The week in pharma: action, reaction and insight – week to August 8

10 August 2025

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell

Significant news last week included Vertex Pharmaceuticals dropping development of its acute pain candidate VX-993 following a Phase II trial miss. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr continued his vaccine skepticism, announcing a wind-down in funding for mRNA vaccines. USA-based Eledon Pharmaceuticals released encouraging early trial results on its tegoprubart in renal transplantation. Also, US pharma major Eli Lilly reported new data on its investigational obesity drug orforglipron that failed to show a benefit over a rival candidate from Novo Nordisk.

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