Global Scans · Pharmaceuticals · Weekly Summary

• [New] A new regulatory framework proposed in February by the US Food and Drug Administration could dramatically reduce the time and cost of bringing personalised CRISPR-Cas gene-editing therapies to patients with rare genetic diseases. CRISPR Medicine
• [New] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert about a rapidly increasing public health threat from a drug-resistant form of the bacteria Shigella, which causes the intestinal illness shigellosis, across the United States. iHeartRadio
• [New] Drug-resistant infections are becoming harder to treat, and experts estimate that antimicrobial resistance could lead to 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050. ScienceDaily
• [New] The United States is heavily reliant on imports of pharmaceuticals, approximately 53% of patented pharmaceutical products are produced abroad - threatening national security and access to life-saving medications. ArentFox Schiff
• [New] Express Scripts will establish a standard offering for plan sponsors where the out-of-pocket costs for patients are based on the net cost of a drug, rather than the list price. Arnold & Porter
• [New] The Food and Drug Administration approved Nuvation's drug, Ibtrozi, last year; Nuvalent's zidesamtinib could follow by mid-September. BioPharma Dive
• [New] By 2030, and potentially as early as 2028, the FDA wants animal testing to become the exception in preclinical drug development rather than the norm. Fierce Biotech
• [New] Quantum AI will revolutionize sectors requiring massive computation, including drug discovery and climate modeling, within the next decade. AI Everywhere Briefing
• The fund, Sovereign AI, will invest roughly $675 million in homegrown startups in fields ranging from model development to agentic AI to drug discovery. Wired
• The global pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow steadily, driven by biologics innovation, AI-driven platforms, supply chain resilience, and increasing demand for personalized medicine. GlobeNewswire
• The global pharmaceutical industry is projected to reach approximately USD 1.72 trillion in 2026, reflecting steady growth driven by biologics and advanced therapies. GlobeNewswire
• Opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry include innovation in biologics, growth in GLP-1 therapies and precision oncology, rising demand for advanced treatments, and expanding manufacturing in Asia-Pacific. GlobeNewswire
• Asia Pacific is growing at a compounding annual growth rate of 5.84% during the predicted timeframe, owing to increasing urbanization, a strong pharmaceutical base, rising disposable incomes, and a growing geriatric population, which contributes to a surge in demand for muscle relaxants. Precedence Research
• By drug type, the neuromuscular blocking agents segment is growing at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2026 to 2035. Precedence Research
• AI-driven drug discovery platforms like Exscientia are expected to reduce drug development timelines by up to 40% by 2028. Innovation Hub Live
• The forthcoming FDA guidances on AI and digital health are expected to significantly influence how drug companies operate. IntuitionLabs
• Internationally, harmonization efforts like ICH's work on AI (proposed ICH guidance on AI/ML in drug development is rumored for ICH meetings) will shape FDA's approach. IntuitionLabs

Last updated: 28 April 2026