Deals Roll at JPM26, Policy Front and Center, IPOs Are Back, FDA Stays Busy

The BioSpace podcast delivers updates from JPM week, focusing on key deals, policy shifts, and industry sentiment. AbbVie's potential $5 billion commitment for a PD-1 VEGF bi-specific from RemeGen and Novartis's $1.5 billion Alzheimer's deal with SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals highlight the trend of seeking innovation from China. Discussions also cover potential impacts of President Trump's most favored nation drug pricing, with Pfizer's CEO predicting a net positive for international sales. Despite overall optimism fueled by a strong Q4 in M&A, concerns linger regarding early-stage VC funding and growing contempt for the scientific method. The FDA's recent activity includes a request to remove suicide warnings from GLP medications and a rare disease approval, contrasting with a rejection for Atara Biotherapeutics.