Pharma and BioTech Daily

Episode: 2025 Pharma Breakthroughs: Asthma, Cancer, and RNAi

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Pharma and BioTech News

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a comprehensive briefing on landmark breakthroughs in the pharma and biotech industries as 2025 comes to a close. The host focuses on drug approvals, pioneering approaches in cancer treatment, developments in RNAi therapeutics, a shifting pain management landscape, Alzheimer's research, and major strategic deals—highlighting the growing impacts of precision medicine and innovative modalities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Groundbreaking Drug Approvals & Advances

• Ultra Long-Acting Biologic for Asthma

  • GlaxoSmithKline’s extensure received US FDA approval for treating severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype (adolescents & adults).
  • Insight: "This approval underscores the growing trend toward personalized medicine and biologics, offering new hope for patients with chronic respiratory conditions by providing more sustainable and personalized treatment options." (B, 01:07)

• Cancer Therapies Making Strides

  • Merck’s Keytruda & Astellas Pharma’s Padcev in combination showed significant overall survival benefit for perioperative use in cisplatin-eligible, muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
  • Insight: "This combination therapy of a PD1 checkpoint inhibitor and an antibody drug conjugate highlights the evolving landscape of cancer treatment, emphasizing the role of immunotherapy and targeted therapies." (B, 01:39)

• Anktiva for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

  • ImmunityBio’s Quilt 3.032 study—positive data for BCG-unresponsive high-grade papillary disease.
  • Insight: "The potential expansion of Anktiva's use reinforces the importance of personalized immunotherapies in oncology." (B, 03:06)

2. Setbacks & Lessons in Drug Development

• Hanza Biopharma’s Imlifidase
  • Success in kidney transplant, but failed for anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease.
  • Insight: "This serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in drug repurposing efforts within autoimmune diseases." (B, 02:13)

3. RNA Therapeutics & Production Expansion

• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
  • Investments to expand the Massachusetts facility into a small interfering RNA (siRNA) hub.
  • Insight: "This move reflects the industry's shift towards RNA based therapies that offer targeted gene silencing capabilities and positions Alnylam at the forefront of RNA therapeutics production." (B, 02:36)

4. Innovation in Pain Management

• Ambros Therapeutics Launch
  • $125 million Series A to develop non-opioid pain medications (some already approved abroad).
  • Insight: "This initiative addresses chronic pain management without relying on opioids, potentially advancing analgesic therapies." (B, 03:26)

5. Alzheimer’s Disease: Treatment and Diagnostics

• China’s Fosun Pharma

  • Acquiring majority stake in Green Valley Pharmaceuticals to revive a controversial seaweed-derived Alzheimer’s drug.
  • Insight: "This investment signals continued innovation efforts amid growing demand for effective Alzheimer's treatments." (B, 03:45)

• Siemens Healthineers & Alzipath

  • Partnership to incorporate PTA U217 antibodies in diagnostic platforms, aiming at improved Alzheimer’s biomarker detection.
  • Insight: "This collaboration aims to enhance biomarker detection capabilities crucial for early diagnosis and intervention strategies in neurodegenerative diseases." (B, 04:00)

6. Industry Consolidation & Collaboration

• Bristol Myers Squibb & Harbour Biomed

  • Research agreement valued up to $1.1 billion centering on advancing antibody technologies.
  • Insight: "This deal underscores Big Pharma's ongoing pursuit of alliances to advance therapeutic pipelines and antibody technologies." (B, 04:18)

• Sencora Acquires One Oncology

  • $5 billion transaction, valuing the practice at $7.4 billion—signals consolidation within specialty oncology care.
  • Insight: "This acquisition reflects the growing importance of integrated oncology care models and collaborative networks in enhancing patient care delivery." (B, 04:35)

7. Clinical Trials & Emerging Biotechs

• Nectar Therapeutics

  • Nuanced outcomes in Phase 2 of an interleukin-2 therapy for severe alopecia areata after adjusting inclusion criteria.
  • Insight: "Highlighting how patient selection can significantly influence trial outcomes while underscoring precision medicine approaches importance." (B, 05:00)

• Addition Therapeutics

  • Emerged with $100 million in funding, aimed at revolutionizing genetic medicine through ‘breakthrough print technology.’
  • Insight: "Reflecting trends where academic institutions serve as innovation hubs fueling biotech advancements." (B, 05:22)

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "As we close out the year 2025, it's clear that the pharmaceutical and biotech industries have experienced a period of significant transformation." (B, 00:26)
• "This approval underscores the growing trend toward personalized medicine and biologics, offering new hope for patients with chronic respiratory conditions by providing more sustainable and personalized treatment options." (B, 01:07)
• "This serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in drug repurposing efforts within autoimmune diseases." (B, 02:13)
• "This initiative addresses chronic pain management without relying on opioids, potentially advancing analgesic therapies." (B, 03:26)

Timestamps Overview

• 00:26 – Overview of 2025’s transformative pharma/biotech landscape
• 01:07 – GSK’s extensure for severe asthma
• 01:39 – Keytruda/Padcev in bladder cancer
• 02:13 – Hanza Biopharma’s imlifidase challenges
• 02:36 – Alnylam’s RNAi manufacturing expansion
• 03:06 – Quilt 3.032: Anktiva in bladder cancer
• 03:26 – Ambros Therapeutics and non-opioid pain drugs
• 03:45 – Fosun Pharma and seaweed-derived Alzheimer’s drug
• 04:00 – Siemens/Alzipath partnership for diagnostics
• 04:18 – Bristol Myers-Harbor Biomed research agreement
• 04:35 – Sencora acquisition of One Oncology
• 05:00 – Nectar Therapeutics trial news
• 05:22 – Addition Therapeutics funding

Closing Thoughts

This episode highlights a pharma and biotech sector increasingly defined by precision therapies, immuno- and RNA-based innovations, data-driven alliances, and patient-focused drug development. As reflected in quotes and detailed reporting, 2025 marks tangible progress but also recurring challenges, with industry players adjusting focus and investment to meet complex unmet medical needs.