Welcome to Biotech Readout!

Highlighting biotech innovation every week.

This is a newsletter designed for enthusiasts of science and medicine.

Please consider subscribing if one of our content categories piques your interest (see below).

Thank you for your time, and happy reading.

Please feel free to contact us at biotechreadout@gmail.com

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Frontiers in Medicine

Exploring the frontiers of our understanding and treatments for disease.

These include…

Obesity

• Part 1 - Societal perception, recognition as a disease, and the discovery of its hormonal & genetic drivers

• Part 2 - Evolution of treatments: from dark age to golden age

CAR-T

• Part 1 - Immunology Civil War, the discovery of T-cells, and their rebirth as medicines

• Part 2 - Beyond autologous CAR-T: allogeneic, in vivo, and T-cell engagers (TCE)

• Part 3 - How Dr. Georg Schett sparked renaissance in autoimmune disease

China Biotech: Feast or Famine?, examining biotech’s newest innovation engine

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Medical History

Recovering forgotten relics in the history of medicine.

These include…

• Listerine to Lipitor, a 173-year pharmaceutical odyssey of Warner-Lambert

Some non-medical history too:

• AI and the Decline of Artisanal Labor, Part 1, What the 1st and 2nd Industrial Revolutions tell us about the future of artificial intelligence (AI)

• AI and the Decline of Artisanal Labor, Part 2, Modern artisanship in the early stages of a 3rd Industrial Revolution

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Acquisitions

Exploring the innovation behind acquired companies.

These include…

Science-driven companies, which start with a novel research finding or biological thesis:

• United Therapeutics to Acquire Thymmune, regenerative medicine titans join forces to grow a thymus

• Ipsen to Acquire Memo, neutralizing the viral ghosts that haunt kidney transplant patients

• Ipsen to Acquire Kartos, unleashing apoptotic p53 on myelofibrosis

• Zymeworks to Acquire Theravance, M&A alchemy with a COPD sweetener

• Eli Lilly to Acquire 4E Therapeutics, Ted Price’s hunt for non-opioid painkillers pays off

• J&J to Acquire Firefly Bio, an ADC degrader play with a Nobel and rock & roll twist

• Incyte to Acquire Vega, a bold bet on novel discoveries in a rare bleeding disorder pays off

• GSK to Acquire Nuvalent, bolting on a three-headed hydra of targeted lung cancer drugs

• Eli Lilly to Acquire Engage Bio, a founder-led startup aiming to solve gene therapy’s “last mile” problem

• Bayer to Acquire Perfuse, a long-acting diabetic eye disease play

• Chiesi to Acquire KalVista, an oral HAE play

• Eli Lilly to Acquire Ajax, a differentiated JAK play

• Eli Lilly to Acquire Kelonia, digging into the in vivo CAR-T gold rush

• Eli Lilly to Acquire Vaccine with a Neurological Twist, re-entering the vaccine market with multiple sclerosis upside

Me-better companies, which involve experienced management teams (often serial entrepreneurs) building a pipeline of drugs that are potentially better versions of successful drugs (sometimes but not always in-licensed drugs):

• AbbVie to Acquire Apogee, Paragon’s long-acting atopic dermatitis & asthma pipeline pays off

• Biogen to Acquire RayThera, Qing Dong and Gene Hung pull off a third act with oral immunology me-betters

• UCB to Acquire Candid, scooping a reverse merger for a TCE pipeline

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Weekly Readout

A digest of new clinical data from the past week.

These include…

Landmark events in medine:

• GLP-1 Obesity medicines

  • 1st obesity medicine with weight loss similar to bariatric surgery

  • 1st clinical trial of obesity drug semaglutide in alcohol use disorder

  • Real-world data showing GLP-1 use is associated with less aggressive cancer

• 1st FDA-approved Treg therapy

• 1st FDA-approval for CAR-T in solid tumors

• 1st FDA-aproved disease-modifying therapy for newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes (T1D)

• 1st FDA-approval of an aldosterone synthase inhibitor for hypertension

• 1st FDA-approval of a PROTAC

• 1st FDA-approval for genetic hearing loss

Potentially first-in-disease medicines, based on positive clinical data:

• In alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD)

• In non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (nHCM)

• In primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)

• in vivo CRISPR gene-editing therapy

• Oral non-hormonal treatment for hair loss in nearly 30 year

• Dueling datasets in gene therapies for potentially long-lasting cholesterol reduction

Potentially best-in-disease or best-in-class medicines, based on positive clinical data:

• For difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis

• For second-line HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer regardless of PIK3CA mutation status

• For hidradenitis huppurativa (HS)

• For inactive thyroid eye disease (TED)

• For plaque psoriasis

• For 1st line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

• For Hepatitis B

• For atopic dermatitis

Exciting data from medical conferences:

• ADA 2026, summer’s hottest obesity & diabetes conference

• EULAR 2026, reviewing innovation from Europe’s largest immunology conference

• ASCO 2026 Awards, major survival wins in pancreatic, breast, and skin cancer

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Disclaimers

Investigational Status Disclaimer

The therapeutic candidates discussed in this newsletter are currently in clinical development and have not been approved for commercial sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), or other global regulatory authorities. Their safety and efficacy have not been established. References to pipeline products and ongoing clinical trials involve significant risks and uncertainties. Statements regarding the potential safety, potency, or efficacy of investigational drugs reflect current hypotheses and are not a guarantee of future performance or regulatory clearance. The outcome of clinical trials is inherently unpredictable, and clinical results from earlier stages may not be predictive of results in later, larger-scale trials.

No Medical Advice Disclaimer

This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication.

No Patient-Provider Relationship Disclaimer

The information provided in this newsletter is for educational and analytical purposes only. Receipt of this information, or any interaction with this content, does not create a physician-patient, pharmacist-patient, or any other professional-provider relationship between you and the authors or publishers. This newsletter should not be used as a substitute for a personal consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This newsletter contains “forward-looking statements” regarding future events, including clinical trial timing, regulatory milestones, and projected market performance. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. We undertake no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future developments.

Third-Party Links & Content Disclaimer

This newsletter contains links to third-party websites, including clinical trial registries and corporate presentations. Biotech Readout does not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of any information offered by third-party providers.

Errors and Omissions Disclaimer

While we strive for technical accuracy, the information in this newsletter is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness. Biotech Readout assumes no liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this publication.

Non-Endorsement Disclaimer

Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark, or manufacturer does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by the author. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

No Investment Advice Disclaimer

This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. The author is not a registered investment advisor. You should consult with a professional financial advisor before making any investment decisions. The biotechnology sector is highly volatile; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Conflict of Interest Disclaimer

The author of this newsletter maintains a position of independence. At the time of publication, the author holds no direct financial interest, equity, or options in any of the companies mentioned in this report. No compensation has been received from any third party to feature or analyze specific therapeutic candidates or corporate entities.