Safety signals were the most common cause of discontinued candidates in the breakthrough therapy designation program in 2023.

Restructuring Edition: FibroGen follows its clinical setback with a 32% reduction in force, cutting 104 jobs. Also, Amarin named a new CEO, but cut all US sales and 30% of non-sales US roles, and 9 Meters is headed for dissolution after Chapter 7 bankruptcy, while several others seek strategic alternatives.

COVID-19 has highlighted the need for potent, safe and effective antiviral therapies for infectious diseases and now one well-known Chinese researcher is tackling hepatitis B and D though a homegrown drug discovery approach. He talks to Scrip in this wide-ranging audio interview.  

Last year, the European Commission approved a record 55 therapies containing a new active substance, including 21 medicines for rare diseases. Among them were a number of gene therapies for indications such as cancer and hemophilia.