#70 – Trick or treat?! Discount drugs and the secrets of eternal youth

The coffee break biotech roundup, by SomX.

Hello, my fellow ageless spirits,

This week: scientists think whales may hold the key to ageing in reverse – so it might be time to trade in your night cream for something a little stronger. Meanwhile, the US is striking new trade agreements with South Korea and Japan, regulators at the FDA are pushing for cut-price biotech drugs, Novartis is betting big on RNA, and Genentech’s layoffs continue to chill the industry.

Who knew Free Willy would resurface as biotech’s latest anti-ageing apparition?

Happy Halloween,

Count Dodo

If there’s anything you’d like to see in future editions of Biotech Dodo, send us a message.

Discover 🔍

🤝 US signs collaboration agreements with Japan and South Korea for AI, chips, and biotech (TechCrunch): Trump’s Asia tour wasn’t just handshakes and photo ops. Famous for the art of the deal, he’s signed Technology Prosperity Deals (TPDs) with Japan and South Korea covering AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotech, 6G and space. Together, these innovation heavyweights are drafting a joint rulebook for the future of technology – one that pointedly leaves Beijing out in the cold.

Our take: This flurry of TPDs shows how geopolitics and innovation have fused into a single power play – locking in allies, shutting out rivals, and defining who controls the next generation of tech. The global AI race is no longer just about progress, it’s about borders.

💰 Novartis’ $12B Avidity deal shows a willingness to take big swings in neuroscience (BioPharma Dive): The pharma giant’s multibillion-dollar acquisition, at a hefty 46% premium, underscores a bold bet on RNA delivery tech and rare neuromuscular diseases. It’s a move straight from Chief Strategy Officer Ronny Gal’s playbook: invest big where Novartis can lead, not follow. Avidity’s RNA-enabled therapies for Duchenne complement Novartis’ neuroscience pipeline, echoing its earlier AveXis gene therapy success.

Our take: Neuroscience, once considered pharma’s graveyard, is stirring again – driven by fresh breakthroughs and (still) unmet medical need. For Novartis, this isn’t just another M&A move; it’s a signal of intent to dominate the next wave of RNA innovation. In a field long haunted by high hopes and hard failures, the company is betting that conviction – not caution – will be its competitive edge.

🐳 Can bowhead whales with their 200-year lifespan help us to slow ageing? (The Guardian): In a finding straight out of the pages of The Picture of Dorian Gray, scientists have found that bowhead whales may hold the code to near-eternal youth – without the cursed portrait! These Arctic giants, which can live for more than 200 years, possess exceptional DNA repair skills driven by a cold-activated protein called CIRBP. Early lab work suggests boosting CIRBP in human cells doubles DNA-repair rates.

Our take: As a land-based bird, immortal whales feel a little too vampiric for this Halloween-loving dodo, but the science is truly fascinating! The findings hint that cold exposure – or drugs replicating its effects – could one day help humans age more healthily and protect tissues during surgery or transplants. Perhaps the next frontier in longevity isn’t silicon or stem cells, but something far chillier.

🇺🇲 Federal health officials push effort to spur cheaper biotech drugs (The Independent): The FDA has proposed sweeping reforms to speed up biosimilar development and cut the cost of complex biologic drugs. Its new draft guidance – open to the public for 60 days – would ease requirements for costly human trials, allowing developers to rely on analytical testing instead. With biologics making up just 5% of US prescriptions but 51% of drug spending, regulators hope this move will boost competition and access to lifesaving treatments.

Our take: For years, the promise of affordable biologic medicines has lingered in regulatory purgatory. Biotech giants argued their cell-based drugs were too complex to replicate, creating monopolies that kept prices sky-high. Now, the FDA is rattling the gates, hoping that looser trial demands can unleash competition without inviting risk. Whether it’s reform or recklessness, the era of untouchable biologics may finally be ending.

And finally…

🪓 Genentech says goodbye to 118 employees in 3rd HQ layoff round of the year (Fierce Pharma): Roche’s latest round of job cuts brings total reductions in 2025 to nearly 350 staff at its Genentech HQ. The losses span multiple departments – including data science, product development, and executive roles – as the company continues to restructure itself around shifting priorities and deeper AI integration in drug development.

Our take: Genentech’s layoffs are a stark indicator of a biotech industry in flux. Once hailed as a beacon of innovation, it now finds itself in a phase defined by cost-cutting, strategic realignment, and the sobering realities of a tighter funding ecosystem. The pandemic boom is long gone; today’s cutbacks mark a broader recalibration towards more sustainable growth models in an uncertain market.

Tune in 🎧

🧑‍🔬 Geoffrey Duyk, Grove Biopharma CEO, on polymer breakthroughs, Intractable targets & biotech’s future: From Harvard genetics professor to biotech investor, Geoffrey Duyk discusses navigating biotech’s toughest cycle and how Grove Biopharma’s precision polymers aim to drug the “intractable.”

🦠 Hitting the reset button on cellular ageing: Junevity CEO John Hoekman explains how the company is using AI to target “undruggable” transcription factors and design siRNA therapies that restore healthy gene expression.

🤖 Lessons from building the world’s first robotic cloud lab: From self-taught PhD to biotech automation innovator, Monomer Bio CEO Jimmy Sastra is uniting biology, data, and automation through intelligent lab software.

Apply ✍️

🧫 Head of Responsible Innovation, Generative Biology Institute: Want to shape the ethical future of biotechnology? Lead the institute’s strategy for responsible innovation, embedding foresight, biosecurity, and societal values across every research programme.

👀 Research Leader – R&I policy/Metascience – Science and Emerging Technology, Rand Europe: Looking for a role where you can help shape the evidence base for science policy and research culture? Lead major projects on research assessment, funding, and metascience for UKRI, the European Commission, and the UK Metascience Unit.

RSVP 📆

🇦🇹 5 Nov | BIO Europe | Vienna, Austria: Europe’s largest life sciences partnering event brings together 5,700+ attendees from 3,000 companies across biotech, pharma and investment.

🌍 11–12 Nov | Global Pharma and Biotech Summit | London, UK: Two days of keynotes and panels with leading innovators, investors and executives – covering drug discovery, clinical trials, market access and patient engagement.

🤝 11 Nov | Deep Biotech Community Connects | Online: The inaugural Deep Biotech Community Connects webinar will introduce the BIA’s new community and explore government priorities for the sector.

🧠 15 Nov | AI in Medicine Conference | Glasgow, UK: Hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, this event explores real-world applications of AI in diagnostics, clinical decision-making, and medical education.

🧬 18–20 Nov | MedTech Conference – Silicon Valley, USA: A global gathering of medical device innovators, investors, and manufacturers focused on next-generation technologies, regulatory insights, and market access.

❄️ 20–21 Nov | Slush 2025 | Helsinki, Finland: Europe’s leading tech and startup event bringing together 13,000 founders, investors, and operators to connect, inspire, and close deals in the world’s coolest ecosystem.

Got news, jobs or events you think is worth coo-ing over? Post an event here, or email us at biotechdodo@substack.com!

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