The leaders of this year’s list of the most anticipated drug launches will likely come as no surprise: Fierce’s annual report on the biggest potential launches of 2026 details how the next obesity meds from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are expected to rake in a respective $17.2 billion and $11.8 billion in annual sales by 2032, so long as they score their expected approvals this year.

Elsewhere in the report are candidates from the likes of Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and other biopharmas big and small, spanning a range of indications from breast cancer to essential tremor. All together, predicted 2032 sales for the year’s top 10 weigh in at nearly $46 billion.

In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce’s Andrea Park and Gabrielle Masson dive into the report, mapping out how it stacks up against last year’s edition and digging into the enormous sales potential of the top two drugs on the list. 

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• Top 10 most anticipated drug launches of 2026

• Novo Nordisk stock crashes after CagriSema misses phase 3 weight-loss goal

• Lilly's obesity pill largely maintains weight lost on injectable GLP-1s

• Top 10 most anticipated drug launches of 2025 

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Please see the following USPI, US ISI, EU SmPC and Canadian Product Monograph for complete LIVMARLI product information:

US Important Safety Information (https://livmarli.com/important-safety-information/)

US Prescribing Information (https://files.mirumpharma.com/livmarli/livmarli-prescribinginformation.pdf?_ga=2.264585739.54248471…

EU SmPC (https://ec.europa.eu/health/documents/community-register/html/h1704.htm)

Canadian Product Monograph (https://files.mirumpharma.com/livmarli/livmarli-product-monograph-en.pdf)

Learn more about the latest research for Mirum’s investigational therapies: MRM-3379 (https://mirumpharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FXS-NDD-2025-Mouse-Model-Poster_FINAL.pdf), volixibat in PSC (https://s29.q4cdn.com/633867992/files/doc_presentations/2024/Jun/Mirum-VISTAS-and-VANTAGE-Interim-Analysis-Results-Presentation.pdf)and PBC (https://mirumpharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Heneghan-M-EASL-2025-VANTAGE-28-week-data-with-volixibat-in-PBC.pdf), and brelovitug (https://www.natap.org/2025/AASLD/AASLD_22.htm). LIVMARLI is also currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 EXPAND study (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06553768) in additional settings of cholestatic pruritus.

References

1. What is hepatitis delta? Hepatitis B Foundation. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.hepb.org/research-and-programs/hepdeltaconnect/what-is-hepatitis-delta/
2. Agarwal K, Jucov A, Dobryanska M, et al. Brelovitug (BJT-778) monotherapy achieved 100% virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis D: on treatment week 48 phase 2 study results. Presented at: AASLD 2025; November 7-11, 2025; Washington, D.C.
3. Sagnelli C, Sagnelli E, Russo A, Pisaturo M, Occhiello L, Coppola N. HBV/HDV co-infection: epidemiological and clinical changes, recent knowledge and future challenges. Life (Basel). 2021;11(2):169. doi:10.3390/life11020169
4. Negro F, Lok AS. Hepatitis D: a review. JAMA. 2023;330(24):2376-2387. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.23242
5. Hunter J, Rivero-Arias O, Angelov A, Kim E, Fotheringham I, Leal J. Epidemiology of fragile X syndrome: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.36511 

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Artificial intelligence is reshaping medical communications, but it is not a substitute for human judgment. In this episode of The Top Line, experts from RTI Health Solutions explore how AI is being used across scientific writing, editing and information discovery—and why guardrails are essential.

The conversation examines practical applications of AI, including literature screening, early-stage drafting and editorial support, while addressing the limitations that can undermine quality and trust. Panelists share real-world examples showing how different tools can produce conflicting results and why expert review is required to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Listen to the full interview to gain insight into how organizations can harness AI’s efficiency while keeping scientific rigor and the human perspective at the center of their work.

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In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce checks in with professional services juggernaut KPMG on the biopharma rebound many industry watchers predicted in the closing months of 2025.

Fierce Pharma’s Fraiser Kansteiner sits down with Kristin Cirello Pothier, principal and U.S. and Americas region life sciences sector leader, as well as global deal advisory and strategy leader for health and life sciences at KPMG, to discuss the firm’s latest industry outlook. Pothier also explains how drugmakers are cutting through the noise and reflects on the technology, indication and valuation factors shaping today’s dealmaking appetite.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• 2026 forecast: After a surge of M&A in Q4, will the trend continue?
• Halozyme catches M&A wave to snap up Surf Bio in delivery tech deal worth up to $400M
• Global pharma manufacturing output surged in '25 in 'front-loading' response to US tariff threats: report
• In quick reversal, Trump calls off tariff threat related to Greenland pursuit

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With this year’s iteration of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in the rearview mirror, the biopharma industry has officially closed the door on 2025 as it heads into what is sure to be another eventful year.

In this week’s episode of "The Top Line," Fierce Pharma's Zoey Becker sits down with Angus Liu and Fierce Biotech's Gabrielle Masson to unpack the key topics and trends that stood out at this year's conference in San Francisco. The conversation offers an early look at the themes and questions that could shape the year ahead.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• All the meetings, none of the megadeals: Is JPM's purpose evolving?

• JPM26: What’s in a biopharma? CEO says Teva has the goods

• JPM26: Astellas CEO resists 'rescue BD' as $6B Xtandi patent cliff nears 

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As payers focus on long-term outcomes and real-world performance, value matters more than ever. RTI Health Solutions experts discuss how clear evidence storytelling drives access decisions.

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In early 2025, the FDA was rocked by sweeping layoffs and leadership turnover, raising questions about whether the agency could maintain its pace in reviewing new drug applications.

By the end of the year, the approval picture told a more complicated story, with momentum building after a slow start.

This week on "The Top Line," we dig into what the numbers really show, which companies and therapies came out on top, and what the FDA’s performance over the course of 2025 signals for the drug review process going forward.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• 2025 drug approvals: Despite FDA tumult and macro uncertainty, biopharma scored with 55 new products
• 2024 drug approvals: Small companies loom large with several key FDA nods
• 2023 drug approvals: After a down year, FDA signs off on a bounty of new meds, including 7 from Pfizer

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What does it really mean to put patients first in today’s life sciences landscape? In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, leaders from RTI Health Solutions explore how patient voices are transforming evidence generation, market access and medical communication. From patient-reported outcomes and advisory boards to inclusive value storytelling and trust-building across diverse communities, the discussion highlights why patient-centric strategies are no longer optional—and how they can influence approval, reimbursement and real-world impact.

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As artificial intelligence continues to dominate conversations across life sciences, many companies are reaching an inflection point between experimentation and real-world impact. In a recent episode of The Top Line, Mark Sullivan, president of regulated industries at Salesforce, said the industry is moving past broad promises toward a clearer divide between organizations that have laid the groundwork for AI and those still struggling to operationalize it. While early pilots have delivered mixed results, Sullivan said the next phase will be defined by how effectively companies use AI to augment their workforce, not replace it. Much like laptops or smartphones, AI proficiency is quickly becoming a baseline expectation for professionals, shaping productivity, decision-making and resilience across drug development, manufacturing and commercialization.

Sullivan emphasized that success with AI agents hinges on trust, governance and high-quality data—particularly in an industry where accuracy and compliance are nonnegotiable. Life sciences organizations are beginning to see value in agents that support patient engagement, clinical trial matching and commercial execution, but only when those agents are grounded in enterprise data and clear guardrails. With as much as 80% of industry data unstructured, he said, the process of deploying agents often exposes deeper data and architecture challenges that must be addressed. Companies that solve for these issues can unlock both efficiency and growth, using AI not just to cut costs, but to strengthen patient relationships and drive innovation. The conversation offers a practical look at how life sciences leaders can move beyond the hype and build an agentic strategy that delivers measurable results—making it a must-listen for anyone navigating AI adoption in a regulated environment.

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China has moved from a fast-following biotech market to a source of globally competitive innovation, according to Josh Smiley, president and chief operating officer of Zai Lab. Speaking on The Top Line podcast, Smiley traces the country’s evolution over the past two decades, pointing to regulatory harmonization, expanded national insurance coverage and deepening R&D capabilities as key drivers. He said the most recent wave of Chinese biotechs is no longer focused solely on domestic opportunities but on first- or best-in-class medicines that can compete worldwide, particularly in oncology and immunology.

Smiley also details how Zai Lab blends China’s patient access and development speed with global clinical and regulatory standards, a model he says has helped accelerate programs such as Zai’s DLL3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate for small cell lung cancer into late-stage trials. As China-sourced deals now account for a growing share of global biotech partnerships, Smiley argues companies that integrate China early — without treating it as a standalone market — will have a strategic edge. The conversation offers a candid look at what’s next for Zai Lab and why China’s expanding role in drug innovation is likely to reshape the global pipeline for years to come.

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