Ep 2. Oct 3, 2026

Welcome to Biotech Catch-up. I’m Harry. This week, we break down five major biotech and pharma stories from September 28 to October 2, 2026. 1. Novartis & Abogen — A major mRNA deal Novartis signed a licensing and option agreement with China-based Abogen Biosciences, including $575 million upfront for ABO2203, an mRNA-encoded CD19×CD3 T-cell engager being developed for autoimmune diseases. The deal also highlights the growing role of Chinese biotech in global drug development. Official source: Abogen Biosciences announcement 2. AstraZeneca invests $2 billion in Summit Therapeutics AstraZeneca made a $2 billion equity investment in Summit and will test Summit’s PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, ivonescimab, together with AstraZeneca’s ADC portfolio. The deal provides another major vote of confidence in PD-1/VEGF combinations in cancer. Official source: AstraZeneca announcement 3. Lilly’s retatrutide delivers strong Phase 3 obesity data In the TRIUMPH-2 study, patients receiving 12 mg of retatrutide lost an average 20.8% of their body weight over 80 weeks. The triple GIP/GLP-1/glucagon agonist is becoming an important benchmark for the next generation of obesity drugs. Official source: Eli Lilly TRIUMPH-2 results 4. Sanofi & Regeneron expand their immunology partnership Sanofi will pay Regeneron $1 billion upfront, with up to $7 billion in additional milestones, to develop four next-generation immunology antibody programs. The partnership appears designed to build the next wave of treatments around the successful Dupixent franchise. Official source: Sanofi announcement 5. FDA approves AbbVie’s Juvmo for Parkinson’s disease The FDA approved Juvmo, or tavapadon, as the first selective D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonist for adults with Parkinson’s disease. The approval also provides an important commercial validation of AbbVie’s acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics. Official source: AbbVie approval announcement Biotech Catch-Up makes major biotech news easier to follow by explaining what happened, why it matters, and what investors should watch next.