virus cases confirmed, the pressure is mounting on the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture a vaccine.

Pascal Soriot, CEO, AZ, hailed the investment as the start of “an exciting next chapter” for the company in China.

The Office of Inspector General’s bulletin provides a framework for pharma companies selling prescription drugs direct-to-consumers (DTC).

The CMS has unveiled the 15 high-cost medications selected for the next phase of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

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

This first-of-its-kind global consortium aims to accelerate the discovery of treatments for the world’s most resistant pathogens.

Currently in phase 2 trials, BB-031 is the first new mechanistic approach to ischemic stroke treatment in nearly 30 years.

A review has provided evidence debunking claims that acetaminophen (paracetamol) use during pregnancy increases the risk of ASDand ADHD.

The FDA has directed pharma companies of influenza vaccines to update their product labelling to include the risk of fever-induced seizures.

The 9% growth in 2025 could signal that the country is on track to become a more attractive destination for pharamceutical R&D.

In this monthly news roundup, we take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry. It’s time to reflect on December 2025.

Eli Lilly and NVIDIA have unveiled a first-of-its-kind AI co-innovation lab, aiming to solving the most complex bottlenecks in pharma.

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

J&J successfully acquired Halda Therapeutics for $3.05bn integrating Halda’s RIPTAC platform into J&J’s oncology portfolio.

GSK announced in January that its novel chronic hepatitis B successfully met primary goals in two pivotal phase 3 trials.

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

President Donald Trump has unveiled a new set of sweeping pricing deals with nine large drugmakers, according to a White House press release.

GSK has struck the collaboration to accelerate development of RNA-based therapies for neurodegenerative and renal disorders.

His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the organisation, as NICE prepares to help deliver the 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS.

Industry leaders cautiously welcome the step but warn that more reform is needed if the UK is to regain its competitive edge.

Last week, the UK and US signed a zero tariff pharmaceuticals deal, but what will the deal deliver in the long term, and is all as it seems?

In this monthly news roundup, we take a look back at top moments from the pharmaceutical industry. It’s time to reflect on November 2025.

According to the body, patient participation in industry-sponsored trials has fallen by 25% between 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Crucially, 41% of these candidates target pathogens for which no vaccines or prophylactic monoclonal antibodies are currently registered.

A wearable device that can alert patients and caregivers minutes before a seizure occurs is set to launch across Europe.

The two companies have launched a collaborative research initiative to investigate anhedonia in depression, hoping to solve huge unmet needs.

Scotland has announced a major new plan to grow its life sciences sector, aiming to boost economic growth and healthcare innovation.

Novartis is the latest pharma company to announce a new plant in the US, selecting North Carolina’s ‘Research Triangle’ district as its home.

AbbVie has released ‘Second Winds’, which captures the lived experience of three people diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic of Finland was given to Orion after a year of global expansion.

New study reveals Epstein-Barr virus’s key role in lupus. Find out what this means for vaccine research and development.

Produced by the ABC Global Alliance and VML Health, the study highlights scientific progress, yet gaps in treatment options and outcomes.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have made deals with President Trump to make their obesity medicines cheaper and easier to obtain in the US.

Frontier Scientific launches EU–US air corridor for life sciences, ensuring faster, safer delivery of temperature-sensitive medicines.

FDA will undertake steps to accelerate the process of developing biosimilars, while also reducing development costs. 

Read this month’s pharma news roundup, featuring brain-computer interfaces, a new world record and a cost-effectiveness conundrum.

The UK government has extended the deadline for organisations to submit notice to leave the scheme by two weeks.

Novartis to acquire Avidity Biosciences for $12bn, boosting its RNA neuromuscular pipeline as pharma M&A heats up in the RNA space.

Google’s Quantum Echoes breakthrough could revolutionise drug discovery, offering faster, more precise ways to design new medicines.

CSL Seqirus real-world study finds cell-based flu vaccines offer stronger protection than egg-based options in 2023/24 season.

Lundbeck is partnering with Contera Pharma to accelerate RNA-targeted drug discovery for serious neurological conditions.

Injectable HIV PrEP marks a breakthrough in prevention, providing a new option for patients in England unable to take daily pills.

Roche has set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest DNA sequencing of a human genome, marking a major milestone in genomic innovation. 

AstraZeneca joins Trump’s drug pricing plan, pledging $50bn US investment and discounts of up to 80% to cut prescription medicine costs.

The UK’s NIHR has invested £1.5M in digital health to cut paediatric mental health waiting times.

A new biotech company in New York, Nilo Therapeutics, believes the brain could hold the key to treating immune diseases.

ABPI calls for NICE to raise its cost effectiveness threshold for new medicine, which hasn’t raised in 20 years and is not linked to inflation.

New research from Precision Neuroscience shows its brain-computer interface can record high-resolution signals without invasive surgery.

UK pharma and healthcare stocks drive FTSE 100 to a record high, led by AstraZeneca, as trade policy shifts boost investor confidence.

Read this month’s pharma news roundup, featuring AI in healthcare risks, GLP-1 drug trials beyond obesity and Trump’s US tariffs.

England’s NHS is launching NHS Online, a fully digital hospital, to speed up specialist appointments, cut wait times and improve care access.

Donald Trump has threatened sweeping new trade measures on the pharma sector unless manufacturers commit to producing in the US.

Sanofi has committed $625m to its corporate venture capital arm, Sanofi Ventures, for funding biotech and digital health companies.

Pfizer is claiming a space in the global obesity market as it announces plans to acquire weight loss drug developer Metsera for $4.9bn.

Roche acquires 89bio in a $3.5bn deal, adding a late-stage MASH therapy and expanding its focus on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Patients are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for medical advice, but new research warns it isn’t yet accurate enough to be relied on alone.

Phesi analysis shows GLP-1 therapies moving beyond diabetes and obesity into 100+ diseases, from cancer to cardiovascular conditions.

The latest ABPI and PwC Pharmaceutical Competitiveness Framework reveals the UK is losing ground in pharma R&D, investment, and clinical trials, with rankings slipping sharply since 2018.