Biotech — November 2026

Shanghai fires two scientists after gene-editing death

Investigators found the scientists hid a 6-year-old's death and skipped safety warnings in a gene-editing study; two are now barred for five years.

HHS funds ibogaine research for veterans with PTSD

The $4.9 million investment targets a psychedelic drug with real promise and real heart risks.

Pitt-led study finds genes that change how drugs work

A Pitt-led analysis of nearly 100,000 people in NIH's All of Us program found genetic variants that change how the body handles common drugs.

Oura buys AI doctor startup Counsel Health for $625M

The smart-ring maker will pay $625 million for an AI-native primary care startup, pushing wearables straight into medical treatment.

FDA approves Bayer's Sunharbo to prevent repeat strokes

Sunharbo is the first approved drug in a new class that cut recurrent stroke risk 26% in a trial, without raising bleeding risk.

Vir's hepatitis D drug combo hits Phase 3 goal

Vir Biotechnology's two-drug combination cleared undetectable virus in 44% of hepatitis D patients, where today's treatments barely work at all.

FDA investigates cancer risk in Novartis gene therapy

The FDA is formally investigating tumors in children treated with Novartis's Zolgensma, after two cases showed the therapy's own DNA caused cancer.

FDA approves J&J's Rybrevant Faspro for head, neck cancer

The accelerated approval is the first new option for this hard-to-treat cancer in a decade, J&J says.

Novartis confirms tumors in 9 children given Zolgensma

The drugmaker says nine children treated with its spinal muscular atrophy gene therapy later developed tumors, seven of them never disclosed before.

CVS Health will split into two separate companies

The split undoes CVS's drugstore-insurer merger strategy, separating 9,000 pharmacies from Aetna and Caremark.

Servier's $1.55B muscular dystrophy drug fails trial

Servier paid $1.55 billion for sevasemten, then watched it miss its primary goal in a pivotal trial for Becker muscular dystrophy.

Bird flu kills a Washington state resident, first in a year

A Yakima County resident died after catching bird flu from infected dairy cattle — the first U.S. death from the virus in about a year.

Genmab drug halves death risk in head and neck cancer

Pairing the antibody petosemtamab with Keytruda cut the risk of death in half in a Phase 3 trial, Genmab said Oct. 28.