Life science news 13 April 2026: A record-breaking wave of M&A, an escalating GLP-1 pricing war and major FDA approvals define a landmark week for the global life science industry.
Gilead Sciences announced on 7 April its acquisition of Munich-based antibody-drug conjugate specialist Tubulis for up to $5 billion, comprising $3.15 billion upfront and up to $1.85 billion in milestone payments. The deal is Gilead’s third major acquisition since late February, following its purchases of Arcellx for $7.8 billion and Ouro Medicines for $2.18 billion. Tubulis brings a proprietary conjugation platform and two clinical-stage cancer assets, and Munich will become Gilead’s dedicated ADC research hub.
Neurocrine Biosciences agreed on 6 April to acquire Soleno Therapeutics for $2.9 billion at $53 per share, representing a 34% premium to Soleno’s recent closing price. The deal gives Neurocrine VYKAT XR (diazoxide choline), the first and only FDA-approved treatment for hyperphagia in Prader-Willi syndrome, with intellectual property expected to extend into the mid-2040s.
Novo Nordisk launched its higher-dose obesity injection Wegovy HD at a cash-pay price of $399 per month this week, deliberately undercutting Eli Lilly’s Zepbound which costs $449 per month at its highest doses. Wegovy HD produced a mean weight loss of 20.7% over 72 weeks in clinical trials and Novo is positioning the drug as a direct competitor to Zepbound as the GLP-1 pricing war intensifies.
AbbVie and Genentech became the tenth and eleventh companies to join the White House TrumpRx discount drug platform this week. AbbVie will offer its blockbuster autoimmune drug Humira at an 86% discount, reducing the price for uninsured patients from over $6,900 to around $950 per month. Genentech will sell its flu treatment Xofluza for $50, down from $168. The discounted prices apply to cash-paying patients only.
In further life science news 13 April 2026, Jeito Capital closed its second biopharma fund on 8 April, raising €1 billion ($1.2 billion), the largest raise ever achieved by an independent European fund dedicated to biopharma. The Paris-based investor plans to back 15 to 20 clinical-stage European companies with investments of up to €150 million each.
Biopharma M&A continued to surge this week, with data confirming that over a 12-day stretch in March, seven deals worth more than $1 billion each were announced, totalling approximately $29 billion. The spree included multiple transactions exceeding $5 billion and analysts are pointing to improved capital availability, reopening IPO markets and looming patent expiries as key drivers.
The FDA released its fiscal 2027 budget request this week, seeking additional authority to address misleading drug advertising and proposing a faster expedited investigational new drug pathway for early-stage compounds. The budget also includes proposals to streamline biosimilar reviews, aiming to increase competition and reduce costs for patients.
Aspect Biosystems received $79 million from the Canadian government’s Strategic Response Fund this week to advance its stem cell-derived diabetes therapy, which aims to enable patients to produce their own insulin. The investment also supports the company’s clinical development capabilities and its growth in Canada.
That’s your life science news digest for 13 April 2026 – back next Monday with the latest from pharma, biotech and healthcare and visit www.lifesciencedaily.news for daily updates.
This weekly digest is produced by the Life Science Daily News editorial team. All stories are selected and written independently.
