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Good morning from Pharma and Biotech daily: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in Pharma and Biotech world.Former Chinook board member, Rouzbeh Haghighat, has been indicted for insider trading related to Novartis' $3.2 billion acquisition of the company. Despite this scandal, pharma R&D spending increased in 2024, climbing 1.5% across the global pharmaceutical sector. The acquisition of SiteOne by Lilly follows Vertex into the non-opioid pain space, providing diversification for Lilly, which has been focusing on obesity and diabetes treatments. Meanwhile, AbbVie's Allergan cuts over 200 staff after a botched marketing campaign, and Inflarx axes a rare skin disease study due to disappointing late-stage data.AGC Biologics will be at Bio International in Boston to showcase their global capabilities in drug production. Vaccine overhaul, rocket grounding, and drug price transparency are also highlighted in the latest news. Biogen's strategy for Zurzuvae shifts as obstetricians/gynecologists rise to the front lines. Drug price transparency in the US is discussed as being easier said than done. Additionally, Rocket's gene therapy for Danon disease is on hold after a patient death, and four biotechs are facing uncertainty in the COVID-19 vaccine landscape.Global pharmaceutical companies are increasing their research and development spending despite political and economic challenges. Biogen is shifting its strategy for the drug Zurzuvae as obstetricians and gynecologists become more involved. Drug price transparency in the US is still a challenge, despite efforts to increase transparency. Trilink has introduced a new poly(A) tail modification to enhance protein expression.In other news, a former Chinook board member has been indicted for insider trading, Trump has appointed Dr. Oz to lead drug pricing negotiations, and Lilly is following Vertex into non-opioid pain treatment with a SiteOne acquisition. Sanofi has purchased Vigil for $470 million to reignite an Alzheimer's target.

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