FDA to speed reviews for drugs supporting ‘national interests’

A new pilot program announced by FDA Commissioner Martin Makary would award vouchers that could cut drug reviews to one or two months — but only for products that meet a special criteria.

Draig, a brain drug startup, debuts with $140M to treat depression

The funds will support Phase 2 testing of a drug the company believes to be able to safety home in on AMPA receptors, an emerging but unproven depression target.

Increasing clinical trial diversity

A startup banks $66M to pursue ‘inclusive precision medicine’

With backers such as Regeneron’s venture arm, Actio Biosciences is working on medicines that counter a wide range of disease-causing genetic mutations in conditions like epilepsy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Biotech’s M&A outlook is uncertain. Track the deals that are happening here.

Eli Lilly’s buyout of Verve is the third M&A deal in June eclipsing $1 billion in upfront value, the most in any month so far this year.