Daily Snap - 19. November 2025

Author

Joachim Eeckhout
November 19, 2025

 

Good morning! A new partnership between Sheba Medical Center, Mount Sinai, and NVIDIA is setting its sights on decoding the 98% part of the human genome that still remains a mystery. The three-year collaboration will combine massive clinical datasets with cutting-edge LLM technology to build an AI engine capable of mapping how genomic variation influences disease risk, diagnosis, and treatment response. If successful, the project could help transform the so-called “junk DNA” into one of medicine’s most valuable data sources and bring fully individualized precision medicine closer to reality. And with any luck, this will be the first AI system that does anything without hallucinating half of it.

Enjoy today’s read!

—Joachim E.

SNIPPETS

What’s happening in biotech today?

🪓 ADC axed: Genmab has discontinued development of GEN1160, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) acquired in its $1.8 billion purchase of ProfoundBio, citing low clinical trial enrollment and strategic portfolio prioritization. This follows the earlier termination of another ProfoundBio asset, GEN1107, due to poor risk-benefit results. Despite these setbacks, Genmab continues to advance ProfoundBio’s lead ADC, rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S), in ovarian and endometrial cancers, with promising phase 1/2 data supporting a phase 3 trial. Additionally, Genmab is progressing GEN1286 in solid tumors and expanding its pipeline through acquisitions, including an $8 billion deal for Merus and its bispecific antibody, petosemtamab.

🌱 Seed surge: Munich-based startup Cellbyte has raised $2.75 million in seed funding to accelerate global expansion and enhance its AI-driven platform for streamlining pharmaceutical drug launches. Led by Frontline Ventures with participation from Y Combinator and others, the funding will support scaling operations, including tripling its workforce and expanding automation of drug launch workflows. Cellbyte's platform enables Market Access teams to rapidly analyze large volumes of clinical, pricing, regulatory, and health technology assessment data, replacing outdated manual systems. Already working with major firms like Bayer, Cellbyte aims to shorten launch timelines and improve decision-making in pharmaceutical commercialization using generative AI.

🤖 Bots vs Bugs: GSK and the Fleming Initiative at Imperial College London have launched six new AI-powered research programmes to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), supported by £45 million in funding. Starting in early 2026, the Grand Challenges will target threats such as Gram-negative bacteria, Aspergillus, and Staphylococcus aureus, with research focusing on antibiotic discovery, fungal therapies, immune response modelling, predictive AI surveillance, clinical trials, and policy engagement. The collaboration will create around 50 UK-based scientific and academic roles, leveraging GSK’s antimicrobial expertise and Imperial’s research capabilities to drive innovation in AMR solutions and accelerate the development of novel treatments.

🧬 Rare rollout: Avanzanite Biosciences has raised €32 million in a Series A financing round led by MVM Partners to expand its orphan drug commercialization platform across Europe. Founded in 2022, the Dutch company aims to streamline market access for rare disease therapies by offering a fully integrated solution spanning regulatory approvals, pricing, reimbursement, logistics, and country-specific promotions across 32 European markets. The funding will support infrastructure growth, new product partnerships, asset acquisitions, and continued commercial expansion. Avanzanite’s portfolio already includes three approved therapies under exclusive agreements. MVM’s investment reflects growing demand for efficient rare disease drug launches in Europe.

⚖️ FDA truce: Vanda Pharmaceuticals has reported positive phase 2 results for tradipitant, showing it significantly reduces nausea and vomiting in patients taking Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Wegovy, a treatment often limited by gastrointestinal side effects. In the study, vomiting occurred in 29% of patients on tradipitant versus 59% on placebo, meeting the primary endpoint. With demand for GLP-1 drugs surging, Vanda sees a major opportunity and plans to begin a phase 3 trial in early 2026. The company is also awaiting an FDA decision on tradipitant for motion sickness and has recently resolved several legal disputes with the agency over the drug’s development.

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