ramarketing review: Highlights, Insights & Spotlights – August

Bringing you insight from our in-house sector experts, the ramarketing review offers vital industry knowledge to keep you in the know, featuring a different ramarketing expert each month to deliver headline highlights.

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Introducing August’s sector expert…

Dr. Maria O’Hanlon

Maria recently joined our growing content team as an accomplished Ph.D.-qualified Scientific Content Writer.

Maria holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Teesside University. Prior to joining ramarketing, she published academic papers and blogs for academia, the bioindustry, and independent news magazines. Her background is primarily in biomedical research, focusing on molecular genetics.

Enjoy August’s news roundup featuring Maria’s commentary on the headlines impacting companies operating inside outsourcing

Australia takes a step towards future 3D printing of human tissues

There has been no shortage of advancements in the pharma and biotech space in 2023. Recently, through a groundbreaking collaboration between bioengineers and scientists at the University of Sydney and the Children’s Medical Research Institute, 3D photolithographic printing has been used to create intricate environments for tissue assembly that successfully replicate the architecture of organs.

This innovative approach to bioengineering by combining advanced cell culture techniques has promising applications in the realm of treating vision impairments. The potential to address diseases such as macular degeneration and genetic disorders through tailored tissue engineering opens new avenues for combating debilitating conditions. The hope for the future is that this technique can be refined to propel the field of regenerative medicine even further. This promises to not only be a revolution in how we treat diseases but also a potential shift in the industry’s approach to devising novel therapeutic strategies (1).

Biogen’s acquisition of Reata Pharmaceuticals for a rare disease drug

Biogen has recently announced its acquisition of Reata Pharmaceuticals for approximately $6.5 billion. This is a huge move for the company focusing on expanding its portfolio to enter the rare disease drug market.

A particular highlight of the deal was Biogen’s gain of Reata’s recently approved drug Skyclarys, which addresses rare genetic disorders causing progressive nervous system damage. This addition to Biogen’s portfolio of rare disease treatments — such as Spinraza to treat ALS — and to the anticipated release of the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, developed in partnership with Eisai, shows a deliberate push towards diversification and innovation. The acquisition highlights the power of partnership in elevating a brand in a particular therapeutic market. It also marks a recognized attempt to rejuvenate growth and expand product offerings. As the pharma landscape continues to evolve, this type of strategic move may be necessary to address unmet medical needs and diversify revenue streams in the months and years to come (2).

A talent task force launched to address the clinical trials workforce decline

With the emergence of these new drugs, techniques and technologies, it is essential to drive uptake for clinical trials. Recent insights from Lord James O’Shaughnessy’s report on the state of commercial clinical trials in the UK and data from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry revealed a 41% reduction in new trial initiations between 2017 and 2021 (3).

A clinical trials task force has been set up, formed by the NHS R&D forum and the International Accrediting Organization for Clinical Research, focusing on robust talent attraction, development, recognition and retention practices. This is an essential move to protect the broader UK clinical research landscape that will enhance the clinical trial workforce within both the UK’s NHS and commercial sectors (4).

AI news from September: Unsurprisingly, AI is still a hot topic in the biopharma sector, with numerous news articles emerging discussing investment in AI and improvements in regulatory compliance.

Research shows the extent of investment in AI

AI is reshaping drug discovery as the Deep Pharma Intelligence report reveals 800 AI-focused companies, 300 collaborations and a $60 billion investment surge over the last decade (5).

Improving regulatory compliance with AI-based technology

An AI technology called natural language processing (NLP), is being adopted to navigate complex regulatory landscapes. NLP aids in extracting crucial insights from regulatory documents, enhancing compliance and decision-making efficiency for quicker access to up-to-date insights (6).

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References

1. https://www.biospectrumasia.com/news/26/22855/australia-takes-new-step-towards-future-3d-printing-of-human-tissues.html

2. https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/biogen-buy-reata-65-bln-bulk-up-rare-disease-portfolio-2023-07-28/

3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-clinical-trials-in-the-uk-the-lord-oshaughnessy-review/commercial-clinical-trials-in-the-uk-the-lord-oshaughnessy-review-final-report

4. https://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/uk_talent_taskforce_set_up_to_tackle_the_decline_in_clinical_trials_1496576https://www.thepharmaletter.com/article/research-shows-extent-of-investment-in-artificial-intelligence

5. https://pharmaphorum.com/digital/how-pharma-can-improve-regulatory-compliance-ai-based-technology

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Stay tuned for next month’s ramarketing insights instalment — who will be September’s guest expert? Remember, you need to be subscribed to our mailing list to find out…

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