MARCH 2026

NEWS & COLUMNS

6-7 NEWS
Gilead to acquire Arcellx in deal worth $7.8bn; Novo Nordisk and Vivtex partner in deal worth up to $2.1bn

8-9 NEWS
PureTech gets FDA and EC Orphan Drug designations; J&J gets FDA Fast Track designation for lupus

11 DERMATOLOGY NEWS
Incyte’s vitiligo treatment approved by NICE; BMS’ Sotyktu approved by US FDA for psoriatic arthritis

12 DARWIN’S MEDICINE
Why big companies can’t behave like start-ups

13 WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
Collaboration in partnership takes effort

14 BUILDING DECISION FITNESS
The Top 10 pharma business simulations

15 A PROGRESS PROBLEM
When impact becomes a direction

FEATURES

16-17 UNLOCKING THE UK’S ADVANCED THERAPY PIPELINE
A key challenge for the UK is ensuring that clinical trial infrastructure and regulation support the development of ATMP therapies

18-21 HIDDEN FIGURES:
THE GAP IN MEDICINES ACCESS
Therapies judged clinically effective and cost-effective at a national level are routinely taking months longer to reach patients

22-23 WOMEN’S HEALTH – CLOSING THE HORMONE GAP
Testosterone has been used in the management of menopausal symptoms for more than 80 years

24-25 WHY EUROPEAN BIOTECHS STRUGGLE TO WIN US MEDIA TRUST
For European biotechs navigating US attention, the challenge is not simply gaining coverage, but ensuring that visibility, when it occurs, reinforces credibility rather than testing it

COMMUNIQUE
MARKETING & COMMS

28-30 PUSHING COMMUNICATIONS TO NEW HEIGHTS
As new comms excellence opportunities abound, staying connected through core messaging remains critical, with research showing 65% of senior clinicians in the UK, Europe and the US have stopped engaging with pharma companies because of poor digital delivery

32-33 CANCER GRAND CHALLENGE
Five global teams of scientists have been awarded up to £20m each to tackle some of cancer researchers' unanswered questions

34-35 DIGITAL AMBITION AND OPERATIONAL REALITY IN PHARMA MANUFACTURING
As organisations expand across sites, regions and regulatory environments, complexity increases quickly. Managing that complexity without slowing production or increasing risk will be a defining issue for pharmaceutical manufacturers through 2026 and beyond

CAREERS & RECRUITMENT

36-38 APPOINTMENTS
Each month, we bring you the latest news on job changes in the pharma sector. This month, we are highlighting change at BioDuro, N4 Pharma and Accord Healthcare

6 GILEAD TO BUY ARCELLX FOR $7.8BN

8 J&J GETS FDA FAST TRACK FOR LUPUS

11 BMS’ PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS DRUG APPROVED

16 THE UK’S ADVANCED THERAPY PIPELINE

18 THE GAP IN MEDICINES ACCESS

22 WOMEN’S HEALTH – THE HORMONE GAP

24 EUROPEAN AND US BIOTECH MARKETS

28 PUSHING COMMS TO NEW HEIGHTS

34 THE FUTURE OF PHARMA MANUFACTURING