Plus the top 10 R&D budgets of 2024

This Week

Apr 4, 2025
 

Featured

Princeton and Harvard join other Ivy League schools facing funding cuts, putting research at risk

The Trump administration is halting research funding to Princeton University and reviewing more than $9 billion in federal grants and contracts to Harvard University, the latest escalation of the government’s cuts to scientific research institutions.
 

Top Stories

As FDA's Peter Marks resigns, industry watchers size up vaccine, cell and gene therapy hits

In resigning as director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., blasted the promotion of vaccine disinformation under new HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

FDA's new commissioner Marty Makary signed off on Peter Marks ouster: Politico

Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., a target for RFK Jr. and allies, last week turned in his resignation as director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Before that, FDA commissioner Marty Makary signed off on his ouster, according to Politico.

The top 10 pharma R&D budgets for 2024

While coming back down from 2023’s dizzying high, Merck & Co. still managed to hang on to the top spot of our annual research and development budgets list.

Biopharmas laid off staffers at least 63 times in Q1: Fierce Biotech analysis

At least 63 biopharma layoff rounds were conducted in the first quarter of this year, with cell and gene biotechs accounting for nearly a third of those rounds. The cuts were accompanied by eight biotech closures as the sector faces deep uncertainty tied to recent geopolitical changes.

After Eric Green's exit, new leader of NIH's genome research institute put on administrative leave: Stat

Vence Bonham Jr., the highest ranking official at the National Human Genome Research Institute, has been put on administrative leave.

FDA's chief medical officer Hilary Marston is out amid mass layoffs

The FDA’s Chief Medical Officer Hilary Marston, M.D., is leaving her position at the agency amid huge cuts to staff across the FDA.

As Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs seem to spare pharmaceuticals, threat of industry-specific duties and loopholes persists

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled another wave of tariffs but did not mention pharmaceutical-specific tariffs. Plus, pharmaceuticals are included in a list of products exempt from the new round of reciprocal duties.

FDA inspection operations face risk of further disruption amid mass HHS layoffs: report

While the FDA’s inspection figures for drug manufacturing facilities have yet to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, sweeping staff cuts from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could exacerbate the problem even further, CBS News reports.

Federal judge blocks FDA's regulation of lab-developed tests

The ruling was issued for a pair of lawsuits brought against the FDA by the American Clinical Laboratory Association and the Association for Molecular Pathology.

Judge levies $1.64B penalty on Johnson & Johnson in HIV drug marketing case

Nearly a year after a jury decided that Johnson & Johnson should be fined just over $150 million in a lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in misleading marketing tactics for two of its HIV meds, a judge has upped the penalty more than tenfold.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

A closer look at pharma's top R&D budgets

This week on "The Top Line," we dive into our special report ranking the top pharma R&D budgets for 2024.
 

Resources

Research

Best Practice Customer-Facing Organization Study Report

We interviewed 15 biopharma leaders on the critical success factors for building a Best Practice customer-facing organization. This report shares what we learned.
Whitepaper

The Oncology Market: 2025 Outlook

Read about four trends that will shape the innovations, therapies, & market landscape in oncology during 2025 & beyond.
Whitepaper

Redefining vaccine trial recruitment

Discover how to revolutionize your vaccine trials with Avacare's latest white paper. Gain exclusive access to innovative, data-driven recruitment strategies that ensure diverse, efficient, and high-quality vaccine trials.
Whitepaper

Solutions for CAR-Engineered Cell Characterization

Develop your CAR molecule faster
 

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