Each week we highlight five things affecting the life sciences industry. Here’s the latest.
Major pharmaceutical company is exiting all R&D operations in UK
- Per Fierce Biotech, a major pharmaceutical company is exiting UK research and development operations citing a poor investment climate and undervaluation of innovative medicines by UK governments. This move affects approximately 125 jobs and reverses a previously announced £1B investment.
- The company is refocusing its efforts in the U.S., with plans to invest $9 billion over four years in manufacturing and research, including new facilities in Delaware and North Carolina, while also implementing a global cost-cutting strategy to save $3 billion annually by 2027.
Major clinical research organization launches new AI-powered clinical trial financial suite (CTFS)
- This CTFS is expected to streamline budgeting, contracting, forecasting and payments in clinical trials, aiming to eliminate inefficiencies caused by fragmented processes.
- The first module, CTFS site payments, will be available in Q1 2026, automating site payments using AI to set budgets, process invoices and detect anomalies—potentially cutting processing times by 50%, reports Fierce Biotech.
APBI warns that UK is losing ground in global biopharma investment
- An Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry’s (ABPI) warning to policymakers and the local biopharma sector cites poor patient access to innovative medicines, declining clinical trial performance and unpredictable clawbacks on drugmaker revenues. These structural issues have led major companies to scale back or cancel UK investments.
- Despite challenges, the UK retains key strengths, including world-class universities, strong intellectual property protections and Europe’s leading biotech infrastructure. The ABPI urges policymakers to leverage these assets and address systemic weaknesses to achieve the UK’s goal of becoming Europe’s top life sciences hub by 2030, reports Fierce Biotech.
FDA directed to address direct-to-consumer advertising
- A new directive is aiming to reverse a 1997 policy that relaxed disclosure requirements for side effects. The FDA is issuing cease-and-desist letters and warning thousands of companies about misleading ads, especially targeting online pharmacies.
- According to Fierce Pharma, the initiative faces legal hurdles, as pharmaceutical advertising is protected under the First Amendment. While the proposed changes could drastically reduce or reshape pharma commercials, industry experts expect strong legal resistance and note that a full ban would likely require Congressional approval.
First biotech initial public offering in seven months
- LB Pharmaceuticals (LB) raised $285 million in its Nasdaq IPO, upsizing its offering to 19 million shares at $15 each to fund development of its schizophrenia drug LB-102, which is set to enter Phase 3 trials in early 2026.
- According to Endpoints News, LB’s IPO may not trigger a wave of biotech listings immediately, but it could help restore investor confidence and set the stage for a more active biotech IPO market in 2026, with a few more potential listings later this year.
For more insights in life sciences, check out RSM’s industry outlook.
