Biotech M&A, in vivo CAR Ts and FDA tumult — a BioCentury podcast

Plus: Readouts from Praxis in seizure disorders and Novo Nordisk in Alzheimer’s

Fueled by cancer, obesity and cardiovascular deals, $1 billion-plus takeouts in biotech are at their highest level in a decade with three weeks to go in the year. On the latest BioCentury This Week, BioCentury’s analysts discuss the rise in large M&A deals and what the trends among the 37 acquisitions say about biopharma dealmaking.

The analysts assess first-in-human in vivo CAR T data at the American Society of Hematology meeting from  Kelonia Therapeutics Inc., which showcase the promise of the modality and justify the growing pipeline. They also break down readouts from Praxis Precision Medicine Inc. (NASDAQ:PRAX) in developmental and epileptic encephalopathy from the American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting and from Novo Nordisk A/S (CSE:NOVO B; NYSE:NVO), which presented full data at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease meeting on semaglutide’s failure to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Washington Editor Steve Usdin analyzes a roller-coaster week at FDA in which Richard Pazdur resigned as director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Tracy Beth Høeg became acting CDER director, a move that Usdin says will prompt staff departures, ease restraints on FDA leaders.