March 2021

NEWS & COLUMNS

6-7 NEWS
Merck to acquire Pandion Therapeutics for $1.85bn; AMR Action Fund raises $140m from new investors

8-11 CORONAVIRUS NEWS
FDA grants emergency approval for J&J's vaccine; UK to launch first COVID-19 human challenge study

12 DARWIN'S MEDICINE
Edging towards success – evolution tells us to look for small advantages, not big leaps

13 POLICY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The impact of social isolation and loneliness due to COVID-19 has not yet fully revealed itself

14 DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE!
Talent remains an important asset and big challenge

15 LAUCH LEADERS' BLOG
How to prioritise, perform and prevail

26 RESEARCH NEWS
Parkinson's UK launches new biotech company; MS Society funds two UK 'Centres of Excellence'

FEATURES

16-17 NEW THINKING, BOLD ACTION
UCB's Mike Davis talks about building a better future for people living with severe diseases

18-19 A NEW ERA FOR UK-JAPANESE
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH RELATIONS
The recently signed UK-Japan Free Trade Agreement is hoped to foster collaboration

20-21 SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS IN
POST-BREXIT, POST-PANDEMIC BRITAIN
Galapagos' Emma Chaffin talks about creating a new biotech affiliate in the UK during the pandemic

22-23 RARE DISEASE DRUG PRICING
Comparison of orphan drug assessments from NICE versus the NHS

25 RAISING AWARENESS ON RARE DISEASE DAY 2021
Rare Disease Day 2021 focused on the global rare disease community