#69 - Collapsing trials, clever pigs & cutthroat exits

The coffee break biotech roundup, by SomX.

Hello, my evolutionary outliers,

This week: Galapagos calls time on its cell therapy, gene-edited pigs fight off viral infection without breaking a sweat, Neuphoria’s social anxiety drug flops in front of a crowd, scientists rewire colon cancer cells to self-destruct and, in a final twist, the sawfly’s ovipositor may just be nature’s blueprint for the surgical tools of tomorrow.

Until the next stress test,

Dodo

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⛔ Galapagos to wind down cell therapy unit, threatening 365 jobs and 5 facilities (Fierce Pharma): After failing to find a buyer on acceptable terms, Galapagos will shutter its cell therapy business within six months – a move affecting staff across Europe, the US and China, after leadership deemed the company’s cash better spent elsewhere. The exit itself won’t come cheap: €125m in wind-down costs are projected through 2026, plus €150m–200m in one-time restructuring expenses.

Our take: Now, now. Before everyone declares cell therapy dead, let’s pump the brakes. This isn’t about the science falling flat, but rather a higher bar for investment. Buyers now expect clear differentiation, tangible clinical benefit, and a credible path to commercialisation before they write the cheque. In this case, Galapagos simply couldn’t prove its distributed CAR-T model could scale.

🐖 Scientists create pigs resistant to classical swine fever (The Guardian): Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute edited the DNAJC14 gene – critical for viral replication – to combat the deadly disease that causes fever, convulsions, and often death within two weeks. During trials, four pigs remained completely healthy after viral exposure, and subsequent generations exhibited no adverse effects on health or fertility – making this the first demonstrated case of full viral resistance in gene-edited livestock.

Our take: Classical swine fever costs the global pork industry $2–3B annually through vaccination, culling, and trade losses. Interestingly, the DNAJC14 mechanism is conserved across pestiviruses affecting cattle and sheep, meaning this genetic edit could provide cross-species viral resistance. With the UK’s Precision Breeding Act treating such edits as conventional breeding, these pigs are now a test case for how regulators will handle gene-edited livestock entering the food chain.

😰 Neuphoria’s social anxiety drug flunks late-stage trial (BioSpace): In the Phase III AFFIRM-1 trial, BNC210 failed to improve self-reported distress during a public speaking challenge and missed all secondary endpoints. Analysts suggested that the test may have been conducted before the drug reached peak plasma concentration. Neuphoria will continue development for post-traumatic stress disorder – following promising Phase IIb results – but for now, the company plans to pause new investment, conserve cash, and initiate a strategic review.

Our take: This failure exposes a rather awkward truth about social anxiety drug development – the FDA has no standardised endpoint. Developers are forced to rely on subjective outcomes (such as public speaking tests) that can produce wildly variable placebo responses. Without biomarker data to confirm whether BNC210 actually engages its target, we can’t tell if the drug doesn’t work or if the trial design was simply poor.

🦀 AI treatment reprograms and triggers cancer stem cells to self-destruct (GEN): Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed CANDiT, a machine learning framework that reprograms cancer stem cells to self-destruct. The system scanned more than 4,600 colon cancer tumours to identify targets that restore expression of the CDX2 gene – a key marker of survival – flagging PRKAB1 as a druggable target. Treatment with the clinical-grade agonist PF-06409577 restored CDX2 function, causing cancer stem cells to spontaneously collapse. Simulations suggest this could cut recurrence and death risk by up to 50%.

Our take: Instead of killing cancer cells, researchers convinced them to self-eliminate through reprogramming. CANDiT combines systems biology with patient-derived organoids, creating a feedback loop between computational prediction and human tissue testing. Focusing on already clinically tested molecules shortens the path to trial, and identifying network-level dependencies, rather than single mutations, means the approach could be rapidly adapted across tumour types.

And finally….

🦟 Insect’s special skill could revolutionise surgery (The Telegraph): The sawfly’s egg-laying organ makes precise cuts into plant tissue, depositing eggs without damaging vital structures, thanks to a self-regulating mechanism honed over millions of years. Small teeth combined with larger ridges operate on a stress threshold – cutting only when safe, while pushing critical tissue aside. Researchers scaled up the system 400 times and tested it on material mimicking human tissue, successfully replicating the wasp-like insect’s selective cutting behaviour.

Our take: This is nature’s own mechanical algorithm – distinguishing safe from unsafe tissue through material interaction, not sensors. Surgical tools inspired by the sawfly could use geometry and material elasticity to make self-regulating incisions, transforming vascular and neurosurgical procedures where one wrong cut can be fatal. Evolution’s design may prove a safer substitute for computational oversight, with devices that respond to physics rather than programming.

Tune in 🎧

👑 Biotech royalty deals on the rise and here to stay: Clarke Futch, Chairman and CEO of HealthCare Royalty Partners (HCRx), discusses three decades of leading $4B+ in royalty acquisitions – and why royalty-based financing is here to stay.

🧬 Changing the ovarian cancer treatment landscape with a DNA-mediated immunotherapy: Imunon CEO Stacy Lindborg highlights IMNN-001, a DNA-mediated IL-12 immunotherapy that directly targets tumours to avoid systemic toxicity.

🤝 Supportive care redefined: Closing the gap: Professor Alex Molasiotis, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean at the University of Derby, discusses the oft-overlooked power of supportive care in oncology and the real-world toll of uncontrolled CINV.

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👀 Senior Research Analyst – Emerging Biotechnology Policy, RAND Europe: Passionate about shaping the future of biotechnology and biosecurity policy? Deliver high-impact, mixed-methods research for UK, EU and philanthropic clients at the intersection of biotech, AI and emerging technologies.

🔬 Life Science Analyst & Sr. Analyst, DeciBio: Want to turn data into strategy at the intersection of science and business? Build models, deliver insights, and work with global life science clients driving healthcare innovation.

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