This Week’s Biopharma News: Pfizer and Astellas Drug Improves Cancer Survival

HHS pulls Moderna flu funding
 

Moderna’s positive interim data from a phase I/II clinical study evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of its pandemic influenza vaccine, mRNA-1018, which it had expected to advance to late-stage development alongside the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has not prevented US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from giving notice that HHS will terminate funding for late-stage development – as well as the right to purchase pre-pandemic influenza vaccines. Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said, “While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis … and we will explore alternative paths forward for the program.”

Xtandi stands out
 

Astellas and Pfizer have announced that their androgen receptor signaling inhibitor Xtandi (enzalutamide), in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), significantly improves long-term survival in men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Five-year follow-up data from the phase III ARCHES trial revealed a 30 percent reduction in the risk of death compared to placebo plus ADT. Patients receiving Xtandi plus ADT had a 66 percent probability of five-year survival, versus 53 percent for those on placebo plus ADT. Xtandi thereby becomes the first androgen receptor inhibitor to demonstrate a five-year overall survival benefit in mHSPC, reinforcing its role as a standard of care. 

Global call for intraocular biologics
 

BioMed X and Boehringer Ingelheim are expanding their joint XSeed Labs incubator in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and issuing a global call for research proposals focused on novel intraocular biologics. The goal is to develop a platform that can design and validate drugs that last longer in the eye and reach retinal tissues more effectively, reducing how often patients need injections. Medical devices and nanoparticle-based approaches are not part of the project scope.

“Our Ridgefield innovation hub is home to Boehringer’s Biotherapeutics Center of Excellence, dedicated to pioneering novel biologics that address unmet patient needs across a wide spectrum of diseases,” said Andrew Nixon, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Biotherapeutics Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By expanding our collaboration with BioMed X – already advancing fibrosis and wound healing research on our Ridgefield campus – we now aim to leverage our biologics expertise to drive innovative solutions toward improving retinal drug delivery.”

Applications are open through July 12, 2025, via the BioMed X Career Space.

UK society calls for medicine shortages strategy
 

A BMJ article highlights the growing global issue of medicine shortages, intensified by factors such as US trade policies and the consolidation of generic drug manufacturing. In the UK, 42 percent of patients reported difficulties obtaining medications in 2024, leading to increased anxiety and potential health risks. In the article, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society urges the UK government to develop a national strategy to address these shortages, recommending enhancements in domestic manufacturing, improved supply chain resilience, and better communication with patients, emphasizing how a collaborative, system-wide approach is essential to ensure timely access to medicines.

Research

Advancing precision medicine for type 2 diabetes
 

A study led by the University of Copenhagen has mapped personalized molecular signatures of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, offering new insights into type 2 diabetes. Using deep clinical phenotyping and advanced proteomics of over 120 individuals, researchers found that fasting muscle proteome and phosphoproteome profiles strongly predict whole-body insulin sensitivity. Notably, while sex-specific differences in muscle metabolism exist, insulin resistance signatures were largely consistent across genders. The study identified key regulatory pathways, such as the JNK-p38-AMPKγ3 axis, linked to insulin resistance, including a human-specific phosphorylation site on AMPKγ3. The authors also make the case for precision medicine in diabetes care.

Cancer drug combination delays aging (in mice)
 

A study by the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing reveals that combining the cancer drugs rapamycin and trametinib extends mice lifespans by approximately 30 percent, surpassing the effects of each drug alone. The combination has been shown to reduce chronic inflammation and delay cancer onset. Notably, it alters gene expression uniquely compared to individual treatments, without additional side effects. Rapamycin targets the TOR pathway, while trametinib affects the MEK/ERK pathway – both of which are integral to aging processes. Given trametinib's existing approval for human use, researchers aim to optimize its dosage for potential clinical trials. While similar lifespan extensions in humans are uncertain, the findings suggest promising avenues for delaying age-related or neurological diseases.

Potential blow for Harvard funding
 

US President Donald Trump is considering the redirection of $3 billion in federal research grants from Harvard University to US trade schools. This move follows the administration's actions to freeze Harvard's federal funding and block the enrollment of international students, citing concerns over the university's hiring practices and alleged political biases. Harvard has filed a lawsuit, arguing that these measures infringe upon its constitutional rights. A federal judge has temporarily halted the revocation of Harvard's certification to enroll foreign students, providing short-term relief to affected individuals. The legality of reallocating these congressionally appropriated funds remains uncertain.