Daily Snap - 16. October 2025

Author

Joachim Eeckhout
October 16, 2025

👉 Download the free eBook on organoids in drug discovery.

Good morning! After a series of high-profile pharma exits and canceled investment plans, the UK’s life sciences sector just got some good news. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced a £157 million investment over the next five years to fund 10 new Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) across England. The initiative aims to bridge lab discoveries and real-world healthcare, aligning with the NHS 10-Year Plan and the Government’s Health and Growth Missions. It’s a timely vote of confidence in the UK’s innovation ecosystem and a move that could help restore investor faith in British science.

Enjoy today’s read!

—Joachim E.

PRESENTED BY MOLECULAR DEVICES

What makes organoids so exciting for researchers?

 

Imagine having miniaturized versions of human organs in the lab. That’s what organoids bring to drug discovery — 3D models that mimic real biology more closely than 2D cultures ever could. They’re already driving advances in cancer, neurology, and stem cell research, with huge potential ahead in precision medicine. 

👉 Curious? Download the free eBook and discover the essential guide to organoids.

SNIPPETS

What’s happening in biotech today?

💸 Licensing bet: Boehringer Ingelheim has signed a licensing deal worth up to $991 million with South Korea’s AimedBio to develop an ADC targeting a protein linked to tumor growth, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance across multiple cancers. The agreement includes an undisclosed upfront payment, milestone-based payouts, and future royalties. The ADC candidate, expected to enter human trials in 2026, combines a monoclonal antibody with an exatecan-derived cytotoxic payload. This move reinforces Boehringer’s growing commitment to ADCs, following earlier deals with Synaffix and NBE-Therapeutics, and supports its broader oncology strategy to advance precision treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers.

 🩸Trial restart: Novo Nordisk has signed a deal worth up to $2.1 billion to acquire rights to Omeros’ stalled MASP-3 inhibitor, zaltenibart, aimed at treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and other rare blood and kidney disorders. The agreement includes $340 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, plus potential royalties. Omeros had paused Phase 3 development of zaltenibart in May 2025 due to funding constraints, despite promising Phase 2 results. Novo plans to resume and expand development, seeing zaltenibart’s novel mechanism as a potential best-in-class therapy in a market currently led by AstraZeneca’s Soliris and Ultomiris.

🧠Skeptic smasher: Eli Lilly has announced positive results from two Phase 3 trials of its oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, reinforcing its potential as a treatment for type 2 diabetes amid investor skepticism over its obesity prospects. In the Achieve-2 and Achieve-5 studies, orforglipron met all primary and key secondary endpoints, showing significant reductions in A1C, weight loss, and cardiovascular risk factors. While earlier weight loss data fell short of expectations compared to injectable rivals, Lilly emphasizes the pill’s convenience. Regulatory submissions for diabetes are planned in 2026, with obesity approval sought by late 2025, aiming to expand beyond its Mounjaro/Zepbound franchise.

🦠 Superbug slayer: Omnix Medical, an Israeli biopharmaceutical company developing novel anti-infectives, has raised $25 million in a Series C funding round. The funds will support Phase II proof-of-concept trials for OMN6, Omnix’s lead antimicrobial peptide targeting drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including Acinetobacter baumannii. OMN6’s unique membrane-targeting mechanism offers rapid, resistance-proof efficacy and has received Fast-Track and QIDP designation from the FDA. With $43 million raised since its founding in 2015, Omnix aims to advance its pipeline to combat the global threat of antibiotic resistance.

 🔄Synapse spin: Bexorg Inc., a biotechnology company integrating AI with whole-human brain science to transform CNS drug discovery, has raised a $23 million Series A round. Founded by Yale neuroscientists, Bexorg uses ethically sourced, restored postmortem human brain tissue to train AI models that predict drug behavior with greater clinical accuracy than traditional models. With partnerships across major institutions and one of the world’s largest human brain data repositories, Bexorg aims to improve treatment development for neurological diseases by creating the first AI foundation model grounded in human neurobiology.

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