Each week we highlight five things affecting the life sciences industry. Here’s the latest.
FDA’s voucher program sparks concerns
- AP News reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s priority review voucher system, designed to speed up drug approvals for rare diseases, is facing criticism from some agency staff.
- Some have expressed that they are confused on which officials have the legal authority to sign off on drugs cleared under the program.
UK biotech pursues deal for office-based eye gene therapy delivery
- According to Fierce Biotech, a UK biotechnology company is pursuing a potential $1 billion-plus agreement to enable eye gene therapy to be administered in a doctor’s office rather than through surgery.
- The approach aims to simplify treatment delivery for eye diseases and expand access by using less invasive injection methods.
FDA clears faster path for gene therapies for rare diseases
- The FDA has launched a streamlined approval process to accelerate gene therapy treatments for rare diseases, reducing development time and costs.
- Per MyChesCo, this breakthrough is expected to expand access to personalized medicine and offer new hope for patients with limited treatment options.
Major lawsuit alleges concealment of health risks
- PharmaVoice reports that a lawsuit filed under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claims certain pharmaceutical companies may have concealed serious health risks associated with a widely used diabetes treatment.
- The case could lead to significant legal and financial repercussions.
Three technologies shaping biotech in 2026
- Per the MIT Technology Review, gene editing, embryo scoring and artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery are the three key innovations transforming biotech this year.
- These technologies promise faster, more precise treatments and raise ethical questions about genetic selection and data-driven health care.
For more insights in life sciences, check out RSM’s industry outlook.
