FDA approval of GSK’s Ojjaara in myelofibrosis introduces a new competitor to blockbuster Incyte drug Jakafi. Ojjaara was part of GSK’s $1.9 billion acquisition of Sierra Oncology last year.

GSK claims that Pfizer’s FDA-approved vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus infringes on four patents protecting its own approved vaccine, Arexvy. The patent suit comes with the RSV season approaching.

FDA approval of GSK’s respiratory syncytial vaccine Arexvy covers adults age 60 and older—an age group at particular risk of developing severe complications from infection. GSK plans to launch Arexvy in time for the 2023/2024 RSV season.

Acquiring Bellus Health gives GSK a drug for recurrent chronic cough that could offer a better side effect profile compared to a Merck drug that addresses the same target. Bayer was also pursuing the target, but stopped work on its drug candidate last year.

GSK acquired global rights to Brexafemme, a novel antifungal from Scynexis that is approved for treating vaginal yeast infections. The deal also gives GSK the chance to commercialize the drug in other indications.

GSK gave Vir Biotechnology a Valentine’s Day break-up message, but it’s not a complete goodbye. Though the two companies are ending their Covid-19 collaboration, they’ll still work together on other respiratory programs, including a prophylactic influenza antibody drug that is in mid-stage clinical development.

The FDA approved GSK drug Jesduvroq for treating anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. The once-daily pill is the first oral medicine to pass FDA muster in this indication, giving patients a more convenient alternative to injectable anemia therapies.

GSK is making greater use of artificial intelligence and computational techniques as part of its drug discovery efforts. Speaking during the HLTH conference in Las Vegas, executive Mike Montello likened his company’s techniques to the efforts to study and analyze images from outer space.

GSK drug otilimab failed a Phase 3 test in rheumatoid arthritis. Though the antibody drug met the main goal in two other pivotal studies, GSK said the limited efficacy in the third study means the company will not seek regulatory approval.

Respiratory syncytial virus has no approved vaccines anywhere in the world, but the chase to bring the first one to the market is heating up. GSK reported Phase 3 data that position it for regulatory submissions the pharma giant is planning for later this year. Pfizer is also on track to seek regulatory approvals for its RSV vaccine candidate.

GSK is partnering with Mersana Therapeutics on the development of an antibody-drug conjugate that is approaching Phase 1 testing. Unlike other ADCs that deliver a toxic drug payload, the Mersana drug is designed to activate the innate immune system to fight tumor cells.

A panel discussion from a recent Microsoft summit offered insights on how tech companies are closely collaborating with the pharma industry as they seek to repair and improve manufacturing supply chain issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A small Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center study found that all rectal cancer patients treated with GSK drug Jemperli showed a complete response at six months—there were no detectable signs of the cancer. These early data presented at ASCO suggest that rectal cancer with a particular genetic signature might be treatable with this immunotherapy in lieu of the standard regimen of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

When consumer healthcare products joint venture Haleon spins out from GSK as an independent company next month, Pfizer will sell its minority stake in the business. Pfizer said that selling its ownership in Haleon is keeping with its focus on developing innovative new medicines and vaccines.

Pfizer and Merck have each won FDA approvals in the past year for new pneumococcal vaccines, but GSK aims to top both of them with its $2.1 billion acquisition of Affinivax. That biotech’s Phase 3-ready vaccine candidate addresses more bacterial strains than any pneumococcal vaccines currently available.

INVEST Digital Health kicks off today and runs through September 23. Held in a virtual format due to Covid-19, the healthcare conference brings together innovative investors across the healthcare spectrum, prominent industry players and the most promising digital health startups. Register today!

When is a skinny label skinny enough to protect a generic drug from claims of patent infringement? The answer remains up to interpretation after an important, controversial decision from the Federal Circuit.

The DNA testing company confirmed on Thursday that it would lay off about 100 employees. The restructuring was a result of slowing consumer demand.

Our latest eBook offers examples of how some of the players in healthcare are thinking about AI, seeking to apply it across care coordination, drug development and early detection of disease and how to address some of the challenges the technology poses for adoption and implementation.

The in vivo molecule was discovered under a two-year-old partnership between the two companies to discovery drugs using artificial intelligence. It will be developed for COPD.

The report also found that 56 percent of physicians have brought up the potential for a digital therapy as an option for their patients, and 26 percent have discussed the option after a patient brought it up.

The potential rewards for drugmakers’ investments in pharmaceuticals and vaccines are enormous, but so are the risks, an industry consultant said.

The oversubscribed round comes just four months after acquisition of GSK’s gene therapy portfolio.

A panel discussion at the Eye for Pharma conference in Philadelphia this week reflected how pharma companies such as GSK and Novartis are improving the way they use technology and lessons they’ve learned as data science becomes a driving force behind their businesses.

The study will seek to determine whether Owlstone Medical’s breath biospy tool can match the right patient for the right treatment and to assess the treatment effects of a novel drug for COPD.

A lawsuit was brought by Reed Smith partner Stewart Dolin’s widow, Wendy Dolin, who claimed her husband’s suicide was the result of a paroxetine side effect.

On Friday, GlaxoSmithKline’s CEO of eight years, Andrew Witty, will formally retire and take a sliver of the proverbial glass ceiling with him. His replacement, Emma Walmsley, will be the first female head of a Big Pharma company.

Two significant HIV announcements have already dropped at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle this week, courtesy of Gilead, GSK’s ViiV Healthcare and J&J’s Janssen Sciences Ireland.

Propeller and GlaxoSmithKline announced a joint development agreement less than a year ago.

Brian Otis, CTO of Google’s life sciences business, Verily, describes the technology at the heart of the GSK joint venture that seeks to understand and modify the language of the nervous system in patients with different diseases.