PFIZER INC.

Big Pharma increasingly adopts direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms, with Eli Lilly launching LillyDirect and partnering with Amazon, and Pfizer introducing PfizerForAll. OptimizeRx's Theresa Greco highlights privacy/compliance, data proliferation, and tech application as key trends shaping DTC in healthcare. AI and multiparty data enhance patient profiling and messaging timeliness, crucial for personalized, timely patient engagement.

Viagra makers are launching a discreet, dissolvable wafer version, Viagra ODF, to replace the iconic blue pill, aiming to address embarrassment and improve patient tolerance. The new form, already available in Canada, is expected to reach the UK within five years, pending regulatory approval.

The ZEST trial, aiming to evaluate niraparib for breast cancer recurrence prevention in ctDNA-positive patients, failed to accrue enough eligible patients. Lessons include starting ctDNA testing during treatment and focusing on high-risk patients. Only 40 patients were enrolled, with insufficient data to assess niraparib efficacy.

Grace Liu from Sino Biological discusses Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), a cancer therapy combining precision targeting with potent cytotoxic drugs. ADCs consist of a monoclonal antibody, cytotoxic payload, and linker, balancing efficacy and safety. Sino Biological offers comprehensive ADC development solutions, aiding in the complex process from discovery to clinical studies.

The enzyme inhibitor market is projected to grow from US$2.8 Bn in 2023 to US$5.9 Bn by 2034, driven by applications in disease management, particularly cardiovascular diseases, oncology, and autoimmune disorders. Key drivers include advancements in monoclonal antibodies, RNA-based inhibitors, and oncology therapies. Major players like Merck & Co., Novartis AG, and Pfizer Inc. are investing in R&D and strategic partnerships to meet healthcare demands.

Promise Bio, a Tel Aviv-based startup, raised $8.3M in Seed funding led by Awz Ventures, with participation from AION Lab’s venture seeding track and a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority. The funds will accelerate the development of their computational platform using epiproteomics and AI for predicting patient treatment responses and supporting drug R&D.

Promise Bio, a precision medicine startup, emerges from stealth with $8.3 million seed investment to develop its AI-integrated epiproteomics platform for personalized treatments and drug development. The platform, PROMISE, analyzes protein modifications to predict patient responses, aiming to eliminate trial-and-error in autoimmune disease treatments. The funding, led by Awz Ventures and AION Labs, supports scaling the technology and expanding research capabilities.

Palvella Therapeutics, a rare disease biopharmaceutical company, debuts on Nasdaq as PVLA with $80M cash, aiming to advance QTORIN™ rapamycin for microcystic LMs and cutaneous VMs, potentially becoming the first approved therapy for these conditions.

The global Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapeutics Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% during 2024-2032, driven by advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

2024 saw significant clinical successes and failures in biopharma, with Vertex, BMS, and Alnylam achieving notable wins, while AbbVie, Sage Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Gilead faced setbacks in neurological and other indications. Despite high failure rates in drug trials, particularly in CNS diseases, some companies advanced new treatments, while others faced challenges in their pipelines.