The United States will impose 100% tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, with some exceptions. Takeda Pharmaceutical plans to cut 634 jobs in the United States as part of a $1.26 billion savings plan. Eli Lilly has deepened its relationship with AI drug discovery expert Insilico Medicine, signing a deal worth up to $2.75 billion. moreover.
1. President Trump imposes 100% tariffs on imported medicines, but leaves many exceptions
President Donald Trump announced new 100% tariffs on some patented drugs and ingredients after a Section 232 review found their imports pose a national security risk. Companies that have concluded “most-favoured nation” agreements are exempt until January 20, 2029, and certain specialty drugs such as drugs for rare diseases are also exempt. Country-specific trade agreements supersede new drug tariffs.
2. Takeda begins cutting U.S. jobs as part of major $1.3 billion restructuring
Takeda Pharmaceutical plans to cut 634 U.S. jobs at its U.S. headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as part of an organizational restructuring aimed at cutting costs by more than 200 billion yen ($1.26 billion) annually. The affected roles include 247 in the Bay State and 387 in other states.
3. Lilly further leverages insilico AI technology with up to $2.75 billion worth of R&D collaborations
Eli Lilly is paying Insilico Medicine $115 million upfront for AI drug discovery and development collaboration worth up to $2.75 billion. Lilly will receive exclusive worldwide licenses for certain oral therapeutics for undisclosed indications. Insilico’s website recently indicated that its GLP-1 candidate has been licensed out to an undisclosed partner.
4. AstraZeneca’s in vivo CAR-T bet eradicates cancer in 3 out of 5 patients, but deadly Mars dataset
Initial in-vivo CAR-T data from EsoBiotec, which AstraZeneca is acquiring for potentially $1 billion, was unimpressive. In a phase 1 trial in China, the BCMA candidate achieved objective responses in four out of five patients with multiple myeloma. However, all patients experienced grade 3 or higher adverse events, including 1 death and 3 grade 3 cytokine release syndrome.
5. Otsuka Pharmaceutical acquires Transcend in $1.2 billion deal, acquiring MDMA analogue for treatment of mental disorders
Otsuka Pharmaceutical has agreed to acquire Transcend Therapeutics for $700 million upfront and up to $525 million in potential milestones. The deal features MDMA analogs for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses. The drug, currently in Phase 3, reported positive Phase 2 data for PTSD last year.
6. BioNTech calls closure of Singapore vaccine facility in effort to ‘adjust production capacity’
BioNTech plans to close its Singapore factory and regional headquarters by the end of February 2027. The mRNA specialist acquired the site from Novartis in 2022 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The company continues to “align our clinical portfolio and long-term strategic direction and capabilities,” the spokesperson said.
Other notable news:
7. Samsung Biologics Union gathers strike votes as tensions over wages and governance rise
8. Takeda paves the way for FDA with Phase 3 data on $4 billion bet on psoriasis
9. KBP wants to reinstate the controversial heart drug at the center of its illegal trade dispute with Novo Nordisk
10. Kairera plans IPO to fund obesity pipeline after biggest funding of 2025
11. Astellas Pharma halts Sjögren’s trial early in latest setback for autoimmune disease community
12. Thousands of clinical trial sites affected by Middle East conflict: report
