The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has proposed dramatic budget cuts under the Trump administration, sending shockwaves through the biotech industry. Meanwhile, top government health officials appear to be taking a softer stance on gene therapies.
In other news, several biotech companies reported updates on their experimental treatments and clinical trials. Merck announced that its PCSK9 inhibitor successfully lowered bad cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol, meeting the goals of two Phase 3 studies. Keros Therapeutics will return $375 million to shareholders after a strategic review, while Avidity Biosciences received FDA clearance to seek accelerated approval for an RNA-based treatment for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
However, not all news is positive. Axsome Therapeutics’ application for a fibromyalgia treatment was rejected by the FDA, and struggling biotech Elevation Oncology is being acquired by Concentra Biosciences as part of a plan to shut it down.
Finally, Metsera’s obesity-focused drug candidate showed promising results in an early trial, suggesting potential benefits that could surpass current weight loss treatments.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/09/biotech-news-merck-keros-metsera-axsome-ema-nih-cuts-amylin-the-readout