Novartis' Heart Drug Fails Major Clinical Trial, Threatening $900 Million Partnership
On November 7, Novartis, a massive pharmaceutical company, released its phase 3 clinical trial results for pelacarsen, an experimental cardiovascular drug. Headlining the outcome was its failure to prevent serious cardiovascular events, even though it reduced a major cholesterol-related risk marker by nearly 78%. This setback doesn’t just affect Novartis, but raises concerns about all emerging therapies for heart disease and their commercial potential. Additionally, the failu
Evan Wang
11h2 min read
Gilead Acquires Experimental Inflammation Drug in $1.3 Billion Deal
On October 22, pharmaceutical giant, Gilead Sciences, acquired PepStar Therapeutics’ oral inflammation drug program in a deal worth $1.275 billion in upfront cash. A primary drug involved in the agreement is HCXT-2001, an experimental treatment that is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials. This acquisition marks another step in Gilead’s expansion beyond its core HIV business. HCXT-2001 targets the interleukin-23 (IL-23) receptor, which regulates immune responses asso
Evan Wang
7d2 min read
Alphabet Shares Plunge as AI Spending Outpaces Cash Generation
On October 28, 2026, Google parent Alphabet saw its shares plunge after the release of their third quarter earnings report. Investor concerns centered around rising artificial intelligence expenses and underwhelming advertising revenue. Alphabet’s mounting infrastructure costs have raised questions about the profitability of AI investments. Alphabet reported quarterly revenue of $127.6 billion, a 25% increase year over year but below Wall Street's expectation of $128.2 billi
Evan Wang
Oct 292 min read
Merck's Experimental Cancer Drug Extends Survival by Nearly Seven Months
Merck's (NYSE: MRK) new cancer treatment, sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT), showed improved survival in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. This was unveiled on October 26 and could help Merck secure its place in a rapidly expanding market for targeted cancer therapies. The Phase 3 trial saw patients receiving sac-TMT achieve a median overall survival of 19 months, compared to just 12.1 months in those receiving traditional chemotherapy. This represented
Evan Wang
Oct 272 min read
London Stock Exchange Bets $3.5 Billion on Financial Data Amid AI Disruption
London Stock Exchange Group (LSE: LSEG) is set to acquire a financial data provider called Octus in a $3.54 billion deal, representing the biggest acquisition by the group in seven years. The move follows fears that artificial intelligence will disrupt the financial information sector in favor of more innovative firms. On the news, the provider of financial data and analytics saw its shares jump by around 6%, thereby erasing its losses for the year. Octus, based in New York,
Evan Wang
Oct 222 min read
Moderna's Cancer Vaccine Faces a $3 Billion Test
Moderna is best known for its breakthrough COVID-19 vaccines back during the pandemic. However, the company now focuses on developing cancer treatments and is approaching a critical milestone. On October 24, 2026, Moderna and its partner Merck are set to present their phase 3 results for intismeran autogene, an advanced personalized mRNA vaccine for battling cancer. After positive trial results earlier in August, Moderna shares have already jumped 284%, meaning that this upco
Evan Wang
Oct 212 min read